Accounting Manager

Description

Who We Are:

The Animal Legal Defense Fund’s mission is to protect the lives and advance the interests of animals through the legal system. The Animal Legal Defense Fund accomplishes this mission by filing high-impact lawsuits to protect animals from harm, providing free legal assistance and training to prosecutors to assure that animal abusers are held accountable for their crimes, supporting tough animal protection legislation and fighting legislation harmful to animals, and providing resources and opportunities to law students and professionals to advance the emerging field of animal law.

Role Description:

The Accounting Manager will play a pivotal role in advancing ALDF’s mission by ensuring financial integrity and operational excellence. Reporting to the Finance Director, this role will oversee the organization’s accounting operations, lead a talented team, and implement sound financial practices to support a diverse array of programs and services.

In this dynamic role, the Accounting Manager helps set the vision, direction, and culture of the accounting team and will manage the day-to-day accounting functions, including financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls, while optimizing the process to meet the unique needs of a nonprofit organization. You’ll collaborate with leadership and program staff to support providing critical financial insights, driving strategic decision making and ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

How You Will Make a Difference:

Accounting and Reporting Duties

• Manage Accounting and Reporting processes including:
  • Monthly reconciliation of Statement of Financial Position reconciliations covering all assets, liabilities and net assets.
  • Preparation of accurate and consistent month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close of the accounting system to produce timely and accurate financial statements for review including necessary monthly revenue and expense accruals and reversals.
  • In partnership with Development team, review merchant processing donation receipts as well as various on-line giving platforms to ensure that CRM (Customer Relationship Management) revenue properly reconciles to Sage Intacct financial revenue reporting system.
  • Revenue recognition in alignment with financial policies and procedures.
  • Reviewing all staff journal entries for coding accuracy and appropriate documentation before posting to general ledger.
  • Operational and compliance requirements related to restricted funding in collaboration with Programs and Development teams.
  • Periodic distribution of departmental financial reports; assists in the preparation of ad hoc reports.
  • Maintenance of an accurate and clean subledger and general ledger accounting system.
  • Preparation of sales tax, personal property and property tax filings, as required.
  • Periodic review and maintenance of the chart of accounts including preparing new reporting periods each year in the ERP for reporting and budgeting purposes.
• Oversee semi-monthly payroll process including stepping in as the lead payroll processor when necessary. Ensure compliance with payroll tax reporting, 1099s, W2s and other periodic reporting requirements.
• With guidance from the Director of Finance, assist with the annual audit preparation, compiling data and preparing necessary audit schedules. Also assist in preparing IRS Form 990 and related schedules for both entities, ALDF and ALDLF.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget.
• Manage all accounting related functions in alignment with ALDF’s management agreement with ALDLF 501(c)4 organization including timely invoicing of billable expenses to the ALDLF 501(c)4 entity and ensure timely collections.
• Implement a process for expense commitment and requisition books.
• Provide accurate lobbying reports for General Counsel review based on agreed upon frequency (i.e. monthly or quarterly).
• Establish compliance calendar reflecting key regulatory deadlines.
• Make recommendations on process and technology improvements to support transaction volumes along with any changes to internal controls and their effects on the organization's policies and procedures.
• Respond to all accounting matters submitted through our ticketing system in an efficient and effective manner.
• Perform other related duties as necessary or assigned.
• Oversee semi-monthly payroll process including stepping in as the lead payroll processor when necessary. Ensure compliance with payroll tax reporting, 1099s, W2s and other periodic reporting requirements.
• With guidance from the Director of Finance, assist with the annual audit preparation, compiling data and preparing necessary audit schedules. Also assist in preparing IRS Form 990 and related schedules for both entities, ALDF and ALDLF.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget.
• Manage all accounting related functions in alignment with ALDF’s management agreement with ALDLF 501(c)4 organization including timely invoicing of billable expenses to the ALDLF 501(c)4 entity and ensure timely collections.
• Implement a process for expense commitment and requisition books.
• Provide accurate lobbying reports for General Counsel review based on agreed upon frequency (i.e. monthly or quarterly).
• Establish compliance calendar reflecting key regulatory deadlines.
• Make recommendations on process and technology improvements to support transaction volumes along with any changes to internal controls and their effects on the organization's policies and procedures.
• Respond to all accounting matters submitted through our ticketing system in an efficient and effective manner.
• Perform other related duties as necessary or assigned.

Team Management

• Manage the accounting team of two Senior Accountants.
• Conduct performance evaluations, coach and mentor staff to provide career development and growth opportunities.
• Provide cross training for team members to ensure continuity of accounting operations at all times.
• Alternate backup to Senior Accountant(s), when needed.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field.
• 5+ years of professional accounting experience.
• A minimum of 2 years of direct team management experience.
• Strong understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Demonstrated ability to conduct technical accounting research and apply findings.
• Ability to explain accounting concepts to non-accounting stakeholders.
• Proficient using cloud-based accounting systems. Sage Intacct and QuickBooks Experience preferred.
• Previous payroll processing and HRIS experience (Paylocity preferred, or other similar cloud-based platforms). Multi-state payroll processing experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience assisting in financial audits.
• Experience with non-profit organizations is preferred.
• Independent and self-motivated with good organizational and prioritization skills.
• Excellent management and supervisory skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and Word.
• Strong relationship-building and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Capable of consistently handling multiple projects and meeting deadlines.
• Must be open to process change and have a positive can-do attitude and work well in a team-orientated collaborative work environment.
• Committed to the mission of the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Additional information:

This is a U.S. based position. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) is an equal opportunity employer and committed to providing an employment environment which is welcoming of persons from diverse backgrounds and free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, and in which all legal rights of our employees are recognized and protected. ALDF conducts all internal and external operations, programs, and employment-related decision making (including hiring decisions) without regard to actual or perceived race, ancestry, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, immigration status, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, political affiliation, disability or medical condition (including physical, intellectual, or psychiatric), sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, age, or other protected category, and in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws.

Consistent with the organization’s mission, our offices and events are free of animal products and byproducts.

We Offer Competitive Compensation with Excellent Benefits, Including:

• A starting annual salary of $197,422 for most geographic locations.
• For candidates located within 25 miles of Washington D.C., Cotati, CA, and Los Angeles, the starting pay is $207,813.
• For candidates located within 25 miles of New York City and San Francisco, the starting pay is $218,203.

To ensure salary equity, we do not negotiate salary outside of the published starting rates. Rates are determined by role, using set geographical factors.

• Comprehensive health care, dental, life and vision benefits (100% employer paid); Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Dependent Care Account (DCA) are also available.?
• Generous paid time off provisions:
• 192 hours of PTO.
• 19 paid holidays.
• 1-month paid sabbatical after 5 years of continuous employment.
• 16 weeks paid parental leave.
• 401k plan with a maximum 5% employer contribution match after one year of employment.
• Alternative work schedules (at manager’s discretion).
• Maintaining a healthy work/life balance is a core value for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.