Senior Accountant

Senior Accountant

The Senior Accountant is an experienced accounting professional who supports the Director of Finance in maintaining accurate, timely, compliant, and effective financial operations for the organization. This position independently performs, and may oversee, mentor, and train Staff Accountant in performing daily accounting functions, staff and cost allocations, grant financial management and reporting, funder compliance, and contract billing.

The Senior Accountant leads the month-end close process, account analysis and reconciliations, accounting research, and financial statement preparation. The position coordinates financial grant monitoring visits and the annual audit under the oversight of the Director of Finance. The Senior Accountant works collaboratively with program, administrative, executive, and finance staff to track grant funds; develop and monitor grant budgets; account for grant revenues and expenses; and ensure accurate, timely financial and grant reporting.

When the Director of Finance is unavailable, the Senior Accountant provides operational continuity by helping keep the Finance team on track with deadlines, projects, and required deliverables. The successful candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, responsive, and able to handle confidential financial and personnel information with sound judgment and professionalism.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Grant and Contract Financial Management

• Overseeing all grant- and contract-related financial accounting.
• Perform post-award financial administration for grants and contracts, including budget and expenditure analysis, periodic invoicing, financial reporting, labor-distribution changes, account reconciliations, rebudgeting, and closeout activities. Ensure the Staff Accountant submits monthly invoices accurately and on time, and coordinate the timely submission of budget revisions when needed.
• Monitor financial compliance for federal, state, county, city, and private grants, contracts, and other funding sources.
• Monitor spending levels, burn rates, billing status, and remaining balances for assigned grants and contracts; identify potential concerns and communicate them promptly to the Director of Finance and relevant staff.
• Develop grant budgets in collaboration with program, administrative, executive, and finance staff to support accurate, compliant funding applications, renewals, and budget revisions.
• Prepare financial reports, invoices, and supporting documentation in accordance with grant and contract requirements and deadlines.
• Assist administrative and executive staff with budgeting for administrative, operational, and programmatic needs.

General Accounting and Month-End Close

• Lead payroll allocation review, forecasting, and monitoring in collaboration with the Director of Finance and relevant staff.
• Coordinate the monthly close process, ensuring assigned tasks are completed accurately and on schedule.
• Prepare and post month-end journal entries in accordance with established close procedures and checklists.
• Prepare balance-sheet reconciliations, research discrepancies, and resolve reconciling items in a timely manner.
• Perform account analysis and accounting research to support accurate financial reporting and compliance with applicable accounting standards.
• Assist with financial statement preparation and related schedules, reports, and analyses.
• Review transactions, allocations, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, appropriate coding, and compliance with internal procedures.
• Follow up with vendors and internal staff to obtain missing invoices, supporting documents, and other information needed for timely accounting and reporting.

Finance and Administrative Oversight

• Serve as a backup to the Director of Finance by helping supervise and coordinate Finance staff during the Director's absence.
• Review finance work and records to ensure documentation is complete, accurate, properly archived, and retained in accordance with organizational procedures, funder requirements, and accounting standards.
• Ensure compliance with internal fiscal policies, procedures, internal controls, and documentation requirements.
• Coordinate funder monitoring visits, financial reviews, and the annual audit; prepare requested schedules, reconciliations, supporting documents, and follow-up items.
• Serve as a resource and liaison for staff with general accounting questions and finance-related requests.
• Provide training, mentorship, feedback, and day-to-day guidance to the Staff Accountant, interns, volunteers, and other accounting staff, as assigned.
• Partner with the Director of Finance and Finance team to identify and implement process improvements that strengthen financial accuracy, efficiency, compliance, and internal service.

Additional Responsibilities

• Maintain organized, complete, and confidential financial records.
• Participate in required training, meetings, and professional development.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned by the Director of Finance.

Qualifications and Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field.
• At least three years of nonprofit accounting experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of general accounting principles, month-end close processes, account reconciliations, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Experience managing grant and contract finances, including budget monitoring, expense allocations, invoicing, reporting, and compliance.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word, including the ability to analyze data, prepare reports, and maintain detailed tracking tools.
• Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks or comparable accounting software.
• Excellent organizational, recordkeeping, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear financial narratives, budget support materials, and reports.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing deadlines, and exercise sound judgment.
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, confidentiality, ethical conduct, and high-quality customer service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with federal, state, local government, and private grant compliance and reporting.
• Experience preparing for or supporting external audits, funder monitoring visits, or financial reviews.
• Experience developing grant budgets and budget revisions.
• Experience training, mentoring, or supervising staff, interns, or volunteers.

Salary and Benefits

This is a full-time position. The starting annual salary is $85,280, with upward adjustments available for additional years of relevant experience. Salary is competitive for the nonprofit field and Albuquerque-area labor market and is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

NMILC currently offers a generous benefits package, including:

• NMILC pays 100% of the employee-only premium for the base health plan and 50% of dependent premiums. A buy-up plan is also available.
• Access to a 401(k) plan and a discretionary employer match of up to 10% of base salary. The employer match is determined each fiscal year based on funding projections.
• Optional Flexible Spending Account for pre-tax medical and dependent-care expenses.
• Flexible work schedules and hybrid remote-work options.
• Fifteen paid vacation days annually.
• One hour of earned sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
• Paid federal holidays, plus two weeks of winter break, one week of spring break, one week of summer break, and additional days established in coordination with the local public-school schedule.

Benefits may change based on the organization's budget and applicable plan terms.