Event Accountant

Ita Group - West Des Moines, IA

Full-time - Mid Level

West Des Moines, IA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Event Accountant at ITA Group Inc is a pivotal role responsible for ensuring the financial integrity and profitability of travel programs. This position involves compiling, auditing, and reconciling financial data to achieve the highest profitability levels possible, both on an interim basis and at fiscal year-end. The Event Accountant will engage in a variety of tasks that include reviewing and authorizing vendor billings, maintaining supplier relationships, and ensuring accurate billing practices for clients. The role requires a keen attention to detail and a strong understanding of financial processes to create professional and accurate final bills that adhere to departmental standards. In addition to billing responsibilities, the Event Accountant will negotiate with suppliers regarding billing discrepancies, ensuring fairness and accuracy in all financial dealings. This position also involves completing final accounting spreadsheet analyses to report accurate revenue, expenses, and contribution margins. The Event Accountant will assemble financial information related to specific requests or Event Operations programs and communicate findings to Accounting Leadership, Event Operations staff, and clients. Furthermore, the role includes advising on unique costing and spreadsheets for foreign exchange rate programs, determining appropriate exchange rates, and assisting with monthly general ledger reconciliations. The Event Accountant will also support the Accounts Receivable Accountant with travel client accounts receivables, collect overpayments, and create and distribute client invoices for final balances due. This position requires a proactive approach to analyzing system and procedural needs, making enhancement recommendations, and managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining a professional demeanor in all interactions with internal and external clients.

Responsibilities

• Review and authorize billings received from vendors to determine accuracy and applicable handling of charges.
• Maintain supplier relationships and secure an outstanding credit rating through timely settlement of discrepancies and payment.
• Review all aspects of air ticketing on travel programs to ensure correct billing to clients.
• Create professional, accurate, and complete final bills to clients for travel programs, adhering to departmental standards of format.
• Determine and assess surcharges, administrative fees, and additional charges billable to clients based on contractual agreements.
• Negotiate with suppliers on billing discrepancies to ensure accuracy and fairness, maximizing profitability for the company.
• Complete final accounting spreadsheet analysis to report accurate revenue, expense, and contribution margin figures.
• Assemble financial information related to specific requests or Event Operations programs and communicate to relevant personnel.
• Review costing spreadsheets from Event Operations for accuracy and completeness.
• Advise Event Operations on unique costing and spreadsheets for foreign exchange rate programs.
• Determine appropriate exchange rates resulting in additional charges or refunds to clients.
• Research and report client financial history to Event Managers for future pricing assistance.
• Assist the manager and Accounting Leadership with monthly general ledger reconciliations and prepare worksheets for auditing.
• Assist Accounts Receivable Accountant with travel client accounts receivables and collect overpayments or amounts due from suppliers.
• Create and distribute client invoices for final balances due once the final bill is complete.
• Analyze system and procedural needs and make enhancement recommendations to Manager and Accounting Leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related major; twelve semester hours of accounting including one accounting course.
• Ability to analyze actual versus budgeted results.
• Personal computer experience; proficiency in Excel and Word preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills.
• Ability to organize work to meet established completion dates.
• Flexibility to travel occasionally on client programs.
• Ability to manage several projects simultaneously.
• Ability to represent ITA Group with professionalism in interactions with clients.
• Professional and positive attitude.
• Ability to listen, understand, and respond to customer needs in a timely manner; customer service experience preferred.
• Ability to work the time necessary to complete projects and/or meet deadlines.