Senior Accountant

Job Summary

The Accountant is responsible for managing day-to-day accounting operations of the freight forwarding business, ensuring accurate recording of transactions related to freight, customs clearance, transportation, shipping, and logistics services. The role includes statutory compliance, GST, TDS, receivables, payables, MIS reporting, and coordination with operations and customers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Accounts Receivable (Customer Accounting)

• Raise customer invoices for freight, customs clearance, transportation, warehousing, and allied services.
• Verify shipping documents before billing.
• Reconcile customer accounts.
• Follow up for outstanding receivables.
• Maintain ageing analysis.
• Account for credit notes and debit notes.

2. Accounts Payable (Vendor Accounting)

• Process vendor invoices.
• Verify invoices with purchase orders and operational approvals.
• Book expenses under correct cost heads.
• Prepare vendor payment schedules.
• Reconcile vendor statements.
• Handle foreign vendor payments wherever applicable.

3. Freight Cost Accounting

• Record ocean freight, air freight, trucking, CHA, port handling, terminal handling charges, detention, demurrage, and warehousing expenses.
• Match freight cost against customer revenue.
• Maintain shipment-wise profitability.
• Allocate common costs appropriately.

4. GST Compliance

• Verify GST applicability on services.
• Match purchase invoices with GSTR-2B.
• Prepare GST workings.
• Assist in filing GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, and annual returns.
• Reconcile GST ledgers.
• Handle GST notices and departmental queries.

5. TDS Compliance

• Deduct TDS as applicable.
• Prepare monthly TDS workings.
• Reconcile TDS with books.
• Assist in filing TDS returns.
• Issue TDS certificates.

6. Banking & Treasury

• Bank reconciliation.
• Record receipts and payments.
• Monitor cash flow.
• Process NEFT/RTGS payments.
• Track foreign inward and outward remittances.

7. General Accounting

• Pass journal entries.
• Maintain general ledger.
• Monthly book closure.
• Fixed asset accounting.
• Depreciation accounting.
• Provision entries.
• Prepaid expense accounting.

8. Financial Reporting

• Prepare monthly Profit & Loss Account.
• Prepare Balance Sheet schedules.
• Shipment-wise profitability reports.
• Branch-wise profitability.
• Customer profitability analysis.
• Budget vs actual reports.

9. Inventory & Asset Control

• Maintain office asset register.
• Verify fixed assets.
• Maintain inventory of stationery and consumables.

10. Audit Support

• Provide schedules for statutory audit.
• Assist internal auditors.
• Support tax audits.
• Maintain proper documentation.

11. Coordination

• Coordinate with Operations Team.
• Coordinate with Documentation Department.
• Liaise with Sales Team.
• Coordinate with Customs House Agents (CHA), shipping lines, airlines, transporters, and vendors.
• Respond to customer account queries.

Key Documents to Handle

• Tax Invoices
• Debit Notes
• Credit Notes
• Bill of Lading (BL)
• Air Way Bill (AWB)
• Shipping Bills
• Bill of Entry
• Delivery Orders
• Purchase Bills
• Vendor Statements
• Bank Statements
• GST Returns
• TDS Returns
• Freight Cost Sheets

Required Skills

• Strong knowledge of accounting principles.
• Working knowledge of GST, TDS, and Income Tax provisions.
• Understanding of freight forwarding and logistics operations.
• Knowledge of import/export documentation.
• Good analytical and reconciliation skills.
• Strong Excel skills (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, Power Query preferred).
• ERP knowledge (Tally Prime, Busy, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar).
• Attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.