Accounting Clerk

SALARY:
$18.42

POSITION TITLE:
Accounting Clerk

DEPARTMENT :
Foundation Finance

JOB DESCRIPTION:

EMPLOYMENT TERMS:

Full-time, 12 months (30 to 40 hours per week to start)

PRIMARY DUTY:

The Accounting Clerk provides comprehensive accounting and administrative support to the Chief Financial Officer by assisting with a broad range of financial operations within the Foundation. This position supports accounts payable, cash management, investment reporting, journal entries, account reconciliations, scholarship accounting, financial reporting, audit preparation, and other accounting functions as assigned.

The Accounting Clerk is cross-trained in multiple financial processes to provide operational continuity and flexible support wherever needed to meet departmental priorities. This position maintains accurate financial records, assists with process improvements, ensures compliance with Foundation policies, donor intent, and University procedures, and provides quality customer service to University personnel, donors, students, and external partners while maintaining the highest level of professionalism, confidentiality, and accuracy.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Accounting and Financial Processing:

• Assist with accounts payable processing, vendor maintenance, payment requests, and disbursement activities while ensuring compliance with Foundation policies and donor intent.
• Assist with maintaining the Vendor Master List, including vendor setup, W-9 collection, ACH information, and tax reporting documentation.
• Process checks, ACH transactions, wire transfers, and other electronic payments as assigned.
• Assist with cash receipt processing, deposits, and cash receipt entries in accounting software.
• Assist with cash management and banking activities.
• Prepare recurring and special journal entries.
• Prepare account reconciliations and assist with resolving discrepancies
• Assist with investment reporting, reconciliation, and related financial schedules.
• Assist with scholarship accounting, fund tracking, and reconciliations.
• Assist with budget monitoring and month-end and year-end closing activities.
• Assist with preparation of audit work papers and respond to auditor requests.
• Assist with annual IRS Form 1099 reporting.
• Maintain accurate financial records and supporting documentation in accordance with record retention requirements.
• Assist with maintaining accurate financial data within accounting and donor management systems.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes and internal controls.
• Provide cross-functional accounting support to the Chief Financial Officer and assist with special projects and other accounting functions as departmental needs evolve.
• Cross-train in departmental accounting functions to provide operational support and continuity across the Foundation.
• Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS:

Education: Completion of college-level coursework in Accounting, Business, Finance, or a related field is required. Candidates actively pursuing a bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field who have completed substantial accounting coursework will be considered. Equivalent combinations of education and directly related experience may also be considered.

Experience: One to three years of accounting, bookkeeping, financial operations, or related experience preferred. Experience gained through internships, student employment, or similar practical accounting experience may be considered. Experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge, Raiser's Edge, or similar accounting and donor management software is preferred.

Skills:

• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments and meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment.
• Ability and willingness to become cross-trained in multiple accounting functions.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
• Experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge, Raiser's Edge, and banking software preferred.
• Knowledge of accounting principles and financial recordkeeping.
• Calculator/10-key proficiency. Collaborative style, combined with the ability and desire to work in a team-based environment

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Requires occasional travel with reliable transportation. Must be able to work additional hours during peak periods, including month-end, fiscal year-end, audit preparation, and other high-volume periods. Must be able to work in an environment with frequent interruptions while managing multiple priorities. Professional attire is expected.

TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Prolonged sitting and standing while using a personal computer, calculator, and telephone. Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds may be required.

COMMUNITY:

Northwest Missouri State University located in Maryville, Missouri, a community of 12,000 with a diverse economy and a strong industrial base. Maryville is located 45 miles north of St. Joseph, Missouri, 90 miles north of Kansas City, Missouri, and 110 miles southeast of Omaha, Nebraska. For more information visit the city's website at

UNIVERSITY:

With an enrollment of more than 8,500 students, Northwest is a coeducational, primarily residential four-year university that offers a broad range of undergraduate and selected graduate programs on its Maryville campus and through Northwest Online.

Founded in 1905, Northwest boasts a high retention rate and a graduation rate in the 95th percentile among its peers. Additionally, results of the Ruffalo Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory show Northwest students are more satisfied than students at national peers, and 78 percent of Northwest students report they would repeat their university experience, compared to 75 percent of students surveyed nationally at their respective institutions.

Furthermore, the University is a national model for student success and career placement with 93 percent of bachelor's degree earners and 98 percent of master's degree earners securing employment or continuing their education within six months of completing a degree at Northwest, according to the most recent data.


Northwest places a high emphasis on profession-based learning to help graduates get a jumpstart on their careers while maintaining competitive tuition rates and generous financial assistance to help minimize the financial barriers students may face when pursuing a college degree.

Students have opportunities to build their résumés with experiences on campus in nearly every area of study, including the Horace Mann Laboratory School, National Public Radio affiliate KXCV, the R.T. Wright Farm, Mozingo Outdoor Education Recreation Area, a partnership with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency or Knacktive, a student-driven integrated digital marketing communications agency. In conjunction with its emergency and disaster management program, Northwest organizes and hosts Missouri Hope, an annual mass casualty training exercise that attracts first responders and emergency workers from throughout the nation and provides hands-on training in preparation for a natural disaster.

The University's vibrant and diverse learning community also offers more than 150 student organizations, and textbooks and a laptop are included in tuition, saving students an estimated $6,900 over four years. Northwest offers 1,200 student employment positions, allowing students to build professional skills through its internationally benchmarked student employment program.


For more information about Northwest and its performance, visit