Accounting Manager

ABOUT JAPAN SOCIETY

Japan Society is the premier organization connecting Japanese culture, business, and society with audiences in New York and around the world through innovative programs in arts and culture, public policy, business, sustainability, and education, online and on-site at our headquarters in a landmarked New York City building. Since 1907, our mission has been to promote mutual understanding and kizuna , forging deep connections, between the U.S. and Japan, by convening critical conversations, championing future creators, and serving as a trusted guide to the abundance of Japan. We are committed to strengthening connections within our community and building new bridges beyond.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Manager of Accounting is a hands-on accounting manager responsible for supporting the Controller in maintaining the organization’s general ledger, restricted fund schedules, reconciliations, credit card business program, wire transfer process, month-end close, and audit preparation. This role supervises the Accounting Associate, who is responsible for accounts receivable and accounts payable, and ensures that day-to-day accounting activity is accurate, timely, well-documented, and compliant with Japan Society’s financial policies.

This role is ideal for an experienced nonprofit accounting professional who is comfortable managing detailed accounting operations, reviewing transactional work, maintaining schedules, and supporting the Controller with reporting, compliance, and process improvements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

General Ledger & Month-End Close Execution

• Maintain and optimize the chart of accounts, project codes, and general ledger architecture.
• Prepare, review, and post all monthly journal entries including bank activity, accruals, reclassifications, credit card programs, and wire transfers.
• Perform and verify monthly reconciliations for all bank accounts, balance sheet items, and restricted funding ledgers.
• Partner with the Controller to execute the month-end and year-end close processes, delivering accurate schedules, reports, and variances.

Restricted Funds & Grant Infrastructure

• Manage the organization’s restricted fund schedule, ensuring compliance with nonprofit accounting standards regarding restricted contributions, grant revenues, releases, and expenditures.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Development, Program teams, and external stakeholders to verify donor intent, grant coding, and spending compliance.
• Build and maintain comprehensive restricted fund reports and audit schedules.

Cash Management & Banking Operations

• Direct the end-to-end wire transfer workflow, managing preparation, coding, documentation, and compliance routing.
• Oversee corporate banking and cash management operations, including bank deposits, cash box monitoring, and petty cash reconciliations; escalate internal control or liquidity risks to the Controller.
• Serve as the system owner for the corporate credit card business program, auditing cardholder documentation, managing approvals, and optimizing expense workflows.

Team Supervision & Operational Oversight

• Supervise, coach, and develop the Accounting Associate, ensuring high-accuracy processing of all Accounts Receivable (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) lifecycles.
• Review all transactional work, revenue coding, vendor payments, and invoice batches for compliance with institutional policy prior to posting.
• Act as the primary internal resource to resolve cross-departmental questions regarding vendor management, billing discrepancies, and expense reporting.

Audit, Reporting & Compliance

• Prepare audit schedules, clear PBC (prepared by client) lists, and provide full documentation support during annual external audits.
• Assist the Controller in engineering and distributing internal financial statements and variance reports for program headers.
• Execute quarterly NYS sales tax filings and support annual IRS Form 1042-S preparation.
• Proactively identify and resolve system friction points to automate workflows and scale accounting team capacity.

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field is required.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2 years in a managerial or supervisory capacity preferred.
• Formal experience in nonprofit accounting required.
• Experience maintaining restricted fund schedules, grant schedules, or similar nonprofit accounting schedules strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of accounting principles, reconciliations, internal controls, and financial audits.
• Experience with accounts receivable, accounts payable, bank reconciliations, credit card reconciliations, wire transfers, and general ledger accounting.
• High proficiency in accounting software; MIP experience preferred.
• Experience with CRM systems such as Raiser’s Edge preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills essential.
• Excellent communication, research, problem-solving, and organizational skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• High level of accuracy, efficiency, accountability, discretion, and integrity.
• Must have full legal authorization to work in the United States. Japan Society is unable to provide work authorization support or sponsorship for this position.

SALARY & WORK SCHEDULE

• Salary: $75,000–$85,000 commensurate with experience.
• Work Schedule: This is a full-time, exempt position based in our New York City office. The organization observes a hybrid work policy, with staff working in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and remotely on Mondays and Fridays, between the general hours of 9:00AM and 5:00PM.