Accounting Manager

Reports to: Chief Administration Officer

Salary: $62,000-70,000/yr + benefits

Location: This is a remote position. Required travel to Seattle or other US locations for a few in-person gatherings throughout the year. Estimated travel is ~5%.

Application Deadline: Applications reviewed upon submission

Start Date: March/April 2024

About Citizen University

Citizen University is a national non-profit organization working to build a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship across the country. We believe that a strong democracy relies on strong citizens — that we all have the power to make change happen in civic life and the responsibility to try. We are working to realize the country we know is possible: a mass, multiracial democratic republic that works. Citizen University works to support this culture shift by designing programs, gatherings, and immersive experiences that equip and support civic catalysts nationwide in activating the practices of powerful, responsible citizenship within their own communities.

About This Role

We are seeking a spirited and creative teammate who is passionate about effective and accurate administrative work and believes deeply in our mission of building a culture of powerful, responsible citizenship. 

The Accounting Manager will play a key role in maintaining and refining Citizen University’s administrative functions. You will serve as an essential accounting resource, manage all financial systems and data, and collaborate with management and staff to coordinate smooth and accurate accounting operations aligned with CU’s legal, fiscal, and ethical commitments.

Working in close cooperation with the Chief Administration Officer, you will tend CU’s books, budgets, and cash flow, and assist all staff with programmatic financial planning and documentation. Your technical expertise and insight will help us improve and develop systems that support our growing team in delivering excellent programming on-time and on budget.

Core Responsibilities

The Accounting Manager prepares and maintains Citizen University’s financial records to track the organization’s assets, liabilities, income and expenditures, tax liabilities, and other related financial activities in collaboration with our Chief Administration Officer. Regular work will include approximately:

Accounting (80%)

• General bookkeeping and fund accounting in QuickBooks Online (A/R, A/P, G/L)
• Reconcile cash disbursement accounts, payroll, customer accounts, and other financial accounts; supports accounts receivable communications
• Verify and/or complete payment of invoices associated with accounts payable and ensure payments are charged to the appropriate accounts
• Code invoices, set up new accounts, reconcile accounts
• Post journal entries to general ledger
• Allocate expenditures to correct accounts according to departmental procedures
• General banking and vendor management
• Maintenance of systems for organizational expense tracking
• Generation of financial reports for various internal and external audiences, including Statement of Activity, Statement of Financial Position, and Statement of Cash Flow; proofing for accuracy
• Maintain and reconcile online donation platform, including recording and receipting gifts
• Provide outside auditors with assistance; gather necessary account information and documents to perform annual audit
• File tax forms with federal, state, and local government agencies
• Coordinate with software vendors to maintain accounting software systems; recommend updates to enhance accounting functions or internal controls
• Maintain knowledge of acceptable accounting practices and procedures
• Other related duties as assigned

Administration (10%)

• Maintain and develop organizational accounting procedures to comply with GAAP and general nonprofit best practices
• Facilitate annual organizational budgeting process with reporting and research support
• Support organizational forecasting and quarterly financial reporting
• Collaborate with accounting/tax contract firm to manage local, state and federal compliance
• Maintain accounting procedures checklists in Asana project-management platform
• Maintain and refine collaborative tools for program management expense and budget tracking (Expensify, Lyft Business Profiles, Google Sheets)
• Process and document local, state and federal business registration filings
• Communicate clearly and effectively with all staff on accounting procedures and expectations, including assistance with onboarding new employees in accounting procedures

Payroll and Human Resources Support (10%)

• Process and record bi-weekly payroll and deductions (BambooHR)
• Manage FSA claim reconciliations 
• Document and review quarterly payroll filings
• Process annual 1099s and W2s
• General accounting support to CU’s Human Resources function as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Associate’s Degree in Accounting or equivalent field; OR strong knowledge of general and nonprofit accounting acquired through 3-5 years of work experience
• Significant coursework, certification, or demonstrable equivalent professional experience in nonprofit accounting
• Strong prior experience with Quickbooks Online accounting platform
• Strong proficiency in MS Excel or Google Sheets spreadsheet design and maintenance, including creating and error-checking formulas
• Authentic interest in Citizen University’s programs and goals
• Ability to plan holistically and with foresight, juggling multiple priorities while effectively managing your own time, and upgrading systems and creating efficiencies where needed
• Exceptionally orientated to detail and organization, as well as asking the right questions to get the job done
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, the ability to communicate, and a fluency in both specialist and non-technical communication
• Demonstrated commitment to values and practices that advance equity, justice, and experiences of belonging for fellow staff, vendors, and all professional contacts
• Honesty, responsibility, integrity and a history of fulfilling commitments
• Comfort using or learning to use and refine a variety of digital tools, forms, and resources (Slack, Asana, Google Drive, and Salesforce are few platforms we use daily)
• Completion of a criminal and financial background check
• Ability to spend prolonged periods working on a computer

A successful candidate will…

• Be committed to Citizen University’s mission and resonate with our core principles about powerful, responsible citizenship and strengthening civic culture
• Be a systems thinker and planner 
• Be an initiative taker — you anticipate the needs of your teammates, and respond in earnest. You see things that need to be fixed, and you fix them
• Be adaptable and ready to collaborate in multiple work styles
• Be a person who genuinely loves helping others

Our Team 

Our team approaches this work with spirit, joy, and a deep responsibility to each other, our program participants, and the civic health of our nation. As an organization striving to strengthen our democracy and civic health across America, we know that living up to the values of liberty and justice for all starts with each of us.

Our team has made a series of commitments toward ensuring equity, justice, and belonging are baked into our work, and we know we have much to do to fully live out these commitments. We also know that deepening trust, relationships, and affection are the backbone to a healthy team culture. And that takes time, dedication, and willingness to have hard conversations. So we’re digging in, and we hope you’ll join us. You’ll be a crucial part of the CU fabric, joining together through happiness and hardship, challenge and success. Plus, we genuinely enjoy spending time with each other — joy is a crucial ingredient to our work! Together, we’re creating an environment of care, respect, and responsibility.

Citizen University is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity on our team and seek to recruit and retain talented people who represent a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences. People from communities who have traditionally held less access to power are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Our benefits package includes: 

• 100% of health insurance coverage, including dental and vision, with optional addition of dependents at employee’s pre-tax cost
• Health, Dependent Care, and Transportation Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program and $15k life insurance policy
• 3% company match on 403(b) Retirement Plan contributions
• 15 PTO days, 10 sick days, plus the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day and 8 additional paid holidays
• MacBook Air work computer
• Home office equipment and tech stipend to compensate for home internet and cell phone usage
• Professional development budget and in-person team gatherings