Staff Accountant

Recognized as one of Crain's "Best Places to Work in Chicago" as well as a 2024 "Great Places to Work", by the Great Place To Work Institute Inc., Sasser prides itself on supporting an employee-driven, opportunity-based culture that empowers, recognizes, and rewards its employees. From highly competitive benefits to exciting employee events to organic, grassroots philanthropy and volunteerism, Sasser is an awesome place to begin and grow your career. We are a fourth-generation, family-held transportation asset services and management company with roots dating to 1928. Sasser's six subsidiary units are leaders in providing commercial- and industrial-focused rail, automotive, containerized shipping, and aviation transportation equipment solutions including asset leasing, fleet administration management, asset repair and maintenance, and innovative technology services.

Sasser Family Companies includes subsidiaries Chicago Freight Car Leasing, Union Leasing, CF Rail Services, Express 4x4 Truck Rental, Xced Aviation Services, and Falcon Lease. To learn more about what makes Sasser special, visit www.sasser.com.

The Staff Accountant is responsible for the accounts payable function, including decisions on timing of payments and will assist with all aspects of the rolling stock personal property tax process.

The successful candidate will be capable of producing financial reports and corresponding analysis and collaborate with corporate finance across all pertinent areas.

As a Staff Accountant, Here's What You'll Do:

Accounts Payable:

• Set up new vendors - send/receive W9s, send ACH forms, verify banking information and confirm 1099 status.
• Process all invoices: two-way & three-way matching.
• Reconcile accounts payable subledger to the general ledger.
• Railroad invoice processing.
• Reconcile Rail360 to Intacct.
• Reconcile intercompany accounts payable to ensure proper accounting treatment.
• Prepare the accrual journal entry for invoices not recorded in the period.
• Enter approved general A/P invoices through Intacct.
• Convert purchase order receipts to payables in Intacct.
• Manage A/P inbox.
• Review aging report to determine payment timing.
• Reconcile credit card remittance through PNC ActivePay.
• Review expense reports to ensure compliance with corporate policy, including proper coding, auditing and reconciling.
• Answer vendor inquiries, investigate payment delays, and handle invoice questions.
• Void checks as needed.
• Process weekly check runs and associated record keeping as required.
• Prepare 1099s and file electronically by the deadline.
• Analyze A/P Processes for process improvement opportunities.
• Responsible for the freight invoice process including research, entry, disputes, and payables.

Sales and Use Tax Reporting:

• Prepare and file sales and use tax returns as applicable.

Annual Company Rolling Stock Property Tax Returns:

• Assist the Senior Director, Accounting & Finance, with annual tax process for state tax liabilities as required, across 32 states.
• Help complete required tax return forms as stipulated by each state as required, and file either by certified mail or online.
• Maintain mileage reports from railroads and assist in preparing the consolidated spreadsheet used by the accounting department.
• Identify and apply credits related to repairs, cars out of service, storage, to support the lowest possible calculated assessment under the laws in each state.
• Analyze and research variances to previous year for deeper analysis on discrepancies ensure accuracy in assessments and tax obligations.
• Verify assessments and collaborate with state to ensure understanding of any discrepancies.
• Determine when tax filing extensions are needed and submit extension requests.
• Calculate expected estimated property tax expense for following year to be used for budgeting purposes.
• Calculate property tax percentages for Joint Ventures/Partnerships for tax allocation purpose.
• Download monthly mileage and distribute Monthly Mileage Report to owners as required.
• Represent company on the RSI and collaborate with industry colleagues.

Back up AR:

• Post cash receipts.
• Research payment discrepancies with limited information provided.
• Balance cash receipts and general ledger.

Sale Lease Back - Quarterly and Annual Financial statements submissions to Banks:

• Assist in the annual process to ensure timely filing of quarterly and yearly compliance according to Master Lease Agreements.
• Gather and organize the financial statements for submission.
• Ascertains that the financial statements are in the proper format
• Draft and send letters to accompany the financial statement correspondence.
• Work with insurance broker to ensure annual insurance certificates are submitted

Updates of Railcar to Property and Causality Carrier (purchases and deletions):

• Research cars that have been added and removed from CFC fleet each month to report to insurance company for accurate reflection of fleet

Yearly Railcar Portfolio Appraisal Analysis:

• Perform analysis on data provided by appraiser in annual fleet valuation
• Prepare spreadsheet analysis that serves as the basis for the decision process to support observations of appraisal assertions
• Contribute to final report, which supports the borrowing base calculation.
• Identify areas of inconsistencies for further review and analysis.
• Determine variances over prior year to support the evaluation process.

Assistance with RSI Tax Committee:

• Track lobbying and efforts on various state initiatives.
• Maintains spreadsheet reflecting level of individual company involvemen.t
• Allocates expenses accordingly.
• Collaborate with chairperson and colleagues on committee to coordinate committee activities.

SOFR Trends:

• Research the SOFR rate on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York website
• Update weekly rate trend graphs.
• Email daily rate updates to applicable staff to support interest rate management risk.

Private Use Company Car:

• Collect employee data to ensure IRS compliance.
• Prepare data to report PUCC to payroll department.
• Perform analytics on mileage data.

Other:

• Ad-hoc reporting and analysis as requested by business
• Responsible for analysis on SG&A on year over year as well as current year trend for recommendation on annual budget for Administration and Accounting by expense and month
• Responsible for providing annual budget for property tax
• Additional duties as requested by manager

Note: Responsibilities include the expectation to always act to support the interests of the department and organization and to perform other duties as assigned to ensure the successful achievement of departmental and company objectives.

Here's What it Will Take to be Successful in This Role:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance preferred or work experience equivalent
• Minimum 3 years of experience in accounts payable function
• Minimum 3 years of experience and knowledge in personal property tax reporting preferred
• Experience working with ERP systems (Intacct preferred)
• Experience working with financial budgeting and planning software (Adaptive preferred)
• Strong work ethic
• Well organized and a self-starter
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with a high sense of urgency
• Excellent attention to detail, professional attitude
• Proficient in Excel and Word, 10-key by touch, data entry, Intacct experience a plus
• Possess strong organizational and time management skills
• Strong problem-solving skills, accounting principles knowledge, administrative skills, documentation skills, research and resolution skills, data analysis and multi-tasking skills
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to interact with employees and vendors in a professional manner
• Ability to work both independently and with a team in accuracy and timeliness

Physical Demands

This job operates in a professional environment and routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, copy machines, filing cabinets, printers and fax machines.

Working Conditions

This position will be based out of our office in Oak Brook, Illinois until the Company moves to Oak Brook in early 2026, this will temporarily work out of the office in Schaumburg, Illinois. This role also offers remote work flexibility with 3 days in office, and 2 days remote.

Compensation

The hiring range for this role is: $52,500 - $83,000 USD annual. This role is classified as exempt for purposes of all applicable wage and hour laws, which means that the individual hired is paid for the job and not by the hour, and will not be eligible for, and will not receive, overtime pay if working more than 40 hours in a workweek. This role will be paid on a semi-monthly basis.

Sasser is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. Pay ranges are assigned to a job based on market data according to 3rd party salary benchmarking surveys. Actual base salary is dependent upon factors such as knowledge, skill level, and experience.

This role is also eligible for benefits. Sasser employees enjoy a competitive benefits program that:

• Includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, including HSA and FSA accounts with employer contributions toward HSA
• Includes a 100% Company-paid disability and life insurance plans
• Includes a 401K plan with company match PLUS additional end-of-year funding
• Provides paid vacation time (tiered based on tenure), as well as personal time, sick days and summer half days for certain roles
• Provides 10 paid holidays annually
• Provides paid parental leave for new parents, as well as a monetary gift towards a 529 education account
• Provides a confidential Employee Assistance Program
• Provides training and tuition reimbursement
• Provides community service opportunities, charity match opportunities, employee recognition programs, and many celebrations!

Note: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The Company provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.