Senior Accountant - Inventory Risk & Control

Christensen, Inc. • Salt Lake City, UT

6d • $80,000 - $100,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Christensen, Inc. is a growing mid-market fuel, propane, and lubricants distributor operating across Washington, Oregon, and Idaho serving a portfolio of 10,000+ accounts. As we scale, protecting the integrity of our inventory is mission-critical. We are seeking a sharp, detail-driven Senior Accountant – Inventory Risk & Control to own our inventory accounting function and be the financial steward who keeps inventory exposure visible, manageable, and minimized. Reporting to the Division Controller and embedded alongside Operations and Procurement leadership, this role sits at the intersection of finance, supply chain, and risk management. You will be the person leadership calls when inventory numbers don't tie and you will be the one who already knows why, and what to do about it. WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS Inventory variance and Excess & Obsolete (E&O) exposure are real financial risks in our business, fuel and lubricant inventory is high-value and high-velocity, and discrepancies compound quickly. You will have direct influence on write-off outcomes: not just reporting on them but actively partnering with Operations and Procurement to prevent them. This is a high-visibility role reporting directly to the Division Controller with regular interaction with Finance and Accounting, Operations, and Procurement leadership. You will shape the processes, controls, and reporting frameworks that govern how we manage inventory risk with the autonomy to build and improve.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting required.
• 5+ years of progressive financial analysis and/or accounting experience, with meaningful exposure to inventory accounting
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with inventory variance analysis, E&O reserve management, and write-off mitigation.
• Strong understanding of GAAP as it applies to inventory valuation, cost accounting, and reserve methodology.
• Proven ability to partner cross-functionally with Operations and/or Supply Chain; not just report to them, but influence them.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel; experience querying data from ERP and SQL databases
• Strong written and verbal communication skills — you can explain complex financial exposure in plain language to non-finance audiences.
• High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven close environment.

Nice To Haves

• CPA license or active CPA candidate.
• Experience in fuel, petroleum, propane, lubricants, energy, or other commodity distribution industries.
• Familiarity with cost accounting methods: FIFO, LIFO, weighted average, standard cost.
• Experience implementing or improving cycle count programs and physical inventory procedures.
• Exposure to automation tools such as FloQast, Smartsheet, or comparable platforms.
• Experience supporting external audits in inventory-related areas.

Responsibilities

• Inventory Risk Management & Variance Analysis Own end-to-end inventory accounting across all product lines (fuel, propane, lubricants) reconciling physical counts, system records, and financial statements.
• Lead monthly and quarterly inventory variance analysis: investigate root causes, quantify exposure, and deliver clear, actionable reporting to leadership.
• Design, maintain, and continuously improve the company's inventory variance reporting framework from data collection through insight delivery.
• Proactively identify inventory discrepancies before close, escalate material variances, and partner cross-functionally to resolve them.
• Monitor and report on slow-moving, obsolete, and at-risk inventory balances; maintain E&O reserves in accordance with GAAP.
• E&O Reporting & Excess/Obsolete Reserve Management Prepare and deliver periodic E&O inventory reports to Controller and Finance leadership with full supporting analysis.
• Maintain E&O reserve schedules; ensure reserve levels are properly supported, documented, and adjusted based on evolving business conditions.
• Develop and present actionable recommendations to reduce E&O exposure through improved purchasing, disposal, or redeployment strategies.
• Partner with Procurement and Operations to validate E&O classifications and drive disposition of identified obsolete inventory.
• Usage Reporting & Consumption Analytics Build and maintain usage reporting that tracks inventory consumption against forecasts, budgets, and operational expectations.
• Identify unusual consumption patterns that may signal loss, theft, mis-allocation, or system error and drive investigation and resolution.
• Collaborate with Operations to ensure accurate usage data flows from operational systems into the general ledger.
• Deliver monthly usage insights to leadership, with variance commentary and recommended actions.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Operations & Procurement Serve as the primary finance partner to Operations and Procurement on all inventory-related matters attending key operational meetings and establishing trusted relationships.
• Collaborate with Indirect Procurement to align purchasing decisions with inventory risk reduction goals.
• Work with Operations to improve cycle count programs, physical inventory procedures, and record accuracy.
• Educate and influence operational stakeholders on the financial impact of inventory decisions, turning data into behavioral change Write-off Prevention & Exposure Minimization
• Proactively manage and minimize inventory write-offs through early identification, escalation, and cross-functional action planning.
• Maintain clean, well-supported balance sheet accounts with zero write-offs attributable to accounting oversight or process failure.
• Establish and enforce internal controls related to inventory accuracy, access, and reconciliation.
• Lead root-cause analysis on any write-offs that do occur, document findings, and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Close, Reporting & Continuous Improvement Execute all assigned month-end and year-end close tasks with accuracy and on schedule; own all assigned balance sheet reconciliations.
• Prepare financial statements, journal entries, and supporting schedules; support audit processes for inventory-related areas.
• Identify and implement automation and process improvement opportunities across the inventory accounting cycle.
• Maintain compliance with GAAP, internal policies, and applicable tax and regulatory requirements.
• Prepare and present ad hoc analytical reports and special projects as requested by Controller and Finance leadership.

Benefits

• Health Insurance Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, plus Ancillary Plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Health and Dependent Care, and Health Savings Accounts.
• Company provided long term disability and up to $50,000 of life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with a generous company contribution.
• Paid time off in addition to 7 company paid holidays.
• Parental Leave Program.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employee Recognition Program.
• Employee Referral Bonus Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees