Accounting & Payroll Specialist

Smithsonian; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 65,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental & Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Transit/Commuter Benefits

Annual & Sick Leave

Job summary

Smithsonian Enterprises is seeking an Accounting & Payroll Specialist in Washington, DC. The role reports to the Accounting Manager and supports both accounting and payroll functions for the trust fund position.

The ideal candidate holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field with 4–5 years of relevant experience, ensuring timely payroll runs and accurate financial reporting in a high-volume environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline.
• 4-5 years related experience.
• Knowledge of payroll principles and procedures.
• Experience using payroll systems (ADP preferred).
• Meticulous attention to detail and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Supports day-to-day payroll operations and bi-weekly payroll processing.
• Maintains time and attendance records for 400+ employees.
• Ensures compliance with accounting procedures and internal controls.
• Prepares monthly divisional financial statements and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Assists with audits and the preparation of W-2s.

Skills

Payroll

Accounting

ADP

Dynamics 365 (D365)

GAAP

Internal controls

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline

Tools

ADP

Dynamics 365 (D365)

Job description

Accounting & Payroll Specialist

Application Deadline: 21 October 2026

Department: Smithsonian Enterprises

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Washington, DC

Reporting To: Accounting Manager

Compensation: $65,000 - $70,000 / year

OPEN DATE: October 7, 2026

CLOSING DATE: October 21, 2026

POSITION TYPE: Trust Fund

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Indefinite

SCHEDULE: Full Time

DUTY LOCATION: Washington, DC

Position sensitivity and risk: Low Risk

Open to all qualified applicants

Description

What are Trust Fund Positions? Trust Fund positions are unique to the Smithsonian. They are paid for from a variety of sources, including the Smithsonian endowment, revenue from our business activities, donations, grants and contracts. Trust employees are not part of the civil service, nor does trust fund employment lead to Federal status. The salary ranges for trust positions are generally the same as for federal positions and in many cases trust and federal employees work side by side. Trust employees have their own benefit program, which may include Health, Dental & Vision Insurance, Life Insurance, Transit/Commuter Benefits, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, Annual and Sick Leave, Family Friendly Leave, 403b Retirement Plan, Discounts for Smithsonian Memberships, Museum Stores and Restaurants, Credit Union, Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (Child Care), Flexible Spending Account (Health & Dependent Care).

Conditions of Employment

• Pass Pre-employment Background Check and Subsequent Background Investigation for position designated.
• Complete a Probationary Period.
• Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer.
• The position is open to all candidates eligible to work in the United States. Proof of eligibility to work in U.S. is not required to apply.
• Applicants must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

OVERVIEW

Smithsonian Enterprises consists of Smithsonian Magazine, Retail Stores, Food Service and Concessions, IMAX Theaters, E-Commerce, Catalog, Licensing, Journeys, Visual Media, and corporate support functions. Smithsonian Enterprises produces revenue annually to support the mission of Smithsonian Institution.

This position is part of the Smithsonian Enterprises Accounting Department, reporting to the Senior Accounting Manager with a dotted line to the Payroll Manager. The role provides accounting and payroll support, including financial statement preparation and analysis, maintenance of accounting records, and improvement of accounting processes. Responsibilities include supporting day-to-day payroll operations, processing bi-weekly payroll, and maintaining time and attendance records for more than 400 employees. The incumbent ensures compliance with accounting procedures, internal controls, tax regulations, company policies, and payroll-related requirements while performing other accounting and payroll duties as assigned.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting:

• Prepares and processes journal entries in Dynamics 365 (D365) for assigned division(s), including supporting documentation, and submits to manager for review and approval.
• Reviews financial results for assigned division(s) and prepares correcting/adjusting journal entries as necessary.
• Ensures revenue and expense recognition is compliant with executed contracts, GAAP, and SE/SI Accounting Policies.
• Processes and records divisional system(s) reports; reconciles D365 with subsidiary system; reports and resolves any variances or unusual activities.
• Reviews ledger activities including Cash, Accounts Payable, and Activity codes; reports and resolves issues timely.
• Prepares monthly divisional financial statements, reviews with Division Financial Manager.
• Performs assigned balance sheet account reconciliations; identifies and resolves outstanding reconciling items.
• Identifies and reports Out-of-Period Adjustments.
• Prepares and provides analysis for Divisional Balance Sheets, P&Ls, and Accounts Receivable Aging Reports; works with Division Finance Managers to resolve any issues.
• Participates in Stores Annual Physical Inventory, as requested.
• Maintains documentation for procedures and processes for all areas of responsibilities; review, provide recommendations for improvements, and update existing procedures as necessary.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Payroll:

• Assists with accurate and prompt salary payment to all employees, in compliance with current government regulations and company policies.
• Participates in a quality assurance review of all new hire employee records in ADP.
• Assists with entry of employee information for electronic pay methods, tax withholdings, advances, garnishments, levies, and other payroll deductions in ADP.
• Assists with reviewing and approval of ADP Enhanced Time & Attendance submissions, assists with resolving issues, and uploads into ADP payroll module.
• Assists with managing workflow to ensure payroll batch transactions are processed accurately and timely.
• Assists with producing the payroll cost report for submission to the Corporate Accountant.
• Assists with downloading benefit information files from third-party vendors and imports into ADP.
• Assists with issuing stop payments, processes voids, and reissues replacement checks through ADP, as needed.
• Responds timely and accurately to payroll related questions.
• Participates in the preparation and reconciliation of annual W-2 statements.
• Supports internal and external audits by preparing and providing required analysis and/or supporting documentation for all areas of responsibilities.
• Maintain compliance with all current privacy guidelines surrounding employee information.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline, and 4-5 years related experience.

• Knowledge of accounting systems and processes applicable to the accounting function.
• Meticulous attention to detail required, as well as reliability, accuracy, and timeliness in performance of responsibilities.
• Knowledge of general payroll, accounting and good internal control practices.
• Experience using payroll systems, ADP preferred.
• Knowledge and experience in applying payroll principles, techniques, and procedures.
• Experience gathering, assembling, consolidating, and analyzing data.
• Ability to independently perform assignments using conventional methods and techniques.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• High level of technological, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with and gain the cooperation of all levels of staff to resolve problems and provide advice and assistance.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office applications.

Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to higher education programs of U.S. Institutions by an organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. This documentation is the responsibility of the applicant and should be included as part of your application package.

Any false statement in your application may result in rejection of your application and may also result in termination after employment begins.

Join us in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Resumes should include a description of your paid and non-paid work experience that is related to this job; starting and ending dates of job (month and year); and average number of hours worked per week.

What To Expect Next: Once the vacancy announcement closes, a review of your resume will be compared against the qualification and experience requirements related to this job. After review of applicant resumes is complete, qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager.

Relocation expenses are not paid.

The Smithsonian Institution provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation should contact [e-mail]. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. To learn more, please review the Smithsonian’s Accommodation Procedures.

The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To review The Smithsonian's EEO program information, please click the following: https://www.si.edu/oeo