Staff Accountant I (Hybrid)

Lakeshore Learning Materials; Carson (CA); Hybrid; USD 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with company contribution

On-site preschool for employees' kids

On-site employee gym

Casual dress

Job summary

Lakeshore Learning Materials is seeking a Staff Accountant I to join our Finance team in Carson, CA. You’ll own monthly close processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and reporting, collaborating with senior accountants to grow professionally.

You’ll support audits and cross-functional projects, contributing to the financial health of a company that delivers educational materials to teachers, parents, and children nationwide.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field.
• 2+ years of hands-on accounting experience, including exposure to month-end close.
• Ability to work on-site at our Carson, CA office on a hybrid schedule.
• Experience with SAP S/4HANA or a similar ERP system.
• Active pursuit of CPA licensure.

Responsibilities

• Own the preparation and posting of monthly journal entries, including accruals and reclassifications, with accurate supporting documentation
• Reconcile and analyze assigned balance sheet accounts — prepaid expenses, accrued expenses, and others — so balances are clean and well-understood at close
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting packages, bringing together data that helps leadership make informed decisions
• Support the annual financial statement and collateral audit by organizing documentation and responding to auditor requests
• Partner cross-functionally on special projects and ad-hoc analyses, bringing curiosity and a willingness to dig into unfamiliar territory

Skills

Independent work

Escalation awareness

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field

CPA licensure in progress

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Job description

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, over 50 stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

As a Staff Accountant I on our Finance team, you'll keep the numbers behind Lakeshore's mission accurate and moving. You'll own key pieces of the monthly close cycle — journal entries, account reconciliations, and reporting — working closely with senior accountants who will help you grow. Your work directly supports the financial health of a company that puts quality learning materials into the hands of educators and families every day.

A day on the job looks like this:

• Own the preparation and posting of monthly journal entries, including accruals and reclassifications, with accurate supporting documentation
• Reconcile and analyze assigned balance sheet accounts — prepaid expenses, accrued expenses, and others — so balances are clean and well-understood at close
• Contribute to monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting packages, bringing together data that helps leadership make informed decisions
• Support the annual financial statement and collateral audit by organizing documentation and responding to auditor requests
• Partner cross-functionally on special projects and ad-hoc analyses, bringing curiosity and a willingness to dig into unfamiliar territory

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience?Here’swhatwe’relooking for:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field
• 2+ years of hands-on accounting experience, including exposure to month-end close
• Comfort working independently on recurring tasks while knowing when to escalation questions to senior team members
• Ability to work on-site at our Carson, CA office on a hybrid schedule

Preferred:

• Experience with SAP S/4HANA or a similar ERP system
• Active pursuit of CPA licensure

What sets you apart:

• You treat a reconciling difference as a puzzle worth solving, not a problem to park until next month
• You communicate proactively — if something looks off or a deadline is at risk, you say so early
• You take feedback in stride and use it to sharpen how you work the next time around

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain!

At Lakeshore, we pay local market wages for employees that reside within Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

For this position, new employees joining Lakeshore who live within Los Angeles and Orange Counties are typically brought into the organization at an hourly rate between $26–$35 depending on relevant experience & skillset.

This range is indicative of projected hiring range. The annual base compensation will take into account each candidate's relevant experience, location, and skillset.

• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage — EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits — choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees' children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Lakeshore is an E-Verify employer. We use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

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