Staff Accountant

Job Description

Staff Accountant | Kern Medical

The Tone:
This is a full-time, on-site role at Kern Medical, located in Bakersfield, CA. Kern Medical, established in 1867, is a 222-bed acute care teaching hospital with integrated outpatient clinics, specializing in services like the only Level II Trauma program between Fresno and Los Angeles, high-risk pregnancy care, and inpatient psychiatric services. As an academic teaching hospital affiliated with UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, Kern Medical trains over 200 medical professionals annually. This Staff Accountant role is crucial for ensuring the accurate financial operations of the hospital, supporting budgeting, reporting, and compliance to underpin the organization’s mission of delivering high-quality, compassionate care to all community members.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: In-person, Bakersfield, CA

• Mission: This person owns the accurate preparation and posting of journal entries, general ledger reconciliations, and assistance with financial closings to support operational decision-making and compliance.
• Tech Stack: accounting software, ERP systems, Microsoft Excel

What You’ll Actually Do
• Journal Entry & Records: Prepare and post journal entries while maintaining accurate financial records to ensure all transactions are properly documented and recorded.
• Account Reconciliation: Reconcile general ledger accounts regularly to identify and resolve discrepancies, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of financial data.
• Financial Closing & Reporting: Assist with monthly and annual financial closings, contributing to the timely preparation of comprehensive financial statements and various management reports.
• Budgeting & Compliance: Support budgeting and forecasting activities, ensuring strict adherence to hospital financial policies and all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Analysis & Collaboration: Analyze financial data for variances, provide insights for operational decision-making, collaborate with departments to resolve accounting issues, and support internal and external audits.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. Strong knowledge of general accounting principles, including journal entries, account reconciliation, and financial statement preparation.
• Experience: Prior experience in accounting, with a strong preference for a healthcare or not-for-profit environment.
• Skills: Proficiency with accounting software and ERP systems; intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, data analysis); ability to analyze financial data, identify variances, and communicate findings clearly to non-financial stakeholders; detail-oriented approach with strong organizational and time management skills to handle multiple priorities and meet deadlines; effective written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across clinical and administrative departments.
• Bonus: Understanding of healthcare or hospital finance, reimbursement, and regulatory requirements; CPA or progress toward certification.