Inventory Specialist

Job Description

Job Description

Position: Green Tobacco Inventory Specialist

Location/Department:   Universal Leaf North America/Nashville, NC/Accounting

Status:  Full-Time, Salaried 

Reports To:  Vice President, Financial Analysis

Our Company

Universal Leaf North America (ULNA), a subsidiary of Universal Corporation, is the premier supplier of quality, compliant, and sustainable tobaccos and services to our customers, where we conduct business in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.

Our Nash Facility is the most technologically advanced tobacco threshing operation in the world. We can process over one million pounds of semi-perishable tobacco per day by transforming it into a stable tobacco material that can be stored for years, all while meeting the exacting standards of the tobacco product manufacturers.

As a compliment to ULNA’s leaf stemming business, our J. P. Taylor Company, L.L.C. facility provides tobacco stems and scrap blending, rolling, and cutting, which further enhances the total value and usability of the entire tobacco leaf. Both the Nash and J.P. Taylor facilities maintain ISO9001 Quality and ISO 14001 Environmental systems, which further support our commitment to our customers and other stakeholders. The unusable tobacco waste material from both facilities is transformed into organic compost at our Carolina Recycled Ag Materials, LLC (CRAM) facility, which provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial fertilizers.

Additional services include Universal Storages, where we assist our customers in managing their tobacco logistics and storage requirements.

At Universal Leaf North America, our employees have proven a strong commitment to providing a quality product, excellent customer service, and operating in a sustainable and compliant manner.

Summary

As a Green Tobacco Inventory Specialist at Universal Leaf North America, you will establish internal controls for and monitor the purchase of green tobacco and other business activities at buying stations. You will also maintain control of operating costs, quality and production to satisfy company commitments.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Responsibilities)

• Track and document green tobacco purchases from point of purchase to stemmery and into production. 
• Work jointly with leaf department to maintain all farmer contract information for different styles of tobacco.
• Process payments to farmers during season, and ensure pounds, amounts, and recipients are correct
• Communicate effectively with farmers, lending institutions, leaf, and accounting departments to maintain DAX accounting system’s vendor information
• Ensure up to date certifications and requirements at buying stations (i.e. weighmaster licenses scale and weight certifications, any state moisture requirements
• Assist during internal and external audits 
• Identify, manage and correct all discrepancies in the receipts of tobacco, as compared to the shipments made from buying stations, auction sites and third parties
• Work closely with accounting personnel to prepare operating budgets for market operations
• Track possible green tobacco sales and purchases from third parties to aid in invoicing as well as end of season/ year reconciliation
• Work jointly with IT department to install, test and monitor computer equipment used at buying stations
• Develop a detailed understanding of the Buying Station processes and the supporting TIMS system. Assist IT department in any changes to existing programs, or development of new programs due to changing customer requirements
• Work jointly with IT and HR departments to ensure access to Company systems and provide training as needed with buying station personnel
• Prepare all weekly, monthly, and yearly payment memos to buying station agents, government agencies, and farmers alike related to tobacco purchases throughout the season 
• Other duties may be assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Effective analytical, planning and organizing skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Shows high level of commitment to developing excellence in technical and/or business skills
• Adapt to frequent changes in climate, environment, workload and schedules, including Saturday and Sunday work when required

Preferred Requirements

• Willingness to travel among U.S. Buying Stations (20% per year is required) 
• Working knowledge of DAX, TIMS and OPS systems preferred
• Experience using Cyberquery

Benefits
We offer a wide range of market-competitive total rewards that include 401(k) match, pension, merit increases, paid holidays, medical, dental, life, vision, short and long-term disability benefits, and tuition assistance to name a few.

EOE M/F/Disabled/Vet Employer

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.