Accounting Analyst

Contract to Hire position based in Rochelle, IL.

About the role

The Accounting Analyst manages and maintains key accounting processes in alignment with corporate policies and procedures, with a strong focus on manufacturing, labeling, and distribution operations. This role offers significant visibility and partnership with operations, maintenance, and site leadership in a growing facility environment, providing strong exposure to cost accounting, capital projects, and operational finance.

The role is based onsite at a large manufacturing and production facility that also serves as a major distribution and labeling hub. The facility operates in a growth phase, with significant investments in infrastructure, equipment, and ongoing renovations to modernize the environment. The Accounting Analyst works as part of a small on-site accounting team of approximately two to three people, while reporting to a Director of Accounting who is located at a different site, resulting in a remote management structure with regular communication and collaboration.

The environment offers close partnership with operations, maintenance, and site leadership, providing direct visibility into manufacturing, labeling, and distribution activities. The role is initially fully onsite, with potential flexibility for a hybrid format once the position becomes permanent.

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain accounting processes in accordance with corporate accounting policies and procedures.
• Process and monitor third-party invoices and ensure accurate and timely recording.
• Create and maintain SAP Bills of Material (BOMs) and recipes for internal operations, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), and repackers.
• Review daily labeled production and component usage, and reconcile results to Traksys and BOMs to ensure accuracy and reasonableness.
• Calculate and review variances for daily production across all label lines and determine whether process orders were processed properly.
• Review standard costs and actual costs for inaccuracies and update standard costs as needed.
• Settle and close daily SAP process orders for the facility and coordinate with production planners and label line coordinators to resolve questions or discrepancies.
• Create process orders for 3PLs and process production activities for 3PLs and repackers.
• Assist with the preparation and submission of Capital Asset Requests (CARs) provided by engineering.
• Develop cost savings estimates for capital projects when necessary.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly Construction in Progress (CIP) accounts and reports against budget for management review.
• Close CARs upon project completion and create related fixed assets in the accounting system.
• Maintain and distribute asset tags and ensure accurate tracking of fixed assets.
• Maintain and reconcile fixed asset records and oversee periodic physical asset inventories.
• Evaluate obsolete assets and inventory to determine appropriate disposition, including sale, disposal, or transfer.
• Assist with cycle counts and physical inventories, investigate cycle count variances, and resolve related issues.
• Manage and reconcile leased assets and reconcile monthly lease agreements.
• Support monthly and fiscal year-end closing activities in accordance with corporate accounting policies, including preparation of journal vouchers and review of general ledger and balance sheet accounts.
• Serve as a primary verification source for internal controls to support Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of related, relevant, and recent accounting or finance experience within the last two years.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel for data analysis, reporting, and reconciliation.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Outlook for professional communication and coordination.
• Experience working with ERP systems in an accounting or finance environment.
• Experience in accounting, including general ledger, financial reporting, and account reconciliation.
• Experience with financial analysis, cost analysis, and budgeting.
• Ability to manage invoices, bills of material, and capital asset processes.
• Understanding of balance sheet accounts and month-end closing activities.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to interact effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong analytical thinking skills to interpret financial data and identify trends or issues.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Strong work ethic with a proven ability to work under deadlines, including occasional weekend work when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• SAP experience, particularly with BOMs, process orders, and cost structures.
• Knowledge of finance and standard costing in a manufacturing or distribution environment.
• Experience with capital assets, including CARs, CIP, and fixed asset management.
• Exposure to forecasting, financial planning, and operating plan development.
• Experience with month-end and year-end closing processes in a plant or distribution setting.
• Familiarity with accounts payable processes and invoice management.
• Experience supporting Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance and internal control testing.
• Comfort working with key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and operational reporting.
• Interest in growing into higher-level accounting roles with broader operational and strategic responsibilities.

Schedule

The position works Monday through Friday, typically from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the need for occasional weekend work to meet deadlines.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $28.00 - $34.00/hr.

Benefits

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)