Junior Accountant - Accounts Receivable

Position Summary 

The Junior Accountant supports the financial operations of the nursery by managing daily accounting tasks with a strong emphasis on Accounts Receivable. This role assists with invoicing, reconciliations, month-end close, and financial documentation while collaborating across Sales, Shipping, and Production teams. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, motivated to learn, and enjoys working in a dynamic, seasonal environment typical of nursery operations.

Key Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable (Primary)

• Prepare and issue accurate customer invoices based on sales orders, delivery tickets, and shipping logs.
• Track outstanding customer accounts and follow up on past-due payments.
• Apply customer payments (ACH, checks, credit card) and reconcile daily cash receipts.
• Maintain AR aging reports and assist with collections efforts.
• Investigate billing discrepancies, customer disputes, short-pays, and tax-related questions.
• Assist with credit applications, credit checks, and maintaining customer account information.
• Organize and maintain customer billing documentation.

General Accounting Responsibilities (Expanded)

Accounts Payable Support (Backup)

• Review vendor invoices for accuracy and coding before forwarding for approval.
• Assist with processing payments, check runs, and vendor reconciliations.
• Maintain vendor files and support resolution of discrepancies.
• General Ledger & Month-End Close
• Prepare journal entries related to revenue, adjustments, expenses, and accruals.
• Reconcile general ledger accounts, including cash, AR, AP, and inventory-related accounts.
• Assist with preparation of monthly financial statements and internal reports.
• Support periodic audits by assembling required documentation and schedules.
• Banking & Cash Management
• Assist with bank reconciliations, ensuring accuracy of deposits and payment applications.
• Track daily cash flow activity and flag discrepancies or unusual transactions.
• Inventory & Cost Tracking (Nursery-Specific)
• Assist with reconciling plant inventory counts to system records.
• Help verify costs related to soil, pots, fertilizers, and production inputs.
• Coordinate with Production teams to ensure inventory movements are recorded correctly.
• Administrative & Cross-Department Support
• Accounts Payable Support (Backup)
• Review vendor invoices for accuracy and coding before forwarding for approval.
• Assist with processing payments, check runs, and vendor reconciliations.
• Maintain vendor files and support resolution of discrepancies.
• Maintain organized digital and physical financial records.
• Assist with updating internal accounting procedures and workflows.
• Provide support to Sales, Shipping, and Customer Service to verify order accuracy.
• Help with seasonal tasks such as high-volume invoicing during peak nursery months.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3 year of entry-level accounting experience; AR or AP exposure preferred.
• Basic knowledge of accounting principles and financial reconciliation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and accounting software.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Professional communication

Preferred Skills

• Experience in agriculture, nursery operations, or inventory-based businesses.
• Familiarity with sales tax, agricultural exemptions, and multi-state billing.
• Comfort working with packing slips, BOLs, POs, and delivery documentation.

Work Environment

• Office role within a nursery/production environment.
• Occasional visits to other divisions, production or shipping areas may be required to verify documentation or inventory.