Assistant Director of Finance

Location: Remote, (work from home), US Based

Reports to: Director of Finance

About The Praxis Project

The Praxis Project is a values-driven, national nonprofit organization that seeks to improve health justice through partnerships to build community power and increase authentic collaboration and engagement. Praxis believes strongly that organized communities are critical partners in the struggle to create healthy communities. Praxis works with over 200 diverse grassroots groups across the United States that influence local policy, mobilize communities, and strengthen programs and organizations to improve health, equity, and racial justice. Praxis works to enable local efforts to build community power through training, technical assistance, and capacity-building, as well as comprehensive fiscal sponsorship. Our capacity-building programming is focused on partnerships that actively advance Praxis’ mission to build healthy communities by transforming the power relationships and structures that affect our lives. For more information, please visit www.thepraxisproject.org. The work environment at The Praxis Project is faced-paced, creative, and fun, and our team is hardworking and extremely passionate about our mission. We aim to define the new “best practices” of operational excellence for justice and equity and to be a place where people love to work. Join us!

Position Summary

The Praxis Project seeks a proactive Assistant Director of Finance to help oversee the finance department and complete tasks at levels. The person in this role is committed to Praxis’ mission and values and those of our fiscally sponsored projects. This individual is a critical thinker and a trusted member of the Finance and Accounting team and will play a significant part in executing accounting tasks and projects so that our operations can run efficiently, allowing our partners to focus on eradicating the social justice issues within their communities.

This role is a full-time (40 hours per week), benefits eligible, exempt position. The Assistant Director of Finance works 5 days per week, and schedule flexibility day-to-day is available. However, close coordination with our team members and external partners is an important job function.

Although remote, in state and out of state travel will be required for participation in team or organizational retreats and convenings.

The salary range for this position is $100,000-$110,000 USD annually and will be based on experience and qualifications. Praxis provides regular cost-of-living pay changes and substantial employee benefits beyond salary, taking a holistic approach to setting compensation.

Praxis works overwhelmingly with communities of color and constituent-led organizations. Candidates whose lived experiences reflect those of the partners we work with are strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Accounting and Finance

• Assists the Director of Finance in managing and directing department staff, operations, and service levels.

• Oversee and support monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes.

• Monitor reports and journal entries of team members.

• Complete biweekly payroll.

• Review monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for Projects, FSPs and The Praxis Project.

• Administers and supports Praxis projects with budgets and finance needs.

• Aids with annual audit, 990 and budget preparation.

• Support posting adjusting journal entries for monthly, quarterly, and annual account reconciliations.

• Review, investigate, and correct errors and inconsistencies in financial entries, documents, and reports.

• Participate in regular meetings with internal finance team members, accounting consultants, and FSP staff as needed.

• Contributes to the development and execution of department goals/objectives, policies and procedures; regularly assesses and recommends modifications to existing policies and the establishment of new policies and procedures to the Director of Finance.

• Take on ad hoc accounting and finance projects to ensure smooth workflows and enhance accounting expertise, during key time periods, including but not limited to end of year closing, onboarding and offboarding fiscally sponsored projects, etc.

• Stay abreast of up-to-date accounting changes; per the approval of Director of Finance, attend and/or participate in relevant trainings to maximize learning and development opportunities.

• Provide assistance in the training, performance and career development of Accounting Associate/s and Staff Accountant/s, supervise workflows as assigned, and cross-train and provide coverage as needed and instructed by Director of Finance.

Grant and Revenue Administration

• Ensuring the finance team coordinates with the Development team on grant management by providing financial documents and support as necessary.

• Maintain compliance with all grant and contract financial measures.

• Work with project teams and Development to create grant budgets.

• Review grant finance reports for proposals, interim and final reports

• Prepare monthly grant and contract reports for senior leadership.

• Create restricted grant release schedule and review journal entries.

• Create grant expense and payroll allocations from grant budgets.

Fiscally Sponsored Projects (FSPs)

• Onboarding and Offboarding FSPs

• Regularly meet with assigned Fiscally Sponsored Project/s.

• Work with assigned FSP/s to create annual and grant budgets.

• Prepare monthly financial statements for assigned FSP/s.

• Provide other financial information and support for assigned FSP/s as needed.

• Support Communication with appropriate FSP staff to share accounting updates and request information.

General Role

• Fosters an environment that promotes trust and cooperation among partners and staff.

• Understands Praxis’s mission, values, and principles and apply them to work responsibilities.

• Works collaboratively with administration and programmatic staff and external partners to achieve overall Praxis goals.

This is not a 100% comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities that may be assigned.

Mental and Physical Demands

• Fast-paced work environment.

• High level of concentration and attention to detail required.

• Extended time sitting or standing, while at a computer.

• Some exposure to hearing, seeing, or imagining traumatic events or social crises within the communities we serve.

• Extensive interaction and communication with colleagues and strangers, in person and virtual.

• Praxis currently works remotely both as an internal team and with our partners based across the United States. Leading and participating in remote video and telephone conferences is required.

• Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and insurance are required for employees driving on Praxis business; driving record checks may be required as well.

Required Qualifications: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible accounting experience working with nonprofit organizations.,

• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for nonprofit organizations and general accounting procedures and policies.

• Degree in Accounting required; CPA preferred.

• Demonstrated financial leadership, analysis, and strategic thinking in support of a complex organization.

• Experience with Sage Intacct required. Expert user preferred.

• Strong Excel proficiency including pivot tables and v lookup.

• Experience with grants management including foundations, federal and corporate grants.

• Capacity to build robust infrastructure and systems that are scalable for grow.

• Experience and interest in working with diverse populations and communicating financial and accounting concepts to lay audiences.

• Ability to learn, apply knowledge and adapt to changing organizational needs.

• Strong oral and written communication skills and exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.

• Deep commitment to Praxis’ mission and approach.

• Motivated self-starter and a quick learner with the ability to work independently and to collaborate with colleagues at all levels of the organization.

• A high level of professionalism, customer service orientation, and scrupulous attention to detail even during high pressure periods.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Praxis Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, disability (mental and physical) including HIV, AIDS, and AIDS-related conditions, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, age, marital status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Work Authorization/security Clearance Requirements

Praxis participates in I9 & E-Verify. You must be able to prove you are legally authorized to work in the United States. This role may require a background check.

Reasonable Accommodations

The Praxis Project will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified employees with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on Praxis operations. Please submit reasonable accommodation requests to people@thepraxisproject.org.

Required Training

Praxis is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming work environment. All Praxis employees are required to complete training on preventing harassment and discrimination, managing bias, and creating an inclusive workplace on an at least annual basis. Ongoing finance and accounting related training may be assigned for professional development purposes.

Interviews will begin the week of May 30th. The ideal start date is Monday, June 19, 2023.