The Role
Senior Staff Accountant responsible for cash and investment accounting, monthly reconciliations, journal entries, accounts payable, payment processing, grant-related transactions, financial reporting, audits, and tax-filing support. The role ensures GAAP compliance, maintains accurate financial records, supports fund statements and administrative fee reporting, and guides junior finance staff. It requires strong accounting expertise, attention to detail, communication skills, and experience in nonprofit finance, with investment and fund accounting experience preferred.
Summary Generated by Built In
Organization Overview
Our client is an established, mission-driven organization serving communities across the Washington metropolitan region. Additional information about the employer will be shared with qualified candidates during the recruitment process.
Position Summary
The Senior Staff Accountant is part of a collaborative, high-functioning Finance Team that supports the organization’s programmatic work through accounting, grants and accounts payable, financial reporting, and budgeting. Reporting to the Director, Finance and working closely with the Controller, the Staff Accountant owns cash and investment accounting, a broad portfolio of monthly reconciliations, supports grant-related transactions, and supports the annual audit and tax filings.
In addition to the duties described in this position description, every role is expected to contribute to the organization’s overall success and goals. This may mean that team members will be asked to take on other tasks that may not be listed here. Examples may include working on a project or specific task outside the standard area of responsibility, participating in an organization-wide task force or special initiative, or supporting a colleague when needed. Any additional tasks will be determined by the manager of this role in coordination with the leadership team.
Key Accountabilities
Cash & Investment Accounting
- Prepare monthly cash reconciliations for all cash accounts and manage outstanding-check compliance per organizational policy.
- Prepare monthly and quarterly reconciliations and related journal entries for all investment assets.
- Manage quarterly drawdown requests and related journal entries for separately managed assets, and the monthly/quarterly rebalancing of pooled assets, coordinating asset transfers with the Director, Finance and CFO.
- Prepare quarterly interest allocations for all funds in cash and internally managed pools and upload the related journal entries.
- Reviews and posts donations of securities and assist staff with requests related to publicly traded securities
- Respond promptly and courteously to investment-related requests from donors, investment managers, and staff.
- Key External Interfaces: Investment managers and advisors (OCIO); external auditors; banking partners; donors, fund holders, and investment managers.
Reconciliations & General Ledger
- Prepare monthly reconciliations and record asset, liability, revenue, and expense entries, including bank, prepaid, pledge, accounts payable, grants payable, accrued liability, and other reconciliations as needed.
- Maintain weekly bank tracking, ensuring all bank transactions are recorded accurately and in a timely manner.
- Ensure the integrity of accounting information by entering and verifying transactions, balancing and reconciling sub-accounts, and resolving discrepancies.
- Complete regular reviews of financial data to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with GAAP, and recommend improvements to accounting systems and procedures.
Accounts Payable & Other Payment Processing
- Reviews and Posts Accounts Payable activity for accuracy as well as being in accordance with the operating budget
- Review and oversee vendor files so that all data is accurate and ready for 1099 reporting and oversee in the filing of Form 1099s in a timely manner.
- Approve payment batches for processing and enter wire payments.
- Oversee and enter returned physical checks, voids, reissues, and complete cancellations in the AP module.
Post-Payment Change Management
- Investigate returned settlements (ACH returns): perform initial due diligence on why a payment was returned, update ACH information for new grants, and provide confirmation to Senior Accounting Associate II to re-run payments once corrected information is confirmed.
- Process complete cancellations and voids and reissues, including 90-day uncashed checks, reissuing payments.
- Process returned physical checks: support logging, voiding, and reissuing payments with updated payee information.
Annual Audit & Tax
- Assist the Controller, Director, Finance, and external audit team to ensure the audit is planned, scheduled, and communicated to internal staff.
- Prepare required investment and other audit schedules, year-end adjusting journal entries, and supporting schedules for IRS Forms 990 and 990-T.
Financial Reporting & Team Support
- Assist with the quarterly issuance of fund statements.
- Provide backup support for preparation of standard and specially assessed administrative fees quarterly
- Guide junior finance staff by answering questions and coordinating informational and training sessions.
- Collaborate with each Finance team member to optimize financial operations and maintain a paper-free environment for supporting documentation and reports.
Requirements
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or equivalent; CPA license is strongly preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in accounting/finance, with at least two years in a nonprofit accounting environment.
- Good knowledge of GAAP.
- Excellent computer skills, including Excel and Word, with proficiency in other Microsoft Office programs.
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with accuracy and attention to detail.
- Able to work both independently and collaboratively within a team, organizing and managing multiple responsibilities.
- Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
- Personal qualities of integrity, honesty, and discretion, with a willingness to learn and grow in a changing environment.
Experience, Knowledge and Skills – Preferred
- Investment accounting experience.
- Public Accounting experience.
- Fund accounting experience.
- Familiarity with FIMS or comparable nonprofit financial systems.
Benefits
Benefits
AccessHR provides General Liability, Workers’ Compensation and E-Risk insurance to all contractors.
How to Apply
Please submit a resume and cover letter detailing your interest through the confidential recruiting channel associated with this posting. Qualified candidates will receive additional information about the employer and the interview process.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or equivalent
- CPA license
- Minimum 5 years of accounting or finance experience
- At least 2 years of experience in a nonprofit accounting environment
- Knowledge of GAAP
- Excellent computer skills, including Excel and Word
- Proficiency in other Microsoft Office programs
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills
- Accuracy and attention to detail
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively while managing multiple responsibilities
- Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills
- Integrity, honesty, discretion, and willingness to learn and grow
- Investment accounting experience
- Public accounting experience
- Fund accounting experience
- Familiarity with FIMS or comparable nonprofit financial systems
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The Company
What We Do
AccessHR provides comprehensive human resources services tailored for organizations of any size. Their expertise spans fractional HR support, compensation and benefits design, talent acquisition, and HRIS implementation. They also offer guidance on payroll setup, compliance, professional development, and employee engagement, aiming to deliver creative solutions that unlock workforce potential and foster positive company cultures.
