Accounting Specialist

The Planet Group; Cambridge (MA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Planet Group, a leading publisher in Somerville, MA, is seeking a motivated finance professional to join their team. Responsibilities include processing invoices, managing cash receipts, and maintaining customer records in Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable. The ideal candidate has 3-5 years of relevant experience, strong organization skills, and advanced proficiency in Excel. There is opportunity for hybrid work flexibility after initial onboarding. This position is essential for accurate financial reporting and collaboration within the team.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable.
• Ability to process high volume work accurately and timely.
• Experience with multiple accounting systems.

Responsibilities

• Process end-customer invoicing for book sales.
• Enter invoices into the Accounts Payable system using automated software.
• Prepare and maintain excel files for journal entry backup and account reconciliations.

Skills

Advanced Microsoft Excel

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Payable

Organizational skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Tools

QuickBooks

Certify software

Job description

A leading publisher of books for children located in Somerville, MA, seeks a motivated professional to join our Finance Team to perform a range of accounting tasks in Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, to include related tasks such as cash receipts posting, and related reconciliations. The job requires advanced excel skills.

Responsibilities

Accounts Receivable

• Process end-customer invoicing for book sales.
• Process cash receipts including coding, remote deposits, and cash applications.
• Process credit memos including documenting reasons and authorization for credits.
• Close Accounts Receivable at month-end, run month-end AR reports, prepare monthly AR Reconciliations for two reporting entities.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date customer records.
• Perform other AR tasks as needed.

Accounts Payable

• Learn and understand the Accounts Payable processing system for vendor payments.
• Enter invoices into the Accounts Payable system using automated invoice-reading software and applying initial coding.
• Route invoices via the software for approval and coding.
• Review and post fully approved invoices into the accounting systems.
• Process vendor payments once a week, with the Accounting Manager.
• Review, code, and process expense reports in accordance with T&E policy using Certify software.
• Work with the Accounting Manager and the Contracts department to review automatically interfaced contractual author royalty advances and generate author payments once a month.
• Review author payment item to ensure that the correct tax documentation is in place. Develop an understanding of foreign payee (W8, W8-BEN and W8-BENE) tax declaration forms. Communicate and coordinate with the Contracts department on required tax forms for authors, illustrators and agents.

Other

• Prepare and maintain excel files such as journal entry backup, account reconciliations, and custom analyses, as directed.

Required Experience and Skills

• At least three to five years of experience in Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable or both.
• Ability to process a high volume of work accurately and timely.
• Strong computer skills. Must be an advanced Microsoft Excel user.
• Experience with multiple accounting systems. QuickBooks experience is a plus.
• Must be extremely organized, attentive to detail, and be able to multi-task and prioritize workflows.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as enjoyment working collaboratively.
• Ability to work in the Somerville MA office on a daily basis with eventual eligibility for hybrid work.