JOB SUMMARY
The Staff Accountant supports the day-to-day accounting and financial reporting functions of the agency. This position records and reconciles financial transactions, supports grant and program accounting, assists with month-end close, and helps ensure compliance with GAAP, funder requirements, and agency policies. The role safeguards organizational assets and contributes accurate, timely financial information for program and executive leadership.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Primary Responsibilities:
• Prepare and post journal entries, accruals, deferrals, and adjusting entries accurately and on time.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, general ledger accounts, Payroll reconciliation, accounts receivable, and accounts payable.
• Experience in Payroll processing
• Support the month-end and year-end close process, including preparation of schedules and supporting documentation.
• Banking which includes deposits and ACH transactions.
• Record and post cash receipts, checks, and credit card transactions to the accounting system.
• Review invoices, purchase orders, and expense reports for accuracy, proper coding, documentation, and approval as needed
• Assist with grant accounting, including tracking revenue and expenses by funding source, program, and grant period.
• Prepare and support billing, drawdowns, and financial reports for funders, including Federal Financial Reports (FFR), as assigned.
• Monitor grant budgets against actual expenditures and notify the Accounting Manager of variances, overspending, or unallowable costs.
• Ensure expenses are allowable, allocable, and reasonable in accordance with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) and individual grant terms.
• Assist with cost allocation, including allocation of shared and indirect costs across programs and funding sources.
• Maintain the fixed asset and equipment inventory records, including additions, transfers, and disposals.
• Assist with preparation of financial statements, budget-to-actual reports, and other management reports.
• Prepare audit schedules and respond to auditor and monitor requests, including internal, external, and funder audits.
• Maintain organized, audit-ready electronic and paper accounting records in accordance with record retention requirements.
• Follow and recommend improvements to internal controls, accounting procedures, and fiscal policies.
• Serve as a resource to program staff and managers on coding, budgets, and fiscal procedures.
• Document and update accounting procedures and desk manuals.
Secondary Responsibilities:
• Must present a professional image in conduct, attitude, and attire.
• Satisfactory completion of mandatory training.
• Promote and adhere to the agency's mission, vision, values, policies, and applicable laws in a fair and equitable manner.
• Additional duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or business administration from an accredited college or university; an associate’s degree with equivalent related experience may be considered.
• Two (2) years of progressive accounting experience, including general ledger, reconciliations, Payroll processing and month-end close.
• Experience in nonprofit and/or grant accounting preferred.
• Familiarity with GAAP for not-for-profit organizations, fund accounting, and Uniform Guidance preferred.
• Experience with accounting/ERP software required, Paycom experience; Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, required.
Skills and Abilities:
• Strong commitment to maintaining confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Strong numerical, analytical, and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.
• Working knowledge of accounting principles, chart of accounts, trial balance, and financial statements.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Active listening, writing, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with program staff, vendors, funders, and auditors.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, grant-funded environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams or Zoom.
Physical Demands:
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time.
• Must have hand and finger coordination for typing, writing, and using office equipment.
• Must be able to speak and hear to communicate with other staff members.
• Close vision is needed for reading documents and computer screens.
• Must be able to reach and bend to retrieve files and supplies.
• Ability to lift/move up to 25 pounds.
Application Requirements:
• Physical examination record or pass physical examination by a CAO physician
• Completion of the following documents:
o CAO Employment application
o NYS SCR Clearance Form with acceptable clearance
o Criminal Record Certification and free of criminal convictions of crimes against children (misdemeanor or felony)
o Fingerprinting required.
o Release for Reference Checks
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business administration from an accredited college or university; an associate’s degree with equivalent related experience may be considered.
- Two years of progressive accounting experience, including general ledger, reconciliations, payroll processing, and month-end close.
- Experience with accounting or ERP software.
- Microsoft Office Suite proficiency, especially Excel.
- Experience in nonprofit and/or grant accounting.
- Familiarity with GAAP for not-for-profit organizations, fund accounting, and Uniform Guidance.
- Strong numerical, analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and time-management skills.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, confidentiality, and ethical standards.
- Ability to communicate effectively with program staff, vendors, funders, and auditors.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, grant-funded environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams or Zoom.
- Physical examination record or successful completion of a physical examination by a CAO physician.
- Acceptable NYS SCR clearance.
- Criminal Record Certification and no criminal convictions for crimes against children.
- Fingerprinting.
- Release for reference checks.
What We Do
Community Action Organization of Western New York, (CAO) is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization based at 45 Jewett Avenue, Buffalo, NY. The CAO is a community-based, citizen-driven organization founded in 1965 as part of our nation’s “war on poverty” and provides essential health & human services, educational and training programs to the poor, low-income citizens of Erie County, NY. The CAO serves the community through their network of more than 50 locations throughout Erie County. Through this network, CAO runs more than 50 children and family, crisis and emergency, neighborhood, employment and training, housing and development, drug and community technology programs and services. Our mission is to promote opportunities for low-income families and individuals to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency through advocacy, partnerships and services. Each year we help more than 21,000 individuals and 9,000 families gain access to programs or services that might otherwise have not been available. The CAO also operates four resource centers in the city of Buffalo; the JFK Community Center, the Edward Saunders Community Center, the Pratt-Willert Community Center and the CAO Alphonso “Rafi” Greene Jr. Masten Resource Center. In addition, we operate a community resource center in Angola, NY. St. Martin Village, a 60 unit low-income housing complex at the site of what was once the German Roman Catholic Orphanage, is a recent addition to the CAO, and a community resource site which opened in 2012. We also initiated the Home Improvement Resource Program (HIRP) in 2012 and to date have provided millions of dollars in home improvement and weatherization resources to the community. In 2016, we also expanded our Head Start program to include three sites located within Niagara County.








