Milk Accounting Specialist
(Non-Union / Hourly)
Department: Procurement
Reports To: Producer Payroll & Equity Manager
Location: Edwardsville, IL
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Pay Range + other compensation components: 60,000-75,000
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, Thrift, Life Insurance
Shift (if applicable): M-F 7:00AM-3:30PM / 7:30AM-4:00PM
Position Overview
The Milk Accounting Specialist is responsible for ensuring the accurate and timely reconciliation of milk, cream, and procurement-related transactions to support monthly producer payroll and financial reporting. This position plays a critical role in validating transactional data, maintaining accurate producer records, processing producer payroll, and supporting financial integrity of the Procurement department.
Key Responsibilities
The Milk Accounting Specialist shall be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:
- Reconcile monthly milk receipts, components, and transactional data to ensure accurate producer and supplier payments.
- Process producer payroll, including validating payment calculations, reviewing exceptions, and ensuring timely and accurate payment distribution.
- Enter and maintain producer assignments, deductions, premiums, and other payroll-related information.
- Research and resolve discrepancies involving producer payments, milk receipts, cream transactions, and procurement records.
- Reconcile bulk cream and other procurement-related transactions to ensure financial accuracy and completeness.
- Generate, review, and distribute recurring departmental reports related to milk procurement, producer payroll, cream activity, and other operational metrics.
- Validate data accuracy across multiple systems and collaborate with Accounting and Procurement teams to resolve issues.
- Respond to producer inquiries regarding payroll, deductions, payment calculations, statements, and related account information.
- Maintain accurate producer records while ensuring compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
- Assist with month-end closing activities, reconciliations, audits, and financial reporting as needed.
- Identify opportunities to improve reconciliation processes, reporting efficiencies, and internal controls.
- Support equity and stock processes.
- Assist with year-end statements and 1099s.
- Support departmental projects, system implementations, testing, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Required Qualifications
- Experience working with large data sets and financial reconciliations.
The following is preferred:
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Two or more years of experience in payroll, accounting, reconciliation, finance, or a related analytical role.
- Experience in agriculture, dairy, procurement, or commodity-based industries.
- Experience with ERP, accounting, or producer payroll systems.
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Strong organizational skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- High attention to detail and accuracy with strong reconciliation and accounting skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience working across multiple data sources.
Required Soft Skills:
- Strong communication and customer service skills with the ability to interact professionally with producers and internal departments.
- High degree of accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality when handling financial information.
Competency
- Detail-Oriented Execution- delivers highly accurate financial work with strong controls.
- Regulatory Expertise- navigates federal order requirements with confidence.
- Analytical Problem Solving- identifies trends, issues, and opportunities quickly.
- Ownership Mindset- acts as a steward of cooperative financial performance.
- Continuous Improvement- drives efficiency and process optimization.
Working Conditions
- Minimal travel expected; may attend meetings or training sessions as needed.
- (S)he will be required to sit and stand for long periods of time.
- Will be required to lift and move large amounts of paperwork (box of files).
- Will be required to stoop, bend, and reach above the head and below the knees to file and retrieve data.
About Prairie Farms – “Farmer Owned. Locally Produced. Since 1938.”
We are a farmer-owned cooperative. This means we are owned and operated by over 800+ farm families who are critical members of society. They have selflessly taken on the tremendous task of producing nutritious, high-quality milk for a growing population, which requires being on the job 24/7, 365 days a year.
We have represented American agriculture since our founding in 1938. Many of our dairy farms are operated by several generations of family members with roots dating back to the 1800s. On average, each farm milks around 120 cows and everyone pitches in to keep them happy and healthy - which means around-the-clock care!
Our Mission:
- To produce dairy products of the highest quality
- To conduct our business with professional integrity
- To exceed expectations of our customers and consumers
- To support our communities in a positive, sustainable manner
- To deliver exceptional patronage to our network of farm families
- To simply “do right” for our farm families, employees, and communities
EEO Statement
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Skills Required
- Experience working with large data sets and financial reconciliations.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience working across multiple data sources.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
- High degree of accuracy, integrity, and confidentiality when handling financial information.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong communication and customer service skills with the ability to interact professionally with producers and internal departments.
- Associate or bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Two or more years of experience in payroll, accounting, reconciliation, finance, or a related analytical role.
- Experience in agriculture, dairy, procurement, or commodity-based industries.
- Experience with ERP, accounting, or producer payroll systems.
What We Do
Drink Local With Prairie Farms Dairy Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful dairy cooperatives operating in the Midwest and the South. Elements of the cooperative include over 500 farm families, 7,000 associates, 48 manufacturing plants, 100+ distribution facilities, and annual sales of over $4.6 billion. Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry known for milk flavor innovations and producing award-winning milk, cheese, ice cream, and cultured dairy products. With headquarters in Edwardsville, Ill., the Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30 percent of the United States; products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, foodservice outlets, and warehouse distribution centers. Prairie Farms has proudly adopted the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, affirming to our customers, our consumers and the global marketplace Prairie Farms' pledge to responsible dairy production as we nourish the communities we serve. For more information about the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, go to: http://commitment.usdairy.com. Learn more about our dairy farmers and cooperative by visiting www.prairiefarms.com. And don't forget to visit our coupon page https://www.prairiefarms.com/coupons for savings on many of award-winning dairy products!
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