GA Senior Accountant (Japanese Speaking)
The Senior Accountant partners closely with cross-functional teams such as AP, AR, FP&A, and local finance to resolve issues and improve data quality, while maintaining strong internal controls and supporting audits. In addition, the role drives standardization, process improvements, and automation initiatives to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across finance operations.
- Revenue and General Ledger (“GL”) Ownership
Manage revenue accounting activities, including deferred revenue and accruals, ensuring accurate and timely recognition in accordance with IFRS 15 / ASC 606 and corporate policies.
Own the end-to-end close process (monthly, quarterly, and year-end) for revenue and GL, ensuring completeness, accuracy and compliance with accounting standards.
Perform and review balance sheet reconciliations, including revenue-related accounts, ensuring transparency and timely resolution of reconciling items.
Partner with cross-functional stakeholders (Commercial, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, FP&A, and local finance) to resolve issues, enhance financial accuracy, and strengthen controls.
Proactively identify and mitigate risks in revenue recognition and GL processes, ensuring strong internal controls and audit readiness.
Inventory, Cost Accounting & Goods‑in‑Transit:
Own end-to-end inventory accounting for assigned entities, including valuation, obsolescence provisioning, and cut-off accuracy in line with accounting standards.
Lead monthly inventory reconciliations between the General Ledger and sub-ledgers/systems (e.g., Oracle, JD Edwards), as well as warehouse or 3PL stock reports.
Monitor and reconcile Goods-in-Transit (GIT) balances, ensuring proper recognition timely resolution of discrepancies.
Prepare and review inventory-related reporting for monthly close and management purposes, highlighting risks, trends and unusual movements.
Intercompany, Fixed Assets Accounting
Perform intercompany activities, including transaction processing, confirmations, settlements, and reporting, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely resolution of differences.
Prepare fixed asset journals, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, and assessment of impairment indicators, in compliance with accounting policies and standards.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline intercompany processes, improve reconciliation efficiency, and strengthen controls over fixed assets management.
Financial Close & Reporting
Perform monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes, ensuring timely, accurate, and high-quality completion of all close activities.
Prepare and review monthly reporting packages, including financial statements, management reports, and working capital metrics, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
Drive flux and variance analysis (P&L and Balance Sheet), providing clear and actionable commentary.
Deliver meaningful performance updates to finance management, highlighting key achievements, emerging risks, and actionable mitigation plans.
Partner closely with FP&A to support financial analysis and enhance management reporting.
Contribute to continuous improvement of close and reporting processes through standardization, automation, and efficiency initiatives.
Governance, Controls and Compliance:
Maintain a strong internal control environment by performing, documenting, and continuously improving key SOX controls.
Support internal and external audit activities by providing timely, accurate documentation and responses related to General Accounting.
Complete timely and accurate preparation and submission of statutory and tax filings in collaboration with external auditors and tax advisors.
Maintain R2R (Record-to-Report) accounting SOPs, work instructions, and RACIs to ensure clarity, consistency, and compliance.
Process Improvement and Automation:
Support process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, eliminate manual work, and drive scalable automation across R2R processes.
Business Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement:
Partner with AP, AR, FP&A, Local Controllers, and auditors to ensure smooth operations and issue resolution.
Provide accounting guidance and proactively influence stakeholders to adopt best practices.
Other jobs assigned by Senior Accounting Manager
Requires OT during holiday for monthly closing.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; professional accounting certification (e.g., CPA, ACCA) is an advantage.
- Strong knowledge of General Ledger (GL) processes, financial controls, and ERP systems (e.g., Oracle, SAP B1, Hyperion).
- Proven ability to resolve complex accounting issues and disputes, with a strong focus on root cause analysis.
- Proficiency in reporting and analytical tools (e.g., Power BI, Excel) to support month-end close tracking and financial analysis.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence stakeholders.
- Experience working in a Global Business Services/Shared Services (GBSC) environment is preferred.
- Strong risk awareness with the ability to identify current and potential risks, prevent process deficiencies, and drive effective solutions.
- Demonstrated problem-solving and project management capabilities.
- Good English and Japanese proficiency is required (Certification needed for highest and second-highest certifiable proficiency levels)
- Strong collaboration mindset with a respectful, team-oriented, and approachable working style.
- High level of integrity and professionalism, with a strong ethical foundation as a finance professional.
Work Environment:
- Normal office setting with desk/chair and PC.
- Must be able to travel on an ad-hoc basis.
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in General Accounting.
- Hands-on experience in US/local GAAP accounting and SOX audit management.
- ERP enhancements/implementation experience as a plus (Oracle preferred).
Education: Bachelor degree in accounting or finance