Senior Accountant Tax and Pension Benefits

The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Senior Accountant, Tax and Pension Benefit in the Administration & Finance Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. 

Responsible for safeguarding the financial resources of the organization, the Finance Team manages the financial activities of the National ACLU. From paying vendors, forecasting budgets, and everything in between, we take pride in providing the resources and the platform for informed financial decision-making. 

This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU).

Reporting to the Deputy CFO, the Senior Accountant, Tax and Pension Benefit will be responsible for significant functional areas within the ACLU’s accounting and will play a critical role in the successful operations of the Finance Team at the ACLU. Our ideal candidate will have strong accounting knowledge, analytical and functional experience, possess an exceptional attention to detail, an orientation towards being of service, and a passion for the work of the ACLU. 

The following overview of responsibilities is intended to describe the type of work assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all specific duties required by the employee: 

General Accounting Operations:

• Set the bar for customer service excellence by providing timely, thorough, and friendly responses to internal and external stakeholder inquiries 
• Perform account reconciliations relevant to functional areas, ensuring their accuracy and proper documentation for internal and external reporting purposes 
• Assist with relevant audits, preparing audit schedules and materials and managing deliverable deadlines 
• Complete ad hoc reports and projects as requested by Finance Leadership 
• Suggest accounting policies and procedures based on GAAP and industry best practices relevant to functional areas 

  Functional Area: Tax:

• Coordinate with the Assistant Controller, Revenue and Investments on the preparation and review of all federal, state, and local income tax returns 
• Assist with the preparation of required tax filings and government reporting (local, state, federal), including preparing schedules and/or draft filings for review  
• Manage all federal/state and local tax correspondence and audits 
• Prepare year-end estimated tax payments for all federal, state, and local agencies 
• Prepare ad hoc tax reports for internal and external stakeholders 
• Prepare and review tax provisions for the annual financial statements 
• Develop processes and controls to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local agencies 
• Advise and interpret for the Finance team the impact of new laws, decisions, regulations, rulings, and proposed tax legislation 
• Review annual K-1s to determine the federal and state annual unrelated business income/loss generated 
• Maintain organized and up-to-date recording system for electronic files; utilizing established internal best practices for record retention 
• Review the annual returns prepared by the external auditors before filing 
• Prepare the monthly filings for NYS sales and use tax and any additional states 
• Apply for and maintain all state sales tax exemptions for the ACLU 
• Coordinate with Avalara (tax consultants) on filing all sales taxes in relation to the ACLU store. 

Functional Area: Pension Benefits: 

• Communicate the progress of monthly/quarterly initiatives to internal and external stakeholders  
• Review the calculation of affiliates' invoices for late payments made to the ACLU retirement plans  
• Review the quarterly reconciliation of employee census data from Form 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return,” to the year-to-date payroll register to ensure the accuracy and completeness of employee data between the two sources 
• Review affiliates' reconciliation of their Form 941 to their payroll registers quarterly for accuracy  
• Review SOC-1 reports for National and all affiliates on an annual basis and document if any control issues exist.  
• Review monthly trust statements for both the pension and the contribution retirement plan for accuracy  
• Review, on an annual basis, the reconciliation between payroll registers and W-3 payroll forms   
• Review the completion of the timeliness schedule related to contribution submission for the pension plan 
• Review the reconciliation of National and affiliate contributions to payroll records to ensure that eligible participants are enrolled and their contributions are accurate.   
• Review notes receivable from participants annually to ensure they comply with the restrictions defined by the Plan document and under the Internal Revenue Code.  
• Review payments of benefits related to Defined Benefits, 457B, and 457F to verify that they are in accordance with the Plan provisions 

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts

• Strong knowledge of GAAP and current accounting best practices, including upcoming regulatory changes to reporting requirements 
• Strong knowledge of pension benefits and tax laws that impact not-for-profit organizations 
• Strong interpersonal skills that contribute to a collegial working environment 
• Excellent organizational and planning skills  
• Demonstrated ability to speak and write in a succinct, informative, and friendly manner such that content, expectations, and timelines are clearly understood by the audience 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities from a variety of sources; prioritizing effectively to impact areas of greatest need and meet deadlines 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel  

• Extensive relevant work experience in an accounting role, preferably at a non-profit organization 
• CPA with knowledge of GAAP and current accounting best practices, including upcoming regulatory changes to reporting requirements 
• Knowledge of accounting reporting software; aptitude for learning new financial technology 
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office products required, with advanced skills in Excel (pivot tables, vlookups, if statements) 
• Experience with cloud-based financial systems and data aggregation tools 

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

We know that great people make a great organization. We value our people and know that what we offer is essential not just their work, but to their overall well-being. 

At the ACLU, we offer a broad range of benefits, which include:

• Time away to focus on the things that matter with a generous paid time-off policy
• Focus on your well-being with comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment)
• Plan for your retirement with 401k plan and employer match
• We support employee growth and development through annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops

Accessibility, equity, diversity and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change.  We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression, anti-ableism, and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us.

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.    

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

The Department of Education has determined that employment in this position at the ACLU does not qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.