Staff Accountant

Aston Carter; Minnesota; On-site; USD 76,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site office in Elk River, MN

Summer hours with half-day Fridays

Job summary

Aston Carter is seeking an Accounting Consultant for our Elk River, MN headquarters. The role focuses on manufacturing operations, driving accurate month-end close, and improving accounting processes through automation and collaboration with leadership and cross-functional teams.

The position is an on-site contract role based in Elk River, MN, offering interactive exposure to senior leadership and opportunities to influence accounting practices during growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of operational accounting experience.
• Experience in the manufacturing industry.
• CPA designation and/or audit experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.
• Strong experience preparing and posting journal entries.
• Hands-on experience with month-end and year-end close processes.
• Proficiency with general ledger accounting.
• Demonstrated ability to perform detailed account reconciliations.
• Experience in financial reporting and supporting documentation review.
• Ability to analyze accounting processes and identify opportunities for improvement.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and post journal entries for month-end and year-end closes.
• Perform detailed account reconciliations and investigate discrepancies.
• Review balance sheet accounts and supporting documentation for data integrity.
• Analyze accounting processes and identify efficiency improvements.
• Research accounting issues and challenge existing processes when needed.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure timely financial reporting.
• Support special accounting projects and automation initiatives.
• Coordinate with broader Accounting and Finance functions across locations.

Skills

Operational accounting

Manufacturing experience

CPA or audit experience

Journal entries

Month-end close

General ledger

Account reconciliations

Financial reporting

Process improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

Job description

Job Description

Job Description

The Accounting Consultant plays a key role in the month-end and year-end close processes by preparing journal entries, performing detailed account reconciliations, and ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting. This position focuses on operational accounting within a manufacturing environment and actively contributes to process improvement and automation initiatives. The role offers significant interaction with leadership and cross-functional teams, providing visibility across multiple departments and the opportunity to influence how accounting processes evolve to support ongoing growth.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and post journal entries as part of the month-end and year-end close processes.
• Perform detailed account reconciliations and investigate discrepancies to ensure accurate financial information.
• Conduct comprehensive reviews of balance sheet accounts and supporting documentation to maintain data integrity.
• Analyze existing accounting processes and proactively identify areas for improvement and increased efficiency.
• Research accounting issues, ask clarifying questions, and appropriately challenge existing processes when necessary.
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.
• Support special projects and other accounting initiatives as needed to drive continuous improvement.
• Contribute to efforts focused on automation and process efficiency to support ongoing business growth.
• Work collaboratively with team members in Accounting and Finance at the local corporate location and coordinate as needed with broader Accounting and Finance functions in other locations.

Essential Skills

• At least 5 years of operational accounting experience.
• Experience in the manufacturing industry.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and/or audit experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.
• Strong experience preparing and posting journal entries.
• Hands-on experience with month-end and year-end close processes.
• Proficiency with general ledger accounting.
• Demonstrated ability to perform detailed account reconciliations.
• Experience in financial reporting and supporting documentation review.
• Ability to analyze accounting processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Strong investigative and problem-solving skills for resolving discrepancies.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with internal stakeholders and leadership.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in a corporate headquarters environment supporting multiple locations.
• experience in supporting special projects and accounting initiatives.
• Comfort working in a dynamic, growth-oriented organization focused on automation and efficiency.
• Ability to work independently without the need for close supervision while maintaining high-quality output.
• Interest in collaborating across departments to understand operational drivers of financial results.
• Adaptability and openness to questioning and improving existing processes.

Work Environment

This role is based on-site at a corporate headquarters in Elk River, Minnesota, within a manufacturing-focused organization that designs, manufactures, and assembles complex components and systems for powersports, golf and turf, agriculture, and small vehicle markets. The Staff Accountant works in a professional office environment alongside a small, local Accounting and Finance team, with additional Accounting and Finance colleagues located at another headquarters. The position is in-office five days per week, with a strong emphasis on flexibility and work-life balance, including summer hours with half-day Fridays. The culture values hard work, autonomy, and trust, minimizing micromanagement and encouraging employees to take ownership of their responsibilities. Employees enjoy a modern office setting, supportive colleagues, and frequent interaction with leadership and cross-functional departments. The company continues to invest in automation and process improvements to support sustained growth, providing an environment where continuous improvement and innovation in accounting processes are encouraged.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Elk River, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $55.00 - $68.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan