Nonprofit Bookkeeper

NOTE: the application form for this position is long and time-consuming - we apologize for that, but we've found this approach allows us to more easily identify people who are both excited about our work and have the perspective, skills, and experience to do it.

Overview

Are you an experienced nonprofit bookkeeper who’s passionate about fighting racism, poverty, and climate change? Do you want a cool side-gig using your bookkeeping expertise to help small nonprofits thrive and make the world a better place? Do you love the idea of working from home for an idealistic organization and having flexible hours to make a bit of extra money? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, then read on!

This is an exciting opportunity to partner with The CANOE Collective (CANOE), a creative start-up organization that’s filling a critical need in the nonprofit sector. We’re looking for a mid-level bookkeeper to join our team part-time and help our nonprofit partners to build and/or maintain a strong financial foundation. Our ideal candidate is someone who is very comfortable with Quickbooks Online and Xero accounting systems and has experience with financial administration such as filing 1099s. Being tech-savvy and a bit of a nerd when it comes to new apps and technology are also a plus!

About CANOE

CANOE is a collective of operations professionals who fiercely believe that nonprofits must be strong from the inside out in order to make a significant impact on the world. We partner with nonprofits on building the equitable and inclusive processes, infrastructure, and systems necessary to grow and thrive. Our small but mighty team provides both day-to-day operations support and big-picture consulting services in the areas of HR, IT, financial management, governance and compliance. In short, we aim to Create A New Operational Excellence (CANOE). 😊

The following values are the compass that shapes our relationships, decisions, and day-to-day practices. They are the ground we stand on as we walk alongside organizations committed to justice and lasting impact.

• Transformative strength: We approach organizational challenges with curiosity and compassion, supporting the development of transformative strategies that build strength from within. We champion strong foundations and internal infrastructure as core necessities for positive change in the world. We strive to build and continuously improve sustainable systems that both address current challenges and prepare for the needs of tomorrow.
• Justice Centered: We uphold the principles of equity, anti-oppression, and accountability in all our actions and decisions, promoting a just, fair, and ethical world for everyone. We stand with all people subject to abusive systems of power and privilege.
• Dedication: We are dedicated to the missions of the partners we serve and deliver high quality operations work that enables partners to focus on impact.
• People First: We place people at the center of everything we do. We prioritize the well-being and development of individuals and build inclusive, accessible, and empowering environments where everyone can thrive.
• Community: We foster a culture of mutual respect and strong connections where different identities are welcomed, and collaboration is encouraged to achieve common goals. We aim to advance the improvement of nonprofit operations by connecting operations-focused professionals through knowledge sharing and learning.
• Collaborative Leadership: Our leadership philosophy is rooted in collaboration, where every voice is valued and diverse perspectives contribute to our collective success. We empower individuals to take initiative, fostering a collaborative environment where leadership is a shared responsibility.

Responsibilities

You will help at least one nonprofit partner ensure their books are up-to-date and accurate through tasks that may include:

• Regular inputting and categorizing of all transactions in Quickbooks Online, Xero, or another virtual accounting system;
• Reconciling bank and credit card accounts;
• Preparing monthly financial statements and/or internal reports;
• Creating invoices and recording payments;
• Entering and processing vendor bills and payments;
• Journal entries;
• Running and recording payroll;
• Record keeping and filing;
• Filing timely and accurate reports for federal, state, and other external agencies;
• Collecting and maintaining data on government contracts and grants, creating and providing visually-appealing reports when needed;
• Helping with the completion of annual audits and reviews
• Assisting with 990 and 1099 preparation and filing.
• Identifying efficiencies and optimize internal processes to ensure the timely and accurate preparation of financial statements.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Collaborating with other CANOE team members on ensuring all clients are thrilled with our services through timely and effective communication, delivery on deadlines and stellar financial support;
• Brainstorming and helping to create tools, guidance, trainings, and other information to help nonprofits strengthen and make more just, equitable and inclusive their internal operations;.
• Researching best practices and emerging trends related to nonprofit financial management;
• Keeping abreast of the latest developments in financial apps and other technologies to make informed recommendations to nonprofit partners:
• Supporting social media, newsletters, blog posts, and other marketing efforts for CANOE;
• Helping the CANOE leadership team with internal financial and administrative duties.

Requirements

• You have a demonstrated commitment to fighting racism, poverty, and/or climate change.
• You have at least 5 years of nonprofit bookkeeping experience, including experience filing 990s and 1099s. Bonus points if you’ve obtained a bookkeeping certification offered through NACPB, AIPB, or Intuit or are a CPA.
• You feel very comfortable using Quickbooks Online and Xero accounting systems. Experiencing using Sage Intacct is a plus.
• You are extremely organized and attentive to detail. You maintain to-do lists, create agendas and take detailed notes during meetings, and very rarely miss a deadline. Bonus points if you have experience with project management.
• You have an improvement mindset. You look at systems and processes and propose improvements that can strengthen outcomes and bring efficiencies to the work.
• You take ownership of your work and are very proactive, finding opportunities to fill in the gaps for your team when you see them.
• You’re able to translate goals and assignments, which may be vague or ambiguous, into actionable plans. You take initiative to ask about milestones, deadlines, requirements, and seek clarification at the start as needed before implementing the plan.
• You’re able to quickly learn and become proficient in new software and online applications.
• You have excellent oral and written communication skills.
• You have experience handling confidential information with discretion.
• Your availability may vary, but we’d prefer that you can attend at least 3 meetings per week during regular business hours (9am-5pm ET).
• You live somewhere in the United States and have everything you need to work virtually.
• You’re deeply curious about nonprofit management and how strong internal systems can help nonprofits grow and strengthen their impact on the world.

Small nonprofits facing disproportionately high barriers to growth and success often are those run by BIPOC and LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, folks from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and members of other marginalized groups. Because we believe that members of such communities must be centered in our work, if you identify with one or more of these groups, we strongly encourage you to apply.

Please let us know what accommodation you might need when applying or if invited for an interview.

Important qualities

CANOE aims to be an employee-owned, democratically managed company. In order to ensure optimal partnership and collaboration, we hope you have the following qualities:

• Initiative. You think proactively about tasks and try to fill in the gaps on a project before being asked. You ask questions as needed to learn what needs to be done, and you take action independently.
• Collaborative. You believe strongly in the power of sharing ideas, celebrating / building upon the ideas of others, and working in partnership towards a shared goal. You enjoy working on a team to complete a project jointly.
• Flexible. You are not overly set in your ways and are ready to change course as needed. You enjoy reflecting on what’s going well and not going well, and you continuously look for better ways of doing things.
• Dependable. You almost always do what you say you’ll do. You can easily juggle multiple projects at once without compromising quality. If you run into challenges and/or can’t get something done, you give people a heads up and take ownership of any changes that need to be made.
• Responsive. You rarely miss an email or message that needs a timely and thoughtful response. You provide great customer service and follow up to ensure people’s needs are being met.
• Empathetic. You have a huge heart and very easily feel and express sympathy.
• Imaginative. You think creatively, love brainstorming, and can easily imagine a better future. You actively seek different perspectives and incorporate new ideas into your work and life.
• Fun. You don’t take yourself too seriously and appreciate doing dumb, silly stuff on a regular basis. You bring joy to your work and the folks you work with.
• Humble. You rarely brag. You easily share the spotlight or move it to shine on other people, in particular folks with less privilege, confidence, and/or experience. You don’t mind doing boring tasks that may be below your “pay grade.”
• Straightforward. You don’t beat around the bush and, when appropriate, you say what’s on your mind. You speak clearly, simply and honestly.
• Positive. You rarely complain. When challenges arise, you focus on finding solutions, rather than griping about the problems.

Compensation

You’ll be a contractor to start, working up to 10 hours per week at a rate of $44 to $52/hour. The number of weekly hours may vary, ranging from minimal or none at times, with the potential to increase based on the success of our collaboration and the growth of our nonprofit partnerships.