Corporate Accounting Manager

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Ascend Performance Materials is a global leader in high-performance chemicals, fibers and plastics, committed to enhancing quality of life through innovation. With fully integrated manufacturing facilities across North America, Europe, and Asia, we develop essential solutions that drive safer vehicles, cleaner energy, advanced medical devices, and durable consumer goods. Guided by a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and customer success, we operate responsibly while delivering value through cutting-edge technologies and industry expertise. Join our team and be part of a collaborative environment where your work drives meaningful global impact.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Ascend is searching for a Corporate Accounting Manager to join its downtown Houston office location to serve as an integral member of the Corporate Controlling team, reporting directly to the Assistant Controller. This role will be internally customer focused with an emphasis on shared services for the company.  The role will assist in ensuring strong internal controls around debt & cash, fixed assets, leases, payroll, pension, and prepaid insurance processes. Also, ensures compliance with company policies and US GAAP, and provides audit support and support for footnote disclosures relevant to the responsibilities.

The individual must possess strong technical accounting and analytical skills, be willing to drill down to the details to understand the transaction flow, explain variances from a business perspective, and support management decision making. This position will collaborate across departments, including domestic and foreign regions, to deliver results, so it would be a plus that the individual enjoys a challenging work environment and the opportunity to exercise initiative, be self-motivated, and demonstrate an aptitude and skill to proactively find solutions.

Growth opportunities in the role will be driven through continuous process improvement and cross training between team members. The position includes direct supervision of two team members with responsibilities encompassing the creation of development plans for direct reports and documentation of processes and desktop procedures. The person in the role is expected to become a team member who is sought out as the company expert in their responsibilities and to educate plant and regional controllers and their team on improvements and in other general matters related to their responsibilities, while also, overseeing the company’s accounting reconciliation process through its reconciliation system, OneStream.

TARGETED OUTCOMES

• Improvements around debt, fixed assets, leases, payroll, pension, and prepaid insurance processes, controls and documentation of newly acquired and unintegrated entities.
• Timely monthly close and support for quarterly footnote disclosures.
• Developed ownership of key responsibilities and improved internal and external reporting process and analysis.
• Successful team integration and relationship building with key stakeholders.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Payroll & Pension related:

• Work with human resources team to record accounting entries for the company’s personnel costs (e.g. payroll, pension, benefits, and accrual of incentive bonuses)

Debt & Cash:

• Record interest accruals, debt draws, and payments
• Record new extinguished debt, set up debt amortization schedules, and retired debt
• Record interest rate and metals swaps
• Address miscellaneous cash receipts and disbursements in clearing accounts and reconciling cash accounts

Fixed Assets & Leases

• Initial capitalization of fixed assets, depreciation, and asset disposal
• Asset retirement obligations
• Recognition of right of use lease assets and lease liabilities
• Accounting for operating leases

Other

• Record and amortize prepaid insurance
• Oversight of the company’s accounting reconciliation process
• Identify and assist with special projects and other process improvements
• Selling, general and administrative expense accruals
• Foreign exchange gain or loss analysis
• Month-end close
• Support audit, and prepare support for quarterly and annual footnote disclosures

REPORTS TO

Assistant Controller

LOCATION

Houston, TX – Hybrid Schedule

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required (CPA or MBA a plus).
• Minimum of 7 years in the same or related area of accounting.
• Minimum of 2 years of people leadership experience.
• A good understanding of accounting processes (knowledge in chemical industry a plus).
• SAP experience required. Experience in OneStream, Lease Accelerator, Business Intelligence (BI) analysis, BPC, or HFM are a plus.
• Strong technical accounting and analytical reporting skills. Experience in Fresh Start Accounting is a plus.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to be self-directed in a fast-paced environment.
• Skilled at managing sensitive / confidential information with discretion.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal.

At Ascend Performance Materials, we value transparency and fairness in our hiring process. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters, search firms, or staffing agencies. Any resumes received from such entities will be considered the property of Ascend Performance Materials, and we will not be obligated to pay any fees for such submissions. Our Talent Acquisition Team actively engages with preferred recruitment partners who have established agreements with us. We encourage all interested candidates to apply directly through our official channels to be considered for any open positions.

Skills Summary:

About Us:

Ascend Performance Materials is the premium provider of high quality chemicals, fibers and plastics. With world scale integrated manufacturing facilities we are able to develop new products from our core technologies, and provide flexibility to respond to the expanding needs of customers. Ascend has global sales and distribution facilities across the globe and six manufacturing facilities globally. As a privately-held company, our people do big things and make big decisions, often much earlier in their careers than at larger companies. Ascend Performance Materials offers team members the opportunity to contribute in big, meaningful ways—all within a stable and growing business.

Why work at Ascend?

Our vision is to be the recognized leader in the nylon 6,6 value chain, creating new possibilities with PA66 for everyone, everywhere, every day. We achieve that through living our Ascend values.

We care. We operate safely with high integrity for our employees, our customers and our communities. Our people are our greatest assets, and our Total Rewards Program extends beyond traditional benefits to include access to on-site medical clinics at our U.S. facilities, a global wellness rewards program and Performance Matters, an employee-driven recognition plan. Our Commitment to Zero demonstrates our belief that is it possible to operate with zero personal injuries, zero process safety incidents and zero environmental releases. And the Ascend Cares Foundation, led by Ascend employees, supports Ascend families in times of need, provides inspiring opportunities ​​for community engagement and facilitates community leadership.

Customer-focused. We exist for our customers; they drive our actions. Their success is our success. Our plastics and chemicals are building blocks that help make everyday essentials safer and more sustainable, and we constantly strive to develop new and innovative products to meet the future needs of our customers. And that customer focus doesn’t only apply to the marketplace – it also applies to how we treat our colleagues and our fellow community members.

Better every day. We invest in our people and our processes to improve every day. A2E, our continuous improvement program, guides the way we do business. And this way of problem solving applies not only to our manufacturing practices but also to our commitment to developing our people. You’ll see it during your career at Ascend in our leadership development, skills training and mentoring programs

Agile. We think broadly and lead proactively in a constantly evolving organization and industry. Agility doesn’t mean simply working quickly – it means critical thinking, creative problem solving and novel approaches to everyday challenges.

One Ascend. All together, with a common set of goals and an eye toward the future. We don’t accept silos. We look for ways to share across departments, sites and geography. This means you won’t be boxed into a single role at Ascend – you could get the chance to work with teams across the globe to improve the way we serve our people, our customers and our communities.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, citizenship, genetic information or other protected status under federal, state or local laws.