Accountant in Arlington, Virginia at MEAT INSTITUTE

Reports to: VP of Finance

Location: Arlington, VA

Schedule: Full time, in office, Monday- Friday

Position Objective:

The Accountant supports accurate and timely accounting operations for the Meat Institute and its related entities. This hands-on position manages key accounts payable, cash receipt activities prepares reconciliations, , and supports monthly financial close . The Accountant helps maintain strong internal controls, reliable financial records while providing responsive service to internal and external stakeholders.

Essential Responsibilities:

Accounts Payable and Expense Management

· Oversee the processing of vendor purchase order requests, invoices, and employee expense reports in NetSuite; verify supporting documentation, account and department coding, approvals, and compliance with established policies.

· Process weekly payment cycles for multiple entities, including check runs, ACH and wire payments, positive pay files, payment reports, and timely disbursements.

· Set up and maintain vendor records, obtain required documentation such as Forms W-9, and resolve vendor inquiries and payment discrepancies.

· Review and reconcile corporate credit card transactions, including proper documentation, allocation, and approvals; maintainrelated records in NetSuite and supporting schedules.

· Investigate issues with employee expense reports and purchase order requests and help staff understand applicable accounting procedures.

Cash Receipts, Billing and Collections

· Process and record incoming checks, ACH receipts, wire transfers, lockbox payments, and physical check deposits for multiple entities.

· Apply receipts to the appropriate member accounts and invoices, investigate unidentified or misapplied payments, and follow up as needed to resolve discrepancies

· Support membership dues billing and collections, monitor accounts receivable, issue periodic past-due notices, and document collection activity and member correspondence.

· Respond to member and other payer inquiries about receipts, account balances, and payment status.

Reconciliations and General Ledger

· Prepare monthly bank and merchant account reconciliations, including those for Meat Institute, and Meat Foundation accounts..

· Prepare and maintain balance sheet account reconciliations, accounting schedules, and supporting documentation; investigate and resolve discrepancies.

· Review general ledger activity, prepare adjusting journal entries. Ensure expenses and receipts are allocated to appropriate accounts, departments, and entities.

· Coordinate with the Senior Accountant and other finance staff to ensure reconciliations are accurate, complete, and timely.

Month-End, Year-End and Audit Support

· Support month-end close activities, including accounts payable accruals, expense cutoffs, intercompany transactions, allocations, and account reconciliations.

· Assist with year-end reporting and tax-related tasks, including preparation of Forms 1099 and 1096.

· Prepare audit schedules, reconciliations, transaction support, and responses to information requests for annual financial and other applicable audits.

Systems, Controls and Stakeholder Support

· Maintain complete, organized, secure electronic and paper accounting records in accordance with organizational policies.

· Follow established accounting policies, internal controls, approval requirements, and segregation-of-duties procedures.

· Partner with membership, sponsors, vendors, and internal departments to resolve billing, payment, and collection questions.

· Coordinate with internal and external systems support teams to resolve NetSuite reporting or workflow issues and support appropriate report customization.

· Perform other related accounting duties and special projects as assigned.

· Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

· Approximately 5 or more years of progressive accounting experience, including hands-on general ledger and reconciliation work.

· Experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, month-end close, and multi-entity accounting.

· Proficiency with accounting systems (NetSuite preferred), Excel,; experience with AMS Re:Members is a plus.

· Strong attention to detail, analytical judgment, organization, discretion, and professional communication skills.

· Ability to prioritize competing deadlines and work collaboratively in a fully on-site environment.