Director of Accounting and Grant Finance

Heads up: this posting is listed as Remote because eligibility depends on location — you'll be in-person if you're within a reasonable drive of Indianapolis, and remote if you're outside that range.

OUR PURPOSE & IMPACT

The Mind Trust is a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, dedicated to creating an educational system that ensures every student has access to high quality education – no exceptions. We achieve this by fostering a supportive environment through policy advocacy, community engagement, and empowering talented educators to establish new schools. Additionally, we support existing schools in attracting and retaining exceptional talent. Since our founding in 2006, we’ve launched 51 schools and 15 education nonprofits and placed over 1,800 educators and school leaders in classrooms across Indianapolis.

WHO WE ARE & HOW WE WORK

At The Mind Trust, we operate in a dynamic, results-driven culture that prioritizes collaboration and flexibility. We are a nonprofit that invests in public education to transform lives and increase academic achievement in Indianapolis, across Indiana, and beyond. This includes managing student-centered programming, growing new high-quality public charter schools, supporting existing schools and educators, and engaging the community in every region we serve. Everything we do aims to create a positive impact on student learning because we believe all students, regardless of background or income, deserve an education that helps them meet their full potential in life.

OUR APPROACH TO TALENT & GROWTH

We believe in fostering a high-capacity team that aligns with our mission and values to drive transformational educational outcomes. Our culture encourages team members to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a sense of belonging and care for one another. Empowered and self-driven, our leaders operate with autonomy and commitment to continuous learning and growth. We invest in professional development, promoting innovation and curiosity as we strive for excellence in our mission.

YOUR IMPACT

The Director of Accounting and Grant Finance is a strategic financial leader who combines strategic financial stewardship with hands-on operational excellence. This role is critical to The Mind Trust's mission, bringing sophisticated grant finance expertise, financial execution, and organizational controls to bear across all functions. You will influence financial decision-making throughout the organization, from development and operations to help support the executive leadership and the Board in their efforts to grow and expand the organizational reach, while maintaining deep involvement in the financial systems and processes that enable our work. This is a role for someone who thrives at the intersection of strategic thinking and rolling up their sleeves to execute, managing complex grant finances, financial reporting, accounting operations, and systems with equal mastery. You'll work closely with program stakeholders, grounded in the daily accounting practices that sustain organizational integrity. The ideal candidate is an experienced nonprofit financial leader ready to support our financial strategy and drive measurable impact on The Mind Trust's ability to serve students and schools across Indianapolis, Indiana, Connecticut, and beyond.

HOW YOU WILL SUCCEED

Development Responsibilities

• Lead the development of fundraising budgets for all proposals in conjunction with the VP of Finance and Operations and development team.
• Manage organizational assets so they are strategically optimized for grant parameters and spenddown.
• Partner with the Development team to understand grant guidelines and funding requirements to ensure compliance and timely spend down of funds.
• Prepare all financial reporting for the development team to ensure compliance with funders’ reporting requirements.

Strategic Financial Stewardship

• Support financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting processes for The Mind Trust.
• Prepare financial statements, supporting schedules, and analysis for reporting to the VP of Finance and Operations, CAO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors.
• Advise VP of Finance and Operations on financial implications and business decisions to support organizational objectives.

Accounting and Bookkeeping Execution

• Oversee and review daily accounting activities executed with external bookkeeping support, including accounts payable approval, accounts receivable monitoring, and credit card activity and coding.
• Lead the month-end and year-end close process, in partnership with the VP of Finance and Operations and external bookkeepers.
• Lead restricted fund tracking, including grant spenddown schedules and release-of-restriction accounting for multi-year foundation funding.
• Review general ledgers and ensure all supporting documentation is complete and accurate.
• Mastery using QuickBooks and Bill.com or similar accounting software.
• Manage all aspects of the National Bank of Indianapolis corporate credit card account.
• Manage the administration of the Emburse expense management system.
• Develop and maintain budget tracking tools.

People and Process Leadership

• Support training across the organization on finance systems, processes, and budget tools.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to develop and implement process improvements and internal controls for financial and operational functions.

Compliance and Controls

• Support the annual audit, led by the VP of Finance and Operations, including preparation of audit schedules and documentation and communication with external auditors.
• Lead the preparation of tax and regulatory filings and support IRS Form 990 preparation.
• Prepare timely and accurate regulatory and management reporting.

Systems and Automation

• Organize workflows within existing finance systems (QuickBooks, Bill.com, Emburse) and support future automation and digitization initiatives.
• Perform additional duties, as assigned.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE

Essential Skills, Experience, & Attributes

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, or related business field (MBA, CPA, or CMA a plus)
• 7+ years required with ten years preferred in progressive finance roles, including hands-on non-profit accounting and bookkeeping experience
• Advanced proficiency in QuickBooks, Bill.com, Excel and financial systems; familiarity with automation tools.
• Grant management, budget development, financial allocation experience required.
• Federal and State grant management experience required.
• Strong ability to lead and collaborate with operations professionals.
• Not-for-profit accounting and tax compliance experience required.
• Presenting to and partnering with Boards of Directors and Finance and Audit Committees.
• Exceptional analytical, strategic, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Experience successfully managing cross-functional workflows.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to manage several simultaneous tasks and projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to operate with autonomy and function in a high-energy, dynamic environment.
• Flexible, with an openness to feedback, and a commitment to continuous learning.
• Critical thinker who displays good judgment in prioritizing problems to resolve and opportunities to pursue.
• Dedication to embracing new ideas to drive educational transformation.
• Collaborator with the ability to work effectively in teams and build meaningful relationships with stakeholders.
• Knowledge of education policy and reform, education entrepreneurship, and the charter school sector a plus.

Additional Strengths & Qualifications

• High ethical standards, confidentiality, and integrity.
• Ability to work independently and take full ownership of the Finance and Accounting functions.

WHAT WE OFFER

At The Mind Trust, we support and prioritize the wellbeing and development of our team members. As part of our commitment to our employees, we offer a wide range of robust benefits designed to support your health, wellbeing, and professional growth.

• Healthcare: Access comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with substantial premium support
• Retirement Savings: Secure your future with a 403(b) plan featuring generous employer matching
• Life and Disability Coverage: Gain peace of mind with life and disability benefits, ensuring financial security for you and your loved ones
• Professional Development: Engage in continuing education opportunities to foster growth and learning
• Generous Time Off: Prioritize work-life balance with a competitive PTO policy and paid holidays
• Family Support: Our family leave, adoption assistance, and childcare reimbursements are designed to ease the journey of welcoming new additions and managing family dynamics, ensuring you have the support you need to thrive both at home and in the workplace

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions, which might include but are not limited to, remaining stationary for extended periods, occasional movement throughout the department, and occasional transport of objects weighing less than 25 pounds. This position requires the ability to communicate to exchange accurate information with others.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Mind Trust is committed to equal employment principles and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations. The terms and conditions of the employment relationship with all worksite employees are to be nondiscriminatory – without regard to age, race, physical characteristics historically associated with race, color, national origin or immigration status, citizenship, work authorization status or the period of such a status, ancestry, sex, gender, reproductive health decision making, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religious creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, HIV testing status, status as a victim of a crime or violence, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, or any other protected category or class that may be applicable to a candidate or employee.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to Madeline Poulakidas at careers@themindtrust.org.

To learn more about The Mind Trust, visit themindtrust.org.

Insurance starts day one

403(B) matched up to 5%

Generous PTO and Holidays