Accounting Manager

Friend Health; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

PTO & Holidays

Professional Development

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Friend Health is seeking an Accounting Manager to oversee day-to-day accounting operations, monthly/annual closes, and grant accounting across Friend Health and HRDI. The role partners with the Controller and Finance leadership to ensure accurate financial reporting and strong internal controls.

The ideal candidate will have 5–7 years of accounting experience, including leadership, with nonprofit healthcare familiarity and GAAP proficiency. Strong Excel, Sage Intacct, and ERP skills are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Five to seven years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, including month-end close.
• Minimum of two years of accounting leadership or management experience.
• Experience in nonprofit healthcare, grant accounting, and GAAP required or preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly and year-end close, GL, reconciliations, reports, and schedules.
• Oversee grant accounting activities, cost allocation, and revenue recognition.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, Uniform Guidance, and internal controls.
• Coordinate audits, respond to requests, and prepare PBC schedules.
• Mentor and supervise accounting staff; manage workload and deadlines.
• Maintain intercompany balances and ensure accurate consolidation.

Skills

GAAP Knowledge

Advanced Excel

ERP Systems

Leadership

Internal Controls

Financial Reporting

Grant Accounting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA preferred

Tools

Sage Intacct

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Under the direction of the Controller, the Accounting Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of accounting operations for Friend Health and HRDI. This position oversees the monthly and year-end close, general ledger, account reconciliations, financial reporting, grant accounting, audit preparation, and accounting staff.

The Accounting Manager ensures financial information is accurate, timely, properly supported, and maintained in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), applicable grant requirements, organizational policies, and established internal controls. The position works closely with the Controller, Finance leadership, Revenue Cycle, Human Resources, program leadership, and grant management to identify and resolve accounting issues and improve financial processes.

This is a hands-on management position requiring the ability to lead accounting staff while independently analyzing and resolving complex accounting and reconciliation issues.

JOB DUTIES

• Manage the monthly and year-end close process for Friend Health and HRDI. Establish and monitor close deadlines and ensure required journal entries, reconciliations, accruals, and supporting schedules are completed accurately and timely.
• Oversee the integrity of the general ledger and review significant balance sheet and income statement accounts.
• Ensure bank, patient and grant receivables, accounts payable, payroll, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, intercompany/due-to-due-from, and other significant accounts are reconciled, supported, reviewed, and resolved within established deadlines.
• Prepare and analyze monthly financial statements, management reports, forecasts, and variance analyses. Investigate unusual trends, balances, and variances and provide clear explanations and recommendations to the Controller and Finance leadership.
• Oversee grant accounting activities, including allowable cost review, grant receivables, revenue recognition, expenditure reconciliation, voucher support, cost allocation, and supporting documentation.
• Help ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance, award requirements, and organizational grant policies.
• Coordinate with Revenue Cycle and Finance staff to reconcile patient accounts receivable, cash receipts, contractual adjustments, reserves, bad debt, and other patient revenue activity to the general ledger.
• Investigate and resolve discrepancies between Revenue Cycle reports and accounting records.
• Provide accounting oversight of accounts payable, payroll-related entries, cash activity, and related reconciliations.
• Ensure appropriate review, documentation, approval, and segregation of duties are maintained.
• Maintain and reconcile transactions and balances between Friend Health, HRDI, and applicable related entities. Investigate differences and ensure intercompany balances are resolved in a timely manner.
• Assist with the development and management of organizational budgets and forecasts. Monitor results against budget, identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and recommend corrective actions or process improvements.
• Coordinate assigned audit activities and prepare or review PBC schedules and supporting documentation.
• Maintain audit-ready accounting records throughout the year, respond to auditor requests, and assist with implementing audit recommendations and corrective actions.
• Lead, supervise, and mentor accounting staff. Establish clear responsibilities and deadlines, assign and review work, conduct performance evaluations, and provide ongoing feedback.
• Escalate overdue items, unsupported balances, or unresolved accounting issues to the Controller.
• Evaluate accounting procedures, workflows, and internal controls and recommend improvements that strengthen accuracy, efficiency, accountability, and compliance.
• Maintain accounting procedures and support consistent adherence to Finance policies and documentation standards.
• Monitor cash flow activity and support effective cash management practices to maintain appropriate organizational liquidity.
• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required.
• CPA preferred but not required. An equivalent combination of relevant nonprofit healthcare accounting, audit, grant accounting, and financial management experience will be considered.
• Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressive accounting and financial management experience, including responsibility for month-end close and account reconciliations.
• Minimum of two (2) years of accounting leadership or management experience preferred.
• Experience in nonprofit healthcare, FQHC, behavioral health, CCBHC, or federally funded organizations strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial reporting, general ledger accounting, internal controls, and audit requirements.
• Working knowledge of Uniform Guidance and nonprofit grant accounting, including cost allocation, grant revenue recognition, receivables, and expenditure support.
• Experience with patient revenue and accounts receivable accounting in a healthcare environment preferred.
• Proficiency with accounting software and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems; Sage Intacct experience preferred.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including the ability to analyse and reconcile large data sets.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate discrepancies, resolve unsupported balances, and meet recurring financial reporting deadlines.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to hold staff accountable while supporting professional development.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across Finance, Revenue Cycle, Human Resources, program leadership, and grant management.

SMART GOALS

Monthly Close & Reconciliations:

• Ensure assigned monthly close activities and account reconciliations for Friend Health and HRDI are completed, reviewed, supported, and submitted within the established Finance close calendar.
• Maintain accurate, audit-ready financial and grant documentation throughout the year and complete assigned audit and PBC requests within established deadlines with minimal adjustments.

Process Improvement:

• Within the first 90 days, assess key accounting processes and internal controls and begin implementation of at least two improvements that strengthen accounting accuracy, efficiency, documentation, or internal controls.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to remain seated and work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and electronically.
  Ability to occasionally lift and carry office materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS

(The unavoidable, externally imposed conditions under which the work must be performed, and which create hardship for the incumbent including the frequency and duration of occurrence of physical demands, environmental conditions, demands on one’s senses, and mental demands.) None known.

BENEFITS

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Paid Time Off (PTO) & Holidays
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Occupational Risk for Exposure to TB:

There is an occupational risk for exposure to TB, as this position involves extensive community and patient contact. Employees in this role are required to comply with annual TB testing as part of workplace health and safety protocols. The only acceptable exceptions to this requirement are documented medical contraindications or religious objections. Employees who decline TB testing will be required to wear a mask when deemed necessary.

Friend Health – HRDI is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, marital or parental status, sexual orientation including gender identity, gender expression, military discharge status, physical or mental disability, or any other status or characteristic protected by law. In addition, Friend Health – HRDI provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws (including during the application or hiring process). Friend Health - HRDI supports the Pay Transparency Law as an equal opportunity employer.

Equal Opportunity Employer

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.