Accountant II or III, Financial Services

The Chick-fil-A Financial Services Department is made up of many sub-departments that support Chick-fil-A Franchisees and Chick-fil-A, Inc. As an Accountant, you will have the opportunity to contribute to Chick-fil-A through challenging and meaningful work while building your professional brand, gaining accounting experience, and preparing for a successful career.

By applying for this position, applicants will automatically be considered for all positions listed below and will be placed based on their skills, interests, and business need.

Our Flexible Future model offers a healthy mix of working in person and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

Restaurant Payroll Service Accountant: 

Overall responsibilities:

• Continually identifies enhancements and change opportunities for current processes
• Performs general ledger reconciliation, analysis and provides assurance for Restaurant Cash Management and Payroll accounts
• Communicates pro-actively and effectively with Operators, 3rd party vendors and internal staff
• Partners on team/cross functional projects

Restaurant Payroll Services Responsibilities to include:

• Provide support for daily payroll processing inquiries and W2 adjustment requests
• Support the payroll system education and training of Franchisees
• Utilize technical skills and knowledge to identify trends and speak to comprehensive perspective of Restaurant Payroll Services
• Provide assurance and representation of user acceptance during system changes and enhancements

Restaurant Cash Management Accountant:

• Performs analysis and reconciliation of Franchisee level cash activity and procedures including credit, gift card and disbursement transactions.
• Provide analytical and risk management support for Restaurant Cash Management 
• Proactively identifies cash and credit risks and reports potential issues that may impact financial results
• Continually identifies enhancements and change opportunities for current processes 
• Performs payment reconciliations and analysis for Franchisee, Chick-fil-A Inc., Dwarf House Group and other subsidiaries
• Performs general ledger reconciliation, analysis, and provides assurance for accounts 
• Communicates proactively and effectively with Operators, 3rd party vendors and internal staff.
• Assist in assurance of 3rd party services and automated processes

Additional projects and responsibilities to include:

• Opportunity to work on team/cross-functional projects
• Training and attendance in Financial Education Classes
• Engage in development activities including department and team meetings, conferences, seminar, Workday reviews, lunch and learns and inter-department engagement

Lease Accountant:

This role is a key resource for journal entry creation and transaction validation, applying fundamental accounting concepts and collaborating with senior team members on complex issues. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform accounting on all Chick-fil-A, Inc. lease agreements, amendments, extensions, and other financial agreements covering restaurant sites, other corporate controlled properties and non-real estate leases which includes initial accounting assessment based on established policies and procedures, preparation of accounting schedules, and associated subledger inputs 
• Participate in month end close activities through rollforward preparations and account reconciliations
• Prepare requests for obtaining valuations for real estate transactions to ensure proper classification of real estate leases
• Assist in the development, implementation, and maintenance of processes, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance with US GAAP and company policy 
• Coordinates with Restaurant Development and Legal related to all assigned real estate leasing transactions
• Create and regularly update all process documentation for job responsibilities
• Participate in the annual financial statement audit by supporting the preparation of workpapers/schedules
• Perform ad-hoc projects, tasks and analysis to help support decisions, resolve issues or support other business needs related to lease accounting

Restaurant Accountant:

• Serve as a domestic regional accountant for up to 70 Chick-fil-A restaurants, addressing inquiries from Restaurant Operators, Team Members and Support Center Staff
• Offer proactive accounting support and training on tools, policies, and best practices
• Reconcile general ledger accounts and collaborate on unresolved reimbursements and atypical account activity
• Review and finalize Fee Calculation Reports and Profit & Loss Statements for designated restaurants
• Create and post restaurant journal entries and resolve sales discrepancies
• Perform analytical and auditing functions, including trend analysis and issue resolution
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies and maintain accuracy in financial reports.

General Ledger Accountant:

• Serves as a subject matter expert for General Ledger reconciliations
• Performs General Ledger reconciliations for assigned group of stores
• May act as a liaison representing Restaurant Accounting work
• Solves complex problems related to General Ledger activity
• Reviews and identifies ways to automate or improve General Ledger reconciliations
• Has appreciable latitude for unreviewed action and decision
• Performs work under limited supervision, conferring with supervisors on unusual matters
• Interprets and applied organization policies
• Collaborates with other General Ledger account owners to ensure accuracy and timelines
• May serve as Restaurant Accountant for a reduced number of stores

Lease Audit Accountant:

Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• With moderate supervision, perform desktop audits on landlord occupancy cost billings (common area maintenance, real estate tax, utilities, insurance, etc.) for restaurants and corporate properties to ensure compliance with the lease, providing final work product to Leader or lead accountant for final review
• Serve as the primary rental contact for Landlords for ongoing rental obligations
• Initiate and manage dispute process to pursue refunds and any overbilled charges
• Research and reconcile outstanding issues on landlord statements
• Ensure all fixed rent and escrow payments are paid correctly per the lease terms
• Process recurring landlord billings such as monthly utility invoices
• Perform ad-hoc projects, tasks and analysis to help support decisions, resolve issues or support other business needs in Capital Asset Reporting

Fixed Asset:

This role is the primary resource for intermediate journal entry creation and transaction validation. With moderate supervision, roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Responsible for supporting the consolidated Chick-fil-A, Inc. fixed assets function under the consultation of a more senior accountant or with people leader on complex issues
• Record various fixed asset transactions related to asset additions, adjustments, transfers, disposals, and depreciation in the fixed assets subledger.
• Assist in monitoring the fixed asset subledger for existence and accuracy through analytics and reconciliations to operational asset system data
• Support asset impairment and held for sale reporting procedures through research and documentation preparation
• Participate in month end close activities and support any corporate or tax audit requests by performing reconciliations to the general ledger, researching transactions, and preparing workpapers
• Create and regularly update all process documentation for job responsibilities

Accountant III, Property Tax:

• Possess and apply basic knowledge of Property Tax, GAAP Accounting, and Information Technology to ensure Chick-fil-A, Inc. compliance
• Assist with Property Tax accounting for restaurants, distribution centers, international properties, and other corporately owned assets
• Support third-party Property Tax systems with an emphasis on innovation and process improvement.
• Review and reconcile third-party system, Chick-fil-A, Inc. general ledger, and restaurant accounting
• Manage consultants and systems designed to process Property Tax payments to local tax jurisdictions
• Direct process for tracking, collecting, and accounting for Property Tax refunds received from local tax jurisdictions
• Project management for special projects related to Property Tax systems or accounting

• Must pass Chick-fil-A accounting test OR CPA (Certified Public Accountant) OR passed all four parts CPA exam
• 0-3 years of experience
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Aptitude for problem solving and innovation
• Excellent interpersonal relations and demonstrated ability to work with others effectively in teams and independently
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing multiple deadlines
• Analytical and detail-oriented
• Self-driven
• Knowledge and understanding of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Ability to learn new systems and/or business tools
• Builds strong relationships with others