Accountant

About the Job

The Accountant will assist the Controller and Assistant Controller with the monthly accounting activity, close process, financial statement preparation and variance analysis, along with projects to assist senior leadership. They will be responsible for providing support to department activities with specific responsibility for the processing, recording, updating and reconciling fiscal information in compliance with established policies; providing instructions, recommendations and/or accounting support to other personnel; and analyzing expenditures against budget. The goal is to contribute to the overall efficient operation of the department and help the company be fully aware of its financial condition. This way it can make the right decisions and accomplish long term success.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS:

• Reviews financial information for identifying potential budget variances, compiling statistical information and conforming to established financial practices and regulatory requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of financial statements.
• Prepare elimination and consolidation entries.
• Record and maintain intercompany balances.
• Prepare and review actual to budget variance analyses.
• Support daily cash reporting and analysis, including participating in cash forecasting.
• Prepare, review, and clearly communicate various schedules and other information to members of management and external auditors.
• Post and process journal entries to ensure all business transactions are recorded.
• Assist in the processing of balance sheets, income statements and other financial statements according to legal and company accounting and financial guidelines.
• Assist with reviewing of expenses, payroll records etc. as assigned.
• Update financial data in databases to ensure that information will be accurate and immediately available when needed.
• Prepare and submit weekly/monthly reports.
• Manages special projects as required, such as fiscal year end audit, Sarbanes Oxley compliance, and short-term projects as assigned by the CFO, COO or the Central Garden & Pet Finance department.
• Other tasks as assigned by the CFO/Controller/Assistant Controller.

IDEAL CANDIDATE ATTRIBUTES:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting.
• 3-5 years' experience as an Accountant.
• Must be highly detail-oriented and organized.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a customer service focus.
• Ability to act and operate independently with minimal daily direction from manager to accomplish objectives.
• Proficiency with email and Microsoft Office application; especially Excel.
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and external agencies to maximize performance creativity, problem solving, and results.

BENEFITS PACKAGE & EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Free Life and Short-Term Disability Insurance.
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts.
• 401k with a 3% company match and annual profit-sharing bonus!
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Discounts on Pet supplies, cell phones, movie tickets, gym memberships, and more.
• Education Assistance (both college degrees and professional certifications).
• Referral Program with a cash bonus.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) understands that home is central to life and has proudly nurtured happy and healthy homes for over 40 years. With fiscal 2022 net sales of $3.3 billion, Central is on a mission to lead the future of the Pet and Garden industries. The Company's innovative and trusted products are dedicated to helping lawns grow greener, gardens bloom bigger, pets live healthier and communities grow stronger. Central is home to a leading portfolio of more than 65 high-quality brands including Amdro®, Aqueon®, Cadet®, Farnam®, Ferry~Morse®, Four Paws®, Kaytee®, K&H®, Nylabone® and Pennington®, strong manufacturing and distribution capabilities and a passionate, entrepreneurial growth culture. Central Garden & Pet is based in Walnut Creek, California and has over 7,000 employees across North America and Europe. Visit to learn more.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.