Accounts Payable & Accounting Specialist

Accounts Payable And Accounting SpecialistThe mission of Hope the Mission is to prevent, reduce and eliminate poverty, hunger, and homelessness by offering immediate assistance and long-term solutions.Every vendor payment, invoice, and reimbursement that moves through Hope the Mission has to be processed accurately, documented completely, and coded correctly. At an organization operating across dozens of sites with multiple funding sources and grant requirements, that work is not routine. The Accounts Payable and Accounting Specialist is the person who keeps it running.Reporting to the Director of Finance, Accounts Payable, this position is responsible for high-volume accounts payable administration and related accounting functions. The Specialist processes vendor invoices, manages payment batches, maintains vendor records, codes expenditures to the correct general ledger accounts and grants, supports month-end and year-end close activities, and ensures all documentation is audit-ready and compliant with GAAP, organizational policies, and funder requirements.ResponsibilitiesAccounts Payable AdministrationProcess vendor invoices in accordance with organizational policies and established payment schedulesPerform three-way matching of purchase orders, invoices, and receiving documentationReview invoices for completeness, proper approvals, and supporting documentationMonitor invoice aging and ensure timely payment of vendor obligationsPrepare payment batches including ACH, checks, and electronic paymentsProcess employee reimbursement requests and verify compliance with procurement and travel policiesResearch and resolve invoice discrepancies, duplicate payments, and vendor inquiriesVendor ManagementEstablish and maintain vendor master recordsCollect and maintain W-9s and required vendor documentationMonitor vendor records for completeness and accuracyAssist vendors with payment status and account inquiriesExpense Management and Financial CodingReview and code invoices, credit card transactions, reimbursements, and other expenditures to the appropriate general ledger accounts, departments, classes, and grantsVerify expenditures are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and properly documentedAssist with grant expense coding and funding complianceMonitor corporate credit card activity and reconcile supporting documentationFinancial Reporting and Month-End CloseAssist with month-end and year-end close activitiesPrepare accounts payable schedules and supporting documentationAssist with reconciliations of AP-related accountsPrepare financial reports and analyses as requestedMaintain organized accounting records to support financial reportingAudit and ComplianceMaintain audit-ready accounting documentation at all timesAssist with annual financial audits and grant monitoring reviewsSupport preparation of IRS Form 1099 reportingEnsure compliance with GAAP, organizational accounting policies, procurement standards, and grant requirementsRecords ManagementMaintain organized electronic and physical accounting filesEnsure accounting documentation is retained according to the organization's record retention policyAdditional DutiesSupport continuous process improvement initiatives within the Finance DepartmentPerform other duties as assignedRequirementsMust pass pre-employment criminal background screeningMust pass pre-employment drug and alcohol screeningMust provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United StatesMust comply with all organizational policies including safety, confidentiality, and conduct standardsMust be able to lift up to 30 poundsQualificationsAssociate's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration required; bachelor's degree preferredMinimum 3 years of accounting or accounts payable experienceExperience processing high-volume accounts payable transactionsKnowledge of GAAP and internal accounting controlsExperience with QuickBooks Online or comparable accounting softwareIntermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skillsStrong understanding of accounts payable best practices and procurement and purchasing workflowsAbility to interpret contracts, invoices, and financial documentationNonprofit or grant-funded accounting experience preferredSkillsProcess high-volume accounts payable transactions accurately and on deadlineApply GAAP and organizational accounting policies to expense coding, documentation, and reportingPerform three-way matching and verify expenditure compliance with grant and procurement requirementsPrepare payment batches, reconciliations, AP schedules, and supporting audit documentationMaintain organized and audit-ready electronic and physical accounting recordsIdentify and resolve invoice discrepancies, duplicate payments, and vendor issues efficientlyManage multiple concurrent deadlines with strong attention to detail and accuracyCommunicate clearly and professionally in writing and verbally with vendors, staff, and finance leadershipMaintain strict confidentiality of financial information and vendor dataProficient in QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Excel, and standard accounting and office technologyMandatory RequirementsBackground Screening – Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of background checks as required per worksite.Drug and Alcohol Testing – Candidates must pass pre-employment and ongoing drug and alcohol screenings in accordance with company policy.Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Check – For roles requiring driving, employment is contingent upon an acceptable driving record.Legal Eligibility to Work – Candidates must provide proof of legal authorization to work in the US.Compliance with Company Policies and HIPAA standards – All employees must comply with company policies, including safety, confidentiality, and conduct standards.Physical, Demands, Environmental Conditions, EquipmentThe physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The employee is required to: walk and climb stairs; stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, and twist on an intermittent or sometimes continuous basis; grasp, push, pull objects such as files, file cabinet drawers, and reach overhead; handle, finger, grasp and feel objects and equipment; reach with hands and arms; be mobile by moving oneself from place to place quickly and easily; repeat various motions with the wrists, hands, and fingers; be able to perform visual activities for (including, but not limited to) administrative and clerical tasks; ability to lift up to 25 lbs.; communicate, receive and exchange ideas, information by means of the spoken and written word; drive vehicles in and around Los Angeles County; be able to enter various buildings that may require climbing stairs; be periodically subjected to outside environmental conditions. The employee may work in proximity to service animals and emotional support animals; use a desktop and/or laptop computer; various office machines. Complete all required forms in personal writing.Work EnvironmentThe employee may be in contact with individuals and families in crisis who may be ill, using alcohol and drugs, and who may not be attentive to basic personal hygiene, health and safety practices. The employee may experience a number of unpleasant sensory demands associated with the participants' use of alcohol and drugs, and lack of personal hygiene. The employee must be ready to respond quickly and effectively to many types of situations, including crisis situations and potentially hostile situations. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate in an office setting. Sometimes work may become stressful when working under pressure or in crisis intervention.EEO: HTM (Hope the Mission) provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, HTM complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, placement, promotion, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.HTM will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if HTM is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge