Senior Accountant

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title

Senior Accountant

Reports To

Comptroller

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no direct reports

Job Overview

The role of Senior Accountant is responsible for accounting processes at OTF, including but not limited to, compiling and entering data into the accounting system, maintaining accurate accounting records and supporting documentation, preparing reports, and contributing to accounting and finance policies and procedures. This position is for an individual with several years of accounting experience. The ideal candidate for the position will be knowledgeable of internal controls for accounting, as well as organized, detail-oriented, and skilled at multitasking. This person will proactively identify opportunities for improvement within OTF’s operations and work cooperatively to implement changes. The position requires a passion for working collaboratively with diverse global communities who are actively countering threats to internet freedom, independent journalism, and human rights with technology-backed solutions.

Responsibilities & Duties 

Financial Management

• Establishes and maintains contracts, including amendments, in Sage Intacct by assigning contract numbers, applying the appropriate coding structure, and ensuring accurate contract records.
• Tracks contract expenditures and outstanding contract balances, and reviews month-end accruals, allocations, and adjusting journal entries to ensure accuracy, completeness, and compliance with accounting policies.
• Reviews and processes employee expense reimbursements and purchase/corporate card transactions, ensuring compliance with organizational policies, grant requirements and supporting documentation standards. 
• Prepares monthly indirect cost calculations, allocations and supporting scheduled in accordance with approved methodologies and grant requirements. 
• Assists with other accounting projects as needed.

Reporting and Monitoring

• Prepares and reviews journal entries, accruals, allocations, and other adjusting entries.
• Performs complex account reconciliations for bank accounts, credit cards, balance sheet accounts, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, and other assigned accounts, including preparing reconciliations, reviewing activity, and resolving discrepancies to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Prepares monthly financial financial statements, schedules, management reports, and other funder reporting requirements
• Monitors and investigates unusual variances and trends in financial activity, independently identifying potential issues and communicating significant findings to the COO or Comptroller, as appropriate.

Financial Controls and Compliance

• Performs detailed reviews of supporting documentation for transactions for compliance with 2 CFR 200, IRS reporting, and U.S. GAAP, and internal policy, and proactively identifying and following up on any issues.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement of systems and processes, in compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
• Collects and provides requested supporting documentation to auditors, and provides explanations and answers to auditor questions
• Proactively identifies issues in accounting and finance procedures, provides leadership with timely recommendations to address problems, and implements solutions appropriately
• Develops, documents, and maintains standard operating procedures, process guides, and other internal resources for finance-related functions, including cross-functional processes affecting departments such as Compliance. Ensures documentation remains current with policy, regulatory, and system changes and is accessible to appropriate staff.

Payroll

• Reviews timesheet allocations for compliance with time and effort reporting requirements by monitoring staff submissions for accuracy and timeliness. Prepares payroll journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting schedules to ensure payroll costs are accurately recorded and allocated to the appropriate funding sources.

Qualifications

Alignment to the Mission and Culture of OTF

• Commitment to OTF’s mission and core values of equity, fairness and diversity.
• Passion for social change with knowledge of philanthropy, and interest in the field of human rights and Internet freedom, including nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurship, racial and gender equity, civic engagement, etc.
• Personal qualities of humility, capacity for self-reflection, and/or a sense of humor.
• Discretion and ability to handle confidential issues.
• Action-orientated and entrepreneurial self-starter who can work well independently and in teams.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance, or equivalent experience
• CPA, CPA candidate or advanced accounting coursework preferred

Experience, related skills and knowledge

• 5+ years experience as an accountant, auditor, or similar role, preferably in a not-for-profit or US-government funded environment
• Knowledge of internal control best practices and accounting procedures in a paperless environment.
• Experience preparing and reviewing accounting entries, journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial reports.
• Experience supporting month-end and year-end close activities, external audits, and financial statement preparation.
• Proficiency with Sage Intacct or similar accounting software
• Experience with Expensify, including system configuration and administration
• Familiarity with multi-dimensional accounting, tracking funds and expenditures using multiple attributes, such as funding source, project, and/or grant
• Knowledge of how to research and interpret accounting policies and regulations, including FASB not-for-profit standards, IRS requirements, and 2 CFR 200
• Advanced skills in MS Excel for analysis of data and preparation of polished, professional financial reports
• Familiarity with G-suite applications, such as Google Drive, Google Docs and Google Sheets

Emotional & Physical Demands

• It is the policy of OTF that qualified individuals with disabilities not be discriminated against because of their disabilities in regard to job application procedures, hiring, and other terms and conditions of employment. Furthermore, the policy of OTF is to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the employment process.
• It is OTF’s expectation that all staff will be able to perform the following functions or will notify OTF if they require a reasonable accommodation regarding these expectations:
  • Must be able to perform job functions independently and work effectively either on own or as part of a team; 
  • Must be capable of dealing calmly and professionally with numerous different personalities from diverse cultures at various levels within and outside of the organization.
  • Must be able to perform responsibilities with composure under the stress of deadlines / requirements for extreme accuracy and quality and/or fast pace.
  • Must be capable of exercising the highest level of discretion on both internal and external confidential matters.
• Must be able to occasionally move about inside the office.
• Must be able to operate routine office equipment.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position to work on a computer for an average of 4-6 hours per day, when necessary.
• Must be able to work extended hours whenever required or requested by management.
• Must be capable of regular, reliable and timely attendance.

Location

Washington, DC, USA preferred, with flexibility for remote work as approved.

Salary Range