Senior Accountant

National Center for Youth Law

The National Center for Youth Law (NCYL) is a national nonprofit that puts children — especially those pushed to society’s margins — at the center of every fight for justice. For more than 50 years, we have partnered with young people, families, and communities in efforts to dismantle racism, discrimination, and inequity wherever they appear. We recognize that harmful policies don’t affect children in isolation. Each young person’s well-being depends on their family’s stability, their community’s resources, and the opportunities they can access. By working across all systems that shape young people’s lives in a rapidly evolving society, we advance solutions that are holistic, intersectional, and transformative.

Position

The Senior Accountant will report to the Senior Controller and will be a member of the Operations Team. The position will be based out of NCYL’s Oakland office and will manage restricted grant/fund accounting, cost allocations, and grant budgeting and reporting, taking higher-level transaction work off the Senior Controller’s plate, while providing excellent customer service to staff and vendors across the country. This position will also help staff the Oakland office and provide limited IT support during in-person staff meetings.

This is a confidential position with regular access to sensitive financial, payroll, and personnel information; the successful candidate must exercise sound judgment and maintain the highest level of discretion and confidentiality. The ideal candidate has significant experience in nonprofit accounting, restricted grant/fund accounting, and financial reporting for funders, and thrives in a mission-driven, collaborative environment.

Essential Functions

Grant Budgeting & Tracking

• Draft grant budgets, budget modifications, and multi-year spend-down projections; draft funder-ready financial reports, including financial status reports and budget-to-actual analyses
• Monitor spending against grant budgets throughout the year, proactively flagging variances and funding gaps to the Senior Controller and program staff
• Track and manage restricted and unrestricted grant funds, ensuring revenue recognition, expense allocation, and net asset classification comply with GAAP and individual funder requirements
• Own the organization’s cost allocation methodology; monitor how staff time and shared expenses are charged across grants, programs, and departments, and update allocations as funding and staffing change.

General Accounting

• Process payroll reports; maintain and reconcile staff salary and time allocations across funding sources; prepare and review journal entries, including higher-complexity entries such as accruals, deferred revenue, and grant revenue recognition
• Reconcile monthly bank statements, maintain general ledger account schedules, and review transaction-level accounting work for accuracy before it is posted.
• Prepare and analyze confidential financial projections and cost models for compensation, benefits, and other organizational policies, in support of senior leadership’s planning and decision-making.

Accounts Payable & Vendor Management

• All accounts payable functions including processing bills and payments using Yooz (automated invoice processing) software
• Collect W-9, certificates of insurance, and ACH information for vendors
• Process annual 1099s
• Process monthly credit card statements and collect reports from staff
• Track insurance requirements and nonprofit status of consultants and sub-grantees
• Maintain electronic accounting records and contract files, monitor and track contract renewals

Accounts Receivable

• Track and prepare monthly and quarterly invoices, including necessary backup documentation
• Work closely with development staff to reconcile contributions and ensure accurate donor records

Office Support

• Ensure the mail is processed and the office environment is well-maintained and adequately stocked with necessary supplies
• Provide basic technical support during in-office meetings with the support of an outside managed service provide
• Perform other duties as requested from time to time by the Senior Controller

Audit Support

• Prepare documentation and support materials for annual audits and 990 filings

Required Qualification

• 5+ years of progressively responsible nonprofit accounting experience, including hands-on experience with restricted grant/fund accounting and cost allocations.

Other Qualifications

• Advanced proficiency in Excel (including pivot tables and lookups), Sage Intacct, databases, and data manipulation
• Working knowledge of GAAP
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with close attention to detail and a high level of accuracy
• Highly organized and systematic, with excellent time and project management skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Works well both independently and as part of a team, with strong written and oral communication skills and a friendly, customer-service orientation
• Demonstrated experience handling sensitive financial, payroll, and personnel information with discretion, sound judgment, and strict adherence to confidentiality.
• Commitment to NCYL's mission and to equity, diversity, and inclusion, including the ability to apply a racial and social justice lens that centers the voices of children, youth, and their families

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Some travel will be required. The role requires in-person presence at the Oakland office at least 1-2 days a week.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time, non-exempt position, with a competitive hiring range of $77,000.00 - $82,500.00 annually. Once an offer is made, the salary is not open to negotiation. For certain roles, NCYL may conduct a background check after making a contingent offer of employment.

Candidates must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a hybrid position and will require the employee to be in-person at the Oakland office at least 1-2 days a week and as needed.

All positions at NCYL are at-will and paid for by grants and donations; thus, employment with NCYL will be contingent upon continued receipt of funding. Nothing in the statement changes the at-will employment relationship.

How to Apply 

Please submit a cover letter and resume through the link below by Friday, November 13, 2026.

We do not use AI to auto-reject resumes. A human is always involved in decision-making. We ask that candidates submit original, personally written resumes and cover letters.

No phone calls or emails, please.

If you are selected to move forward, you will be contacted for an initial phone screening.

Apply at:

We welcome applications from individuals with different ideas, experiences, and perspectives.

It is the policy of NCYL to provide equal employment opportunities to all Applicants (including Employees) regardless of race, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, reproductive health decision-making, breastfeeding, national origin, age, abilities/disabilities, neurotypicality, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, prior convictions, or any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law. NCYL makes all employment decisions based on job-related factors.