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Sr. Accountant

Location:3200 Fruit Ridge Ave, Walker, MI 49544

Who We Are:
Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.

Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!

Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!

Who We Want:
The Senior Accountant is responsible for providing critical analysis and reporting related to the Company’s consolidated financials. This role focuses on inventory, customer pricing, customer tooling, and tax reporting, while also supporting corporate journal entries, audits, and cross-functional initiatives.

What You'll Do:

  • Facilitate and review annual corporate tax filings for various LLCs and corporations across multiple jurisdictions
  • Prepare and support third-party tax requests and schedules
  • Manage Sales/Use Tax filings across multiple jurisdictions
  • Validate and update customer pricing in the ERP system
  • Manage intercompany pricing and reconciliations
  • Perform reconciliation and analysis of inventory
  • Calculate and update standard costs as needed
  • Participate in physical inventory counts
  • Identify and post recurring and non-recurring journal entries
  • Prepare monthly account reconciliations
  • Assist with internal and external financial reporting packages
  • Maintain and reconcile tooling jobs, including related revenue recognition
  • Coordinate non-recurring projects with senior leadership
  • Assist in developing and monitoring annual budgets and quarterly forecasts
  • Perform variance analysis and present findings to senior leadership
  • Assist with internal control development, documentation, and evaluation
  • Support compliance with audits and risk assessments
  • Lead or contribute to process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and accuracy
  • Participate in ERP upgrades or implementations as a liaison between Accounting and IT
  • Collaborate with Operations, Procurement, and Supply Chain on inventory accuracy and cost control
  • Serve as a finance partner to other departments to evaluate financial impacts of business decisions
  • Mentor junior accounting staff and support onboarding/training efforts
  • Take on stretch assignments or lead projects to build leadership capabilities

When and Where:
This will be a M-F position located at our Corporate Office in Walker, MI.

Occasionally, this may require you to arrive early, stay late, or work on weekends, outside of our regular hours, to ensure we successfully meet customer needs, deadlines, or urgent requests.

What You Need to Have:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in Finance or Accounting
  • Minimum three years of relevant public accounting experience with increasing responsibility
  • CPA designation or working towards it
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office
  • Strong knowledge of financial statements and tax reporting requirements
  • Experience with budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis preferred
  • Familiarity with internal control frameworks (ex: COSO) and risk management practices
  • Exposure to ERP system implementations or financial system upgrades is a plus
  • Demonstrated ability to lead projects or mentor peers
  • Strong analytical mindset with ability to translate financial data into actionable insights
  • Proven ability to work cross-functionally with operations, supply chain, and other departments
  • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), with the ability to interface with finance and non-finance teams
  • High personal accountability; takes responsibility for actions and results
  • Thorough, accurate, and reliable in performing job tasks; maintains integrity
  • Resolves conflict constructively and maintains positive work relationships
  • Seeks and uses feedback to improve performance and collaboration
  • Works with urgency and focus to meet internal and external customer needs
  • Adapts to new situations and applies critical thinking to solve problems
  • Embraces change positively as an opportunity for growth
  • Works collaboratively and shares knowledge to support team success

What We Offer:
We’re excited to offer a range of awesome benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Health Savings Account with annual employer contributions, Flexible Spending Accounts, company-paid Short-Term Disability and Basic Life Insurance, Voluntary Life and Long-Term Disability options, an Employer 401k Match, ESOP shares, tuition reimbursement, a Referral Bonus Program, Challenge Incentive Program, and paid time off.

Please note, while these benefits are part of what we offer, they may not all apply to this specific role. The details shared in this job description are intended to give you a general idea, but duties and responsibilities may evolve over time, with or without notice. And of course, we’re happy to provide reasonable accommodations to help individuals with disabilities succeed in their role.