General Position Summary:

Provide general support to the International Accounts Payable Department. Includes invoice coding, matching temp liability accrual lines and managing freight vendors and transactions. Recording of consumption entries, quantity variance analysis and follow up, vendor down payment processing and reconciliation generation, filing, scanning & copying, e-mailing and special projects as needed.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities:

Entry of invoice data into the SAP system and perform voucher match procedures for freight.
Investigate discrepant invoices for freight as necessary and resolve independently or propose solution to supervisor per departmental guidelines.
Log and maintain spreadsheets for adjustments and interest calculations for Expeditor invoices.
Manage third party provider for freight invoicing
Prepare down payments for freight vendors and send payment remittance after payment is made.
Balance spreadsheets/invoices to appropriate registers (finished goods, raw materials, accounts payable and assigned General Ledger accounts).
Prepare month end journal entries to General Ledger.
Verify, obtain approvals and process debit note payments.
Process licensee invoices via email or EDI
Monthly reconciliation of assigned general ledger accounts.
Filing of international documents according to policy.

Secondary Functions:

Maintain positive open lines of communication with all Columbia Sportswear management, staff, liaison offices and other departments in order to contribute to the smooth flow of information and efficient operation of the organization.

Perform other related duties as assigned.

Job Scope:

Job involves recurring work situations of moderate complexity with occasional variations from the norm. This position works under some supervision with general instructions provided for new assignments. Work is checked on a regular basis by peers and the supervisor. This position operates from established company/department procedures and policies and may be asked to contribute to the development of new ones. Mistakes/errors may inaccurately represent payments, resulting in the dissemination of incorrect information used to make financial decisions. Errors made in the amount or timing of payments may also adversely affect Columbia Sportswear's relationship with international vendors and delay in the delivery of raw materials causing production delays.

Interpersonal Contacts:

Contacts are with others both inside and outside the organization. Internal contacts include other members of the Accounting, International and Global Customs and Trade departments. External contacts are primarily with Liaison Offices. Contacts usually involve information exchange and interpretation or receipt of instructions. Contacts are often made at the supervisor's or in response to discrepant documents and frequently contain confidential and sensitive information. Approximately 90% of the contacts occur over email for outside the office with 5% over the phone, and the rest occurring face to face.

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Specific Job Skills:

Possess working knowledge of general office and accounting procedures. Ability to read, write, speak and understand English. Ability to perform basic math and use computerized accounting systems proficiently. Proficiency and accuracy in data entry and 10 key operations. Ability to concentrate and pay attention to detail. Good interpersonal and communication skills

Education:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent specializing in accounting is preferred

Experience:

2 years Accounts Payable experience in general accounting, and on a computerized accounting system required, SAP preferred. Excel spreadsheets intermediate level for routine tasks, pivot tables etc.

Job Conditions:

Job may require hours that exceed 8 hours per day and/or 40 hours per week and occasional weekends during peak times. Physical ability to use computer hardware/software and 10 key, to perform repetitive hand/wrist motions, to sit for extended periods, and to occasionally lift up to 10 pounds. Exposure to computer CRT.

This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.

AP Specialist II