Inventory Accountant

Position: Inventory Accountant

Location/Department: Nashville, North Carolina/Accounting

Status: Full-Time, Salaried

Reports To: Vice President, Financial Analysis

Our Company

Universal Leaf North America (ULNA), a subsidiary of Universal Corporation, is the premier supplier of quality, compliant, and sustainable tobaccos and services to our customers, where we conduct business in Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, and the U.S.

Our Nash Facility is the most technologically advanced tobacco threshing operation in the world. We can process over one million pounds of semi-perishable tobacco per day by transforming it into a stable tobacco material that can be stored for years, all while meeting the exacting standards of the tobacco product manufacturers.

As a compliment to ULNA's leaf stemming business, our J. P. Taylor Company, L.L.C. facility provides tobacco stems and scrap blending, rolling, and cutting, which further enhances the total value and usability of the entire tobacco leaf. Both the Nash and J.P. Taylor facilities maintain ISO9001 Quality and ISO 14001 Environmental systems, which further support our commitment to our customers and other stakeholders. The unusable tobacco waste material from both facilities is transformed into organic compost at our Carolina Recycled Ag Materials, LLC (CRAM) facility, which provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to commercial fertilizers.

Additional services include Universal Storages, where we assist our customers in managing their tobacco logistics and storage requirements.

At Universal Leaf North America, our employees have proven a strong commitment to providing a quality product, excellent customer service, and operating in a sustainable and compliant manner.

The Global Leader in Premium Leaf Tobacco Supply

Universal Leaf Tobacco Company is the world's leading supplier of premium leaf tobacco, with over 100 years of experience sourcing, processing, and delivering tobacco crops tailored to customer specifications. With operations spanning major tobacco-regions across five continents, we connect hundreds of thousands of farmers to global manufacturers through a reliable, transparent, and traceable supply chain.

Our portfolio includes flue-cured, burley, oriental, and dark tobaccos, supported by deep agronomic expertise and advanced processing capabilities. Beyond the leaf, we offer value-added services such as customized blending, next-generation nicotine solutions, recycled by-products, and digital traceability tools that enhance efficiency and sustainability across the supply chain.

Universal Leaf Tobacco is more than a supplier - we are a long-term partner committed to responsible sourcing, farmer support, and continuous innovation. By investing in agricultural communities and upholding the highest standards of quality and compliance, we help ensure a resilient tobacco supply for generations to come.

Summary

As an Inventory Accountant at Universal Leaf North America, you will support general ledger and inventory accounting functions within a manufacturing environment, including preparing journal entries, assisting with invoicing, and ensuring accurate recording and reconciliation of inventory transactions and financial data. This position plays a key role in month-end and quarter-end close processes, inventory costing and yield analysis, and the preparation of financial and regulatory reports. The position also supports SOX 404 compliance through control documentation and testing, contributes to process improvements, and assists with accounting system initiatives, requiring strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills along with experience in inventory accounting and financial reporting systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Preparation and recording of journal entries in the General Ledger.
• Assist with sales invoicing process.
• Ensure accurate and timely recording of inventory-related transactions (purchases, production, storage, shipments, sales, and inventory).
• Prepare monthly inventory and financial reports, including reconciliations of inventory balances and sales activity.
• Assist with inventory yields, costing and accounting.
• Support month-end and quarter-end close processes, including inventory-related journal entries, reconciliations, and reporting schedules.
• Support financial, compliance, and operational controls by partnering with process owners to document key controls, assist in SOX 404 testing, and ensure timely identification and resolution of control gaps.
• Contribute to ongoing improvement of accounting processes.
• Support Information System projects for Accounting.
• Prepare and review corporate, compliance, and governmental reports by collecting and validating financial and operational data, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, and supporting audit and filing processes.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years of inventory accounting experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; experience with reporting tools.
• Effective analytical, planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Adapt to frequent changes in climate, environment, workload and schedules, including Saturday and Sunday work when required.

Preferred Requirements

• CPA or CPA Candidate preferred.
• Working knowledge of DAX, WISH, TIMS and OPS systems preferred.
• Experience supporting SOX 404 controls.
• Experience using Cyberquery.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of market-competitive total rewards that include 401(k) match, pension, merit increases, paid holidays, medical, dental, life, vision, short and long-term disability benefits, and tuition assistance to name a few.

EOE M/F/Disabled/Vet Employer

All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.