Accounting Specialist - Grants & Financial Operations

Kinnect; Cleveland (OH); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinnect is seeking a highly organized Accounting Specialist to support the organization’s financial operations and ensure compliance with grant, contract, and nonprofit accounting requirements across Ohio. This role handles accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll administration, reconciliations, grant invoicing, audit preparation, and financial reporting support.

Working closely with the COO and CFO, you will contribute to budgeting, forecasting, grant management, and organizational

Qualifications

• Two+ years of accounting, bookkeeping, or financial operations experience.
• Experience managing accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and payroll.
• Proficiency with QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field.

Responsibilities

• Process accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions.
• Prepare and issue invoices for grants, contracts, foundations, and other funding sources.
• Record and reconcile cash receipts, payments, and deposits.
• Process payroll and maintain payroll-related documentation.
• Review employee expense reports and credit card transactions for accuracy, coding, approvals and compliance.
• Prepare journal entries and account reconciliations.
• Support month-end and year-end closing activities.
• Assist with preparation of financial reports and supporting schedules.
• Upload and maintain approved budgets within the accounting system.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Attention to detail

Effective communication

Independent worker

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

Tools

QuickBooks

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Overview Of Kinnect

Kinnect is an Ohio-based non-profit organization dedicated to developing KinFirst strategies and delivering programs that strengthen kinship connections and inclusive support networks for families, young people, and children. Kinnect has spent 20 years collaborating with families, public agencies, and private providers to ensure young people and families have the belonging, resources, and relationships they need to thrive.

Overview Of Kinnect

Kinnect is an Ohio-based non-profit organization dedicated to developing KinFirst strategies and delivering programs that strengthen kinship connections and inclusive support networks for families, young people, and children. Kinnect has spent 20 years collaborating with families, public agencies, and private providers to ensure young people and families have the belonging, resources, and relationships they need to thrive.

Kinnect’s purpose, vision, and guiding principles center family and kin and promote a KinFirst culture in every aspect of our service delivery and advocacy efforts for families, young people, and children. Kin is family, family is kin, and whether relationships involve relatives or chosen family connections, a KinFirst culture is the way we work and live each day.

Kinnect is proud to be a nationally recognized leader and pioneer in the field, which led to the development of KinnectU, a training, consulting, and replication branch of Kinnect, to provide these services to all child- and family-serving organizations. Our programs include the Ohio Kinship and Adoption Navigator (OhioKAN) program, Kinnect to Family (KTF), and Youth Centered Permanency Roundtables (YCPRT). Kinnect is grateful to receive support from a variety of sources, including contracts with government entities, partnerships with nonprofits, generous grants, and invaluable donations from foundations and private donors.

Position Summary

Kinnect is seeking a highly organized and detail-orientated Accounting Specialist to support the organization’s financial operations and mission-driven work across Ohio and beyond.

The Accounting Specialist plays a critical role in maintaining the accuracy and integrity of Kinnect’s financial records and ensuring compliance with grant, contract, and nonprofit accounting requirements. This position is responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll administration, reconciliations, grant invoicing, audit preparation, and financial reporting support.

Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, this role provides meaningful contributions to budgeting, forecasting, grant management, and organizational financial health while helping advance Kinnect’s mission of strengthening family and kinship connections.

This position is ideal for an accounting professional who enjoys balancing day-to-day financial operations with opportunities to contribute to process improvement and organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Operations

• Process accounts payable and accounts receivable transactions
• Prepare and issue invoices for grants, contracts, foundations, and other funding sources
• Record and reconcile cash receipts, payments, and deposits
• Process payroll and maintain payroll-related documentation
• Review employee expense reports and credit card transactions for accuracy, coding, approvals and compliance

Accounting & Reporting

• Maintain accurate accounting records in QuickBooks
• Prepare journal entries and account reconciliations
• Support month-end and year-end closing activities
• Assist with preparation of financial reports and supporting schedules
• Upload and maintain approved budgets within the accounting system

Grant & Compliance Management

• Support monthly and quarterly grant billing and reporting
• Monitor grant expenditures and funding activity
• Coordinate documentation for audits, tax filings, and regulatory reporting
• Assist with annual 1099 preparation and filing

Continuous Improvement & Collaboration

• Partner with program and operational leaders to improve financial processes
• Recommend efficiencies and process improvements
• Contribute to strategic initiatives and organizational goals
• Prepare and issue invoices for grants, contracts, foundations, and other funding sources

Key Abilities

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate at all levels.
• Ability to utilize technology to support efficiency and quality.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, yet collaboratively.
• Ability to maintain discretion and work with highly confidential information.
• Ability to assess need for additional resources or consultation.

Education And Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Two or more years of accounting, bookkeeping, or financial operations experience
• Experience managing accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and payroll
• Proficiency with QuickBooks and Microsoft Excel
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgement

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or related field
• Nonprofit accounting experience
• Grant accounting, government funding, or contract billing experience
• Experience supporting audits and financial reporting processes
• Experienced with Paycor or similar payroll platforms
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables and reporting

Working Conditions

• Travel required, as needed. Must have access to own transportation.
• This job requires occasional overnight travel
• Kinnect as an organization has a Hybrid Work Model that combines remote and on-site work at Kinnect, as well as routine on-site or in-person work with team members, partner sites, community events, and direct service in the field.
• This role will utilize standard office equipment that will be provided by Kinnect

Hiring Process

The final candidate selected for the position will be required to undergo a criminal background check and drug screening. Criminal convictions do not necessarily preclude an applicant from consideration for a position. An individual assessment of an applicant’s prior criminal conviction(s) will be made before excluding an applicant from consideration.

Role Competencies

• Communicate Effectively: Develop and deliver communications using various methods that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of the different audiences we communicate with.
• Critical Thinking for Managing Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.

Kinnect’s Guiding Principles

• Partnership: Bringing our collective experience and skillsets to relationships that support our connectedness and achievement of our mission.
• Innovation: Continuous and dynamic process where creative ideas are valued, discussed, and implemented to significantly disrupt routing and prevailing structures.
• Integrity: Having the courage to live the Kinnect values of dignity, respect and honesty.
• Outcome Focused: We strive to measure our work, to pivot, iterate, and improve to accomplish desired results.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position.

Kinnect maintains a policy of nondiscrimination toward all employees and applicants for employment. All employment decisions at Kinnect are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, and will be governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, or gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, sexual expression or identity, national origin, physical, intellectual or emotional ability, marital or partnership status, parental or family status, medical or genetic status, veteran’s or disabled veteran status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. Employment Posters stating current regulatory and legal requirements are posted in Kinnect’s main office and on the intranet.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Kinnect maintains a policy of nondiscrimination toward all employees and applicants for employment. All aspects of employment with us will be governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, or gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, sexual expression or identity, national origin, physical, intellectual or emotional ability, marital or partnership status, parental or family status, medical or genetic status, veteran’s or disabled veteran status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. Employment Posters stating current regulatory and legal requirements are posted in Kinnect’s main office and on the intranet.

American’s With Disabilities Act

This position involves sitting in a stationary position for at least 50% of the time and the ability to ambulate without assistance to attend on-site meetings, as needed. The job requires movement in a typical office environment with file cabinets, office machinery, office furniture and typical hallway and access doorways. The position must operate typical office equipment, such as copiers, telephones, computers and peripherals. This job requires that the person must have the ability to access transportation to attend meetings and special events. The organization provides reasonable accommodations for this position.