Location: Los Angeles Area with hybrid arrangement (minimum 3 days in the office)
Position Summary:
We are seeking a hands-on Accountant to manage the day-to-day accounting and financial operations of a wellness business that provides spa services and sells retail products through online and wholesale channels. The accountant will own the accounting cycle, payroll administration, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash and balance-sheet reconciliations, inventory accounting, and month-end close.
This role is well-suited to a practical, detail-oriented professional with experience in hospitality, wellness, restaurant, retail, or e-commerce industry. The successful candidate will maintain accurate books, strengthen internal controls, coordinate tax and regulatory filings with external advisors, and provide management with timely, decision-useful financial information.
Key Responsibilities:
Accounting and Financial Reporting:
- Own the general ledger and full accounting cycle, including journal entries, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, intercompany activity, and balance-sheet reconciliations.
- Lead monthly, quarterly, and year-end close; prepare accurate and timely income statements, balance sheets, cash-flow reporting, and supporting schedules.
- Maintain the chart of accounts and ensure consistent accounting treatment across services, product sales, gift cards, memberships, discounts, returns, shipping, and merchant fees.
- Reconcile bank, credit-card, payment-processor, e-commerce, payroll, sales-tax, inventory, and other balance-sheet accounts.
Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and Cash:
- Manage vendor setup, invoice coding, approval workflows, and payment processing. Maintain supporting documentation and ensure expenses are recorded in the correct period and account.
- Oversee customer invoicing and collections for wholesale accounts.
- Reconcile daily spa and e-commerce receipts to point-of-sale, e-commerce, payment-processor, and bank activity, including refunds, disputes, tips, gift cards, and deposits.
- Monitor cash balances and prepare short-term cash requirements and payment recommendations for management.
Payroll Administration:
- Administer payroll accurately and on schedule in coordination with the payroll provider, including new hires, terminations, wage changes, commissions, bonuses, tips, deductions, reimbursements, and paid time off.
- Reconcile payroll registers, payroll clearing and liability accounts, benefit deductions, employer taxes, and payroll-related cash activity to the general ledger.
- Maintain payroll records and coordinate required federal, state, provincial, and local payroll filings, registrations, and year-end reporting with payroll providers and external advisors.
Inventory and Cost of Goods Sold:
- Own inventory accounting for products, samples, packaging, supplies, and other stock.
- Maintain product costs and cost of goods sold calculations, including directly attributable costs.
- Coordinate cycle counts and physical inventories; document adjustments, shrinkage, damage, expiration, samples, transfers, returns, and write-offs.
- Partner with purchasing, operations, spa, fulfillment, and e-commerce teams to improve inventory accuracy, timely purchasing of materials and supplies, receiving, transfer, and fulfillment controls.
Tax and Regulatory Compliance:
- Prepare and submit regulatory filings required by local, state and federal governments.
- Prepare schedules and supporting documentation in co-ordination with external tax advisors, federal and state income-tax, property tax, business licenses, and regulatory filings.
Systems, Controls, and Other:
- Maintain efficient integrations and data flows among accounting, payroll, banking, point-of-sale, e-commerce, inventory, bill-pay, expense-management, and payment-processing systems.
- Document and improve accounting procedures, approval workflows, and internal controls.
- Serve as the primary accounting contact for banks, payroll and benefits providers, tax professionals, auditors, vendors, and other external partners.
- Assist with business, employee health, and workers' compensation insurance renewal.
Qualifications:
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
- Experience: Five or more years of progressive accounting or full-charge bookkeeping experience, preferably in a small or mid-sized business. Experience in retail, e-commerce, beauty, wellness, hospitality, spa, consumer products, or a multi-channel business strongly preferred.
- Inventory: Demonstrated experience with inventory accounting, cost of goods sold, physical counts, and inventory reconciliations.
- Working knowledge of U.S. GAAP and practical accrual accounting.
- Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and reconciliations.
- Proficiency with QuickBooks Online, experience with Shopify, point-of-sale, inventory, payroll, bill-pay, and payment-processor platforms is highly desirable.
Core Competencies:
- Close attention to detail, accuracy, organization, and follow-through.
- Ability to manage recurring deadlines while responding to the needs of a fast-moving small business.
- Clear written and verbal communication with both financial and non-financial colleagues.
- Hands-on, collaborative mindset with a commitment to improving processes.
- Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, and respect for confidential information.
Success Measures:
- Monthly close and management reporting completed accurately and on schedule.
- Bank, payroll, tax, merchant, and balance-sheet accounts fully reconciled with exceptions resolved promptly.
- Reliable inventory quantities and costs, with documented count procedures and timely investigation of variances.
- AP, AR, payroll, and cash processes completed accurately, with clear approvals and supporting documentation.
- Tax and regulatory deadlines tracked and completed in coordination with qualified providers, with no avoidable late filings or penalties.