Manager Financial Accounting

Universal Corporation; Nashville (NC); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Pension

Merit increases

Paid holidays

Medical

Dental

Life insurance

Vision

Disability (short/long-term)

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Universal Leaf North America (ULNA) seeks a Manager, Financial Accounting to lead the organization’s financial accounting functions, ensuring accurate reporting, regulatory compliance, and effective general ledger management. You will oversee accounting operations across GL, AR, AP, fixed assets, inventory, and manufacturing costings, while driving improvements and cross-functional collaboration.

You will coordinate intercompany activity, support audits (SOX, ISO), and contribute to system

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or equivalent.
• Five to seven years of accounting experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Five+ years of Sarbanes-Oxley 404 experience.
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft applications.
• Progressive experience working with accounting personnel.
• Experience creating efficiencies and automating manual processes.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong organizational and critical thinking skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Willingness to travel.
• Adapt to changes, including weekend work when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes with accurate reporting and reconciliations.
• Oversee all accounting operations: GL, AR, AP, fixed assets, inventory, production, sales, shipments.
• Manage inventory accounting and annual valuation and costing processes.
• Coordinate intercompany transactions and leases for various entities.
• Ensure compliance with SOX 404, corporate, regulatory, and internal controls; support audits.
• Prepare audit schedules and respond to inquiries; support ISO audits.
• Strengthen internal controls and drive process improvements and automation.
• Support system implementations and reporting enhancements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to provide financial insights and ad hoc analyses.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Verbal & written communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's in Accounting

Tools

Microsoft Office

Dynamics systems

Job description

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 Manager, Financial Accounting at Universal Leaf North America, you will oversee the organization's financial accounting functions, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements, and effective management of the general ledger.

What You’ll Be Doing (Essential Duties)

• Abide by and enforce company policies, safety procedures and good housekeeping practices
• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes, ensuring accurate financial reporting, analysis, account reconciliations, and compliance with applicable accounting standards and company policies.
• Oversee all accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, fixed assets, inventory, production, sales, shipments, and related financial transactions.
• Manage inventory accounting and costing activities, including monthly inventory reporting, reconciliations, and annual inventory valuation and costing processes.
• Coordinate domestic and international intercompany transactions and ensure proper accounting treatment for leases and other complex accounting matters.
• Ensure compliance with corporate, regulatory, governmental, SOX 404, and internal control requirements by supporting control testing, compliance reporting, and remediation activities.
• Coordinate and support internal, external, and ISO audits, including the preparation of audit schedules, documentation, and responses to auditor inquiries.
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls while identifying and implementing process improvements, automation opportunities, and best practices to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
• Support accounting-related system implementations, enhancements, and information system projects to improve reporting capabilities and operational effectiveness.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to provide financial insights, support customer invoicing processes, and prepare ad hoc reports and analyses related to sales, inventory, receivables, and other business metrics.
• Performing other duties and special projects as assigned.
• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting or equivalent degree
• Five to seven years of accounting experience in a manufacturing environment
• Five or more years of Sarbanes Oxley 404 experience
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft applications
• Progressive experience working with accounting personnel
• Experience with creating efficiencies in workflows and automating manual processes
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational and critical thinking skills
• Effective analytical, planning and organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Willingness to travel
• Adapt to frequent changes in climate, environment, workload and schedules, including Saturday and Sunday work when required

Preferred Requirements

• CPA or CPA Candidate preferred
• Working knowledge of Dynamics systems preferred
• Knowledge of ISO quality programs helpful

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.