Staff Accountant and Payroll Specialist

About Northwest Playground Equipment, Inc.

Northwest Playground Equipment, Inc. is a fast-paced, collaborative, and customer-centric business that provides turn-key solutions for designing, procuring, and constructing outdoor amenity solutions for public spaces.

We partner with high-quality manufacturers to provide a variety of playground equipment options, playground safety surfacing, site furnishings, interactive play, and much more.

We are an established company with a 29-year history of helping our customers build community through play!  About the Role The Staff Accountant and Payroll Specialist assists the Head of Finance and Accounting with managing the company’s finances through transaction processing, record maintenance, and financial reporting with a focus on Accounts Payable and Payroll Processing.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a self-starter to establish themselves with a growing company offering the potential for future growth.   Responsibilities The position includes, but may not be limited to, the following responsibilities and activities :

• Process vendor invoices and associated documentation; confirm accuracy with matching purchase orders and verify transactions are correctly coded to the general ledger; follow up as needed with project owners.    Help process vendor payments by running aging reports and verifying receipt of all required documentation from subcontractors and approvals to release payment; make sure early pay discounts are met.  Make sure vendor deposits are made on time and meet all the requirements for payment; track all deposits to apply against future invoices and reconcile monthly.  Manage relationships with vendors through proper communication and follow-through; provide monthly statements showing outstanding balances owed and timelines for payment.   Help build out automated indirect cost allocation procedures and maintain a recurring monthly process.  Process employee expense reimbursements and monthly credit card statements; enter and reconcile in the accounting system.  Manage and reconcile all prepaid costs and enter monthly amortization adjustments.   Prepare monthly expense accrual adjustments related to costs not yet received via communication with vendors and analysis of current expense schedules.   Process weekly and bi-weekly payrolls as required by each related entity.  Maintain accurate wage rates, payroll accrual rates, benefits and other payroll deductions for each employee.   Monitor and track hours accrued and balances for vacation, sick, and holiday leave; quantify and enter any liability adjustments into the general ledger.   Collect timesheets on a weekly basis, review for accuracy and approval; follow up on discrepancies; ensure proper labor codes and job sites are applied.  Identify projects requiring Davis Bacon or prevailing wage rates; ensure employees are paid correct rates based on bid date and labor classification.  Timely processing of certified payroll reports; help build out a more efficient process and document steps; take advantage of upload templates to reduce manual data entry.   Review and reconcile all monthly, quarterly, and annual payroll tax returns as provided by our 3rd party payroll administrator.  Maintain accessible payroll records to provide audit trails for compliance.  Research and implement payroll requirements for any new states in which Northwest Playground may conduct business; keep current on other applicable payroll laws and updates.   Prepare all monthly, quarterly, and annual sales tax filings.  Assist with other month-end duties as assigned.  Take an active role in implementing a new ERP and payroll system, including reviewing data uploads for accuracy and reviewing parallel payrolls.   Assist the Head of Finance and Accounting with any other general ledger responsibilities.   Requirements Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related work experience equivalent  Certified Public Accountant (CPA) qualification preferred  3+ years of experience in construction accounting required  Experience processing payroll, including certified payroll and prevailing wage / Davis Bacon compliance  Experience with payroll tax payments and filings  Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team  Strong financial reporting skills  Knowledge of GAAP and accounting principles  Proactive in process improvement, willing to drive change and efficiencies  Advanced Excel skills required and proficient in Microsoft Office Suite  Experience with Acumatica and Workforce Go or similar mid-tier ERP system required  Thoroughness, accuracy, and attention to detail  Excellent communication skills  Strong organizational and time-management skills  Working Hours 7 : 30a-4 : 30p, Monday - Friday plus overtime as needed This position works onsite out of the Issaquah office.
• Remote 2-days / week following 90-day Introductory Period Salary $30.00-$40.00 per hour Benefits Hybrid schedule after 90-day Introductory Period Professional growth opportunities On-the-job training 10 paid Holidays Paid holiday shut down between Christmas and New Year's Day Health benefits (medical, dental, vision) 401k with 4% employer matching Lifestyle Spending Account Tuition reimbursement Business casual work attire Office snacks All offers are contingent on the successful completion of pre-employment background checks.
• Relocation and sponsorship are not available.  Powered by JazzHR