Staff Accountant

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. For more information, please visit www.thepraxisproject.org.

Praxis operates as a fiscal sponsor for Comprehensive (Model A), (Model L), and Pre-Approved Grant Relationship (Model C). We provide fiduciary oversight, financial management, and a range of administrative services to support and enhance the capacity of our Fiscal Sponsorship Programs (FSPs).

At The Praxis Project, our work environment is fast-paced, creative, and fun. Our team is dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about our mission. We strive to set new standards of operational excellence while creating a workplace where people love to work. Join us and be part of this dynamic team!

Position Summary

We are seeking a strategic, detail-oriented Staff Accountant to join our growing accounting team. Staff Accountants work with a portfolio of our fiscally sponsored projects (FSPs). This role is part of the Finance team and reports to the Finance Manager, with overall departmental oversight provided by the Director of Finance. Successful candidates will possess excellent communication skills and high productivity and will have a demonstrated ability to thrive in a growth- and deadline-driven environment. We help our projects achieve missions and impact the world.

This role is a full-time (40 hours per week) exempt position and is not eligible for overtime. This person will work a general schedule of 9 am-5 pm, Monday through Friday local time. This schedule may fluctuate, with occasional workweeks exceeding 40 hours.

The salary range for this position is $77,827-$86,000 USD annually and will be based on experience and qualifications. Praxis offers Average Basic Increases (ABI), depending on the organization's financial health, in addition to comprehensive employee benefits.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Accounting and Finance

• Help manage a portfolio of fiscally sponsored projects (FSPs), assisting them with their finances and communicating as needed. Staff Accountants will regularly meet with and lead calls with their FSPs; they are expected to know their FSPs inside and out.
• Full responsibility for accounts payables function in Bill.com. Including vendor setup, coding invoices, ensuring contracts are in place, and collecting all required support. Follow up on uncashed checks as needed.
• Responsible for managing staff credit cards and reviewing staff expense reports to ensure adherence to policy.
• Accounts receivable responsibilities include grant agreement reviews, creating invoices, tracking payments, and collection efforts.
• Track vendor contracts and payments
• Create monthly financial statement packages for each project.
• Process check deposits in our mail system
• Manage deposits and entries in Intacct.
• Verify all banking activity is in the accounting system and make entries where necessary.
• Support grants management by monitoring balances, expenses, and tracking reporting dates.
• Review, investigate, and correct errors and inconsistencies in financial entries, documents, and reports.
• Maintain finance files in accordance with department conventions.
• Support monthly, quarterly, and annual closes. Support the annual audit and 990.

Special Projects and Meetings

• Write process documentation and participate in continuous process and procedure improvement.
• Take on ad hoc accounting and finance projects to ensure smooth workflows and enhance accounting expertise, including but not limited to onboarding and offboarding fiscally sponsored projects, etc.
• Stay abreast of up-to-date accounting changes; And per the approval of the Director of Finance, attend and/or participate in relevant training to maximize learning and development opportunities.
• Participate in regular finance team, supervisory, and all-staff meetings.
• In-state and out-of-state trips will be required for participation in team or organizational retreats and convenings.
• Contribute to the learning and development of the team, cross-train, and provide coverage as needed.

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

Required skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• 4+ years of accounting experience within nonprofit organizations.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for nonprofit organizations and general accounting procedures and policies.
• Excellent Excel skills.
• Comfortable communicating finance and accounting with others.
• This is an externally facing role; strong customer service skills are a must.
• Able to build productive relationships with projects and teams.
• Scrupulous attention to detail, even during high-pressure periods.
• Ability to work both independently and effectively within a team.
• Commitment to Praxis’ mission and social justice.
• Superior organization and time management skills with the ability to self-start, manage, and prioritize own workload.

Preferred skills, knowledge, and abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting.
• Experience with Sage Intacct, Bill.com, and Nexonia.
• Experience in accounting for comprehensive fiscal sponsorship or multi-entity structures.
• Experience with implementing new accounting systems, policies, and procedures.

Mental and Physical Demands:

• Fast-paced and constantly changing work environment.
• High level of concentration and attention to detail required.
• Overnight travel of 2 or more days is required.
• 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 works remotely both as an internal team and with our projects 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.

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.

Praxis participates in I-9 & 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.

The Praxis Project will endeavor to make 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. Additionally, managers are required to complete training on managing bias and creating an inclusive workplace. Ongoing finance and accounting training may be assigned for professional development.

Praxis offers a very competitive full-time benefits package including employer-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance, paid sick leave, paid vacation (15 days in year one of employment), 15+ paid holidays per year, flexible spending accounts, 401k retirement plan with 6% employer match (immediately vested), partial reimbursement for cell phone and home internet plan as well as wellness costs and more.

English (Fluency in Reading, Writing, Speaking, Comprehending). Bi-lingual is a plus!