Contract Clerk

L0605 Southwest Finance Center; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Medical, Dental, Vision

Paid Holidays

PTO 80 hours front-loaded

Short/Long-Term Disability

Life Insurance

401(k)

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Lithia Learning Center

Vehicle Purchase Discounts

Wellness Programs

Job summary

Lithia & Driveway, a Fortune 500 automotive retailer, seeks a mid-level Contract Clerk in Van Nuys, CA, to ensure timely and accurate posting of dealership transactions. The role focuses on posting of contracts, reconciliations, and maintaining strong internal controls in a fast-paced environment.

The position supports the accounting team with transactional postings, vendor payments, and revenue/expense recognition, with room for growth toward management roles for high performers.

Qualifications

• Bookkeeping certification or 2+ years of accounting experience preferred.
• Auto Industry experience preferred.
• Retail sales or customer service experience preferred.
• Understands basic accounting concepts (COA, debits and credits).

Responsibilities

• Submit service contracts and warranty contracts.
• Record new car purchases and dealer trades; post used car purchases.
• Process lien payoffs and cash receipts; run regional checks.
• Process and pay vendor invoices; reconcile FTC and intercompany accounts.
• Post new and used car deals; record wholesale/retail AR balances.
• Review and resolve variances; maintain timely, accurate postings.

Skills

Team player

Excellent communication

Active listening

Positive customer service

Self-leadership

Review variances

Office computer skills

Education

Associate's Degree in Accounting

Bookkeeping Certification

Job description

Dealership: L0605 Southwest Finance Center Accounting Processing Centers (APC) | Contract Clerk Lithia & Driveway (LAD) is a Fortune 500 company and one of the largest automotive retailers in North America, with nearly 450 dealerships across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Our Dealership Accounting teams are essential partners in our success, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance across all financial operations. With a strong focus on collaboration, growth, and continuous improvement, we offer the tools and support you need to build a rewarding accounting career in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Join us and be part of a team where your impact truly drives our goal of Auto Done Easy!

Contract Clerk is a mid-level position that ensures timely, accurate and consistent recording of dealership transactions. This is a traditional accounting role that manages transactional posting of dealership activities. Accounting acumen is required. High performers will build upon their accounting & financial acumen while also building relationship and influential leadership skills. This will serve them well on a path to an Accounting Manager Role or if coupled with Automotive and Business acumen on the path to a Business Manager. The Contract Clerk reports to the Business Manager or Accounting Manager.

Location: Van Nuys, CAMonday - Friday 8am - 5pm In-Person

Target Hiring Range: At Lithia & Driveway, we believe in pay transparency. The full compensation range for this position is $21.65 - $31.25 reflecting the earning potential and growth opportunities available within the role. Actual compensation will be $25.24 - $27.72 determined based on factors such as experience, skills, job-related knowledge, and geographic location. Final pay decisions are made through the interview process and in accordance with applicable pay equity and transparency laws.

What You'll Do

• Submission of Service Contracts
• Submission of Warranty Contracts
• New car purchases and Dealer trades
• Recording of used car purchases
• Request and process lien payoffs
• Processing of cash receipts
• Regional check runs
• Processing and payment of vendor invoices
• FTC reconciliation
• Accounting for manufacturer monies (parts, warranty, incentives, misc.)
• Posting to Intercompany accounts
• Posting of New & Used Car Deals
• Recording of wholesale vehicle sales & purchases
• Collection of dealership wholesale & retail AR balances
• Process Refunds checks, customer referrals checks
• Warranty Cancellations RDR, Rebate Reconciliation
• Schedule reviews and maintenance (SAR understanding, SPARK Notes)
• Understanding of all Product Payable lines and ability to reconcile Statements Balance Intercompany for transactions they initiate.
• Other duties as assigned

What You'll Bring

• Bookkeeping Certification, Associates Degree in Accounting or 2-years commensurate experience preferred
• Auto Industry Experience (preferred)
• Retail Sales and/or Customer Service (preferred)
• A team player who is focused on providing exemplary customer service.
• Understands Basic Accounting - familiar with COA, debits and credits
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral
• Active Listening – give full attention to the words and body language of others, take time to understand the points being made and ask questions as appropriate
• Positive customer service attitude
• Empowered self- leader, accepts responsibility and takes initiative to ensure assigned deliverables are met within acceptable timeframes
• Ability to quickly review, research and if necessary resolve variances
• Entry to mid-level office and computer skills

Total Rewards

• Competitive pay
• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Paid Holidays
• PTO: 80 hours front-loaded on day 1
• Short and Long-Term Disability
• Paid Life Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Lithia Learning Center
• Vehicle Purchase Discounts
• Wellness Programs
• Additional information about our Total Rewards benefits can be reviewed on our careers site at totalrewards.lithiadriveway.com

High School graduate or equivalent, 18 years or older required. We are a drug-free workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity (regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status). We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. At Lithia & Driveway, we stand by our mission of Growth Powered by People, as we build a workplace that ignites ideas and opportunities to Earn Customers for Life. Our focus is on making the customer experience better; as we aim to meet our customers’ needs whether in person, online or a combination of both. Lithia & Driveway is the largest automotive retailer in North America and listed on the Fortune 500 (NYSE: LAD). Drive your career forward with roles in Sales, Finance, Service, Technology and Corporate. With thousands of vehicles and hundreds of locations, the career possibilities are endless. Join us as we accelerate towards growth in automotive and beyond!