Sr Manager, Accounting Operations

About Us

Connected International, Inc. (Connected Cannabis Co.) is a leading vertically integrated cannabis company based in Sacramento and operating in California, Arizona, and Florida. With over 11 years experience, Connected specializes in breeding, growing, manufacturing, and distributing top-shelf cannabis through its state-of-the-art facilities and proprietary genetics. 

With over 250 employees across the United States, Connected maintains a strong presence in the industry across multiple markets. The company has recently expanded into Arizona and Florida with ambitious national expansion plans underway. Connected's mission has always been to breed, grow, and sell the best cannabis in the world, setting high standards for its products, people, and partners wherever we go.

About the Job

The Accounting team's core objective is to establish robust, scalable accounting processes and deliver high-value financial reports for operational efficiency, analytical decision-making, and strategic planning. Our collaborative efforts extend across the company, encompassing data analysis to supply chain management, to streamline processes and control expenditures. We pride ourselves on our entrepreneurial mindset and strategic financial management.

At Connected, we are on the lookout for a dynamic Sr Manager, Accounting Operations to oversee the everyday operations of our general accounting functions, encompassing areas such as Corporate, Retail, Cultivation, and Supply Chain. This role is pivotal in driving significant process improvements, including playing a key role in the development and implementation of a comprehensive ERP system, redesigning business processes, and leading various other enhancement initiatives. As a direct report to the Controller, this position will also offer critical strategic analytical support on both departmental and organization-wide projects.

The ideal candidate is self-driven, a fast learner, and adept at managing, prioritizing, and adapting within a rapidly evolving, fast-paced environment. Creativity, a strong work ethic, and an analytical mindset are essential, as is the ability to make informed recommendations. An integral part of this role is the capacity to collaborate effectively across different departments, building relationships that align with and further the company's objectives.

What You Will Do

• Oversee Financial Statement Integrity: Guarantee the accuracy, completeness, and compliance of financial statements with all relevant standards and regulations.
• Monthly Financial Close: Direct the monthly financial close process, ensuring timely and precise completion of financial reporting. Including review and preparation of journal entries, account reconciliations, and reporting across multiple sections of the business, including AR, AP, Cash, Opex, Fixed Assets, and Payroll. 
• Detailed Financial Analysis and Reporting: Conduct thorough financial analyses to provide insights and drive organizational financial performance improvements.
• Budget Management: Oversee budget preparation, monitor budget variances, and provide financial insights to management.
• Internal Controls Implementation: Establish robust internal controls to safeguard financial integrity and compliance. Document detailed memos that describe GAAP.
• Team Management and Development: Mentor and develop the accounting team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous learning.
• Process Optimization: Continuously evaluate and improve accounting processes and systems for increased efficiency.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Communication: Act as the primary point of contact for financial information for internal and external stakeholders.
• Audit Coordination and Support: Facilitate external audits, ensuring readiness and compliance with audit requirements.
• Risk Management and Mitigation: Identify financial risks and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.
• Regulatory Compliance Monitoring: Stay abreast of changes in financial regulations and ensure organizational compliance.
• Cross-departmental Collaboration: Work closely with other departments to align financial strategies with organizational goals. Review existing work flows to determine improvement opportunities that reduce manual work and increase accuracy.
• Financial Policy Development: Formulate and implement financial policies and procedures in line with organizational objectives.
• Accounts Reconciliation: Ensure timely and accurate reconciliation of all accounts.
• Support ERP buildout initiatives and perform ad-hoc analyses as requested by management
• Lead and develop a growing accounting team

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Team Leadership and Management: Oversee the finance department staff, including hiring, training, and managing personnel. This involves setting goals, assigning tasks, evaluating performance, and providing guidance and support to team members.
• Mentorship and Development: Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities to finance staff. This includes identifying training needs, organizing training sessions, and encouraging continuous learning and growth within the team.
• Performance Evaluation: Conduct regular performance reviews of finance staff, offering constructive feedback, setting objectives, and identifying areas for improvement.
• Work Allocation and Delegation: Efficiently allocate and delegate tasks and projects among finance team members, ensuring a balanced workload and the effective use of resources.
• Quality Control and Oversight: Oversee the quality of work produced by the finance team, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and timeliness in financial reporting and other financial operations.

What We Are Looking For

• Educational Background: A BA/BS degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or Finance provides the foundational knowledge necessary for this role. It's a standard requirement for managerial positions in accounting and finance.
• Industry-Specific Experience: Requiring 7+ years of progressive accounting experience in the cannabis or related industry ensures the candidate has in-depth knowledge of the unique challenges and regulatory environments of this sector. This experience is crucial for effective management and decision-making in the role.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential for a managerial role, as the job will likely involve explaining complex financial concepts to non-financial staff and stakeholders.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced Excel skills are fundamental in accounting for data analysis and financial modeling. The desire to learn SQL/BI for more in-depth analytics shows a forward-looking approach to data management and decision-making.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong interpersonal skills and a proven ability to build collaborative relationships are critical, as the role requires working closely with various departments and levels within the organization.
• Systems Experience: Experience with ERP systems like SAP, Oracle, Netsuite, or Acumatica is highly valuable. This experience suggests that the candidate can handle complex accounting systems, which is key in managing the financial operations effectively.

Compensation Description (annually): The salary range for this position in the selected city is $120,000.00 - $140,000.00 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location.

Physical Requirements/Workplace Environment

• Requires normal, corrective vision range, the ability to see color and the ability to distinguish letters, numbers and symbols.
• Requires normal hearing range.
• Workplace is an office setting.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.   

Why Connected?

Connected is an exciting and innovative workplace with a highly engaged workforce brought together by a shared passion to be the best in the business.  We are on a mission to breed, grow and sell the best cannabis in the world!  This is a super unique opportunity to be part of the start-up stage of the booming cannabis industry.  We are looking for exceptional people to join our team as we transition into the next phase of our business ventures and become a leader in the cannabis space.  

• Competitive Pay
• Employee Discounts at Connected retail stores
• Employee Assistance Program, PTO
• Career Growth and Internal Advancement Opportunities
• Chance to work in an exciting new start-up industry with awesome people!

Note: This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) incumbent to this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instruction or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.

The company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, a drug free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable.

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