Inventory controller Jobs in Durham, NC

Inventory Accounting Team Member

The Inventory Accounting team manages US GAAP inventory accounting for Cisco Services and Supply Chain across more than 20 legal entities. We work at the intersection of Finance, IT, and Inventory Operations. We own the relationships with IT and Tax & Customs for inventory accounting systems and processes, and partner with downstream accounting teams that incorporate our inventory results into broader entity reporting.

Compliance and control are foundational to our work. We encourage thoughtful questions and practical improvements to how work gets done, but any change must preserve the compliance, accuracy, and controls our accounting processes and cross-functional partners depend on.

We support multiple inventory accounting models shaped by local tax laws, statutory requirements, and business needs. Depending on the entity, inventory may be expensed to Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) or capitalized, with tracking based on historical first-in, first-out (FIFO) costs or current value. Each model brings distinct accounting and reporting requirements, which can change as local requirements and global Cisco needs evolve.

Your Impact

We are looking for a curious, self-directed individual who understands that technology is a force multiplier when grounded in a strong understanding of accounting, data, processes, and controls. You will spend much of your time improving how work gets done, first within your assigned responsibilities and, over time, across the team. This includes analyzing current processes, identifying opportunities, building or coordinating practical improvements, and testing their impact.

This is also a hands-on accounting role. You will have assigned close and post-close responsibilities and use that work to assess whether earlier process and system changes delivered the intended results, then identify what needs attention next. Everyone on our small team contributes to routine operational work alongside broader improvement initiatives. Priorities can shift, so the role requires initiative, follow-through, sound judgment, and clear communication.

You will join an experienced team as a valued and respected contributor from day one. You will receive manager-led onboarding and guidance as you take ownership of your responsibilities, with opportunities to participate in mentorship programs available across Cisco and the business unit. Your observations and ideas matter regardless of tenure. The team values fresh perspectives, thoughtful questions, and insightful solutions. We expect everyone to listen respectfully, share their perspective, and help the team decide what to improve. We encourage and value passionate, well-reasoned advocacy for better ways of working. We also expect everyone to work constructively and collaboratively in support of the team's final decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Systems, Process, and Continuous Improvement

Evaluate inventory accounting processes within Oracle C3, UiPath, and Excel, including the accounting rationale, data flows, and controls behind them.

Identify recurring manual work, process pain points, data issues, and opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, and reliability.

Build or improve tools, reconciliations, reports, and workflow automations using advanced Excel and, where appropriate, scripting or Cisco-approved AI tools.

Apply AI and automation within company policies and established accounting controls, validating outputs before relying on them.

Translate accounting needs into clear requirements for IT and coordinate testing and implementation timing.

Review system changes after release, investigate unexpected results, and use subsequent close cycles to assess whether fixes and improvements worked as intended.

Document processes, entity-specific requirements, controls, and changes so the information is usable across the team.

Inventory Accounting and Close

Prepare and review subledger-to-general-ledger reconciliations, investigate variances, and document results for assigned entities or processes.

Prepare journal entries and perform assigned month-end and year-end close activities.

Review prior-period reconciliation results and coordinate with downstream partners responsible for related accounting items.

Monitor inventory accounting accuracy and investigate discrepancies with Operations, IT, and other accounting teams.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Information Systems, Data Science, or a related field.
• One to two years of experience in finance or computer science
• Foundational understanding of accounting and finance, demonstrated through relevant education, work experience, or self-directed learning applied to a project or practical problem. Candidates without direct accounting experience should be prepared to demonstrate their understanding of core concepts such as journal entries, financial statements, and reconciliations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to learn complex processes and understand how data and accounting decisions flow through connected systems.
• Advanced Excel skills and a demonstrated interest in automation, scripting, data tools, or AI.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to ask thoughtful questions, explain findings, and coordinate work across teams.
• Initiative and follow-through, with sound judgment about when to act independently, seek input, or raise risks and competing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with accounting analysis, reconciliations, journal entries, or financial close processes.
• Exposure to ERP systems, particularly Oracle, or workflow automation tools such as UiPath.
• Experience with scripting (such as Python), data visualization, or building tools to improve operational processes.
• Familiarity with inventory accounting or with how tax and statutory requirements affect accounting models and processes.
• Experience with generative AI tools such as GitHub Copilot, or other practical applications of AI in business processes.