Finance and Grants Accountant (LF)

The Lemelson Foundation; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lemelson Foundation seeks a Finance and Grants Accountant to bridge the finance and grants management departments, providing general accounting services and supporting the grants function. You will report to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and to the Grants, Contracts and IT Manager, ensuring proper reporting, compliance, quality control, and data management across the two teams.

Ideal candidates bring eight years of progressive accounting experience, a Bachelor’s degree in a

Qualifications

• Minimum eight years of increasing responsibility in general accounting, accounts payable, and accounting for investments.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field.
• Comfort with databases and systems, including online grants management databases, from setup to ongoing use.

Responsibilities

• Bridge between the finance and grants management departments and support proper reporting, compliance, quality control, and data management.
• Work with CFAO and Grants, Contracts and IT Manager to integrate financial information between systems.
• Ensure reporting accuracy and support financial planning and accountability across the two departments.
• Assist in continuous improvement of grants management data and processes.

Skills

Accounting

Accounts payable

Investments accounting

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance/business

Tools

Grants management databases

Databases & systems

Job description

Established by prolific US inventor Jerome Lemelson and his wife Dorothy in the early 1990 and guided today by the Lemelson family, we believe invention can solve many of the biggest economic and social challenges of our time. That’s why we work to strengthen the ecosystems where inventions can take shape, grow, and flourish. For more than two decades we have inspired young people from diverse backgrounds to tackle the world’s most daunting problems, advanced the field of invention education with a goal of reaching all children, and equipped entrepreneurs with the skills they need to start successful invention-based businesses. A private philanthropy, The Lemelson Foundation has investment assets of around $370 million and an annual budget of approximately $18 million. All told, we have provided over $200 million in grants and other investments to hundreds of organizations around the world.

The Position

Serving as a bridge between the finance and grants management departments, the Finance and Grants Accountant works with all members of The Lemelson Foundation team to provide general accounting services, and support the Foundation’s grants management function. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO) and the Grants, Contracts and IT Manager, the Finance and Grants Accountant will serve in a key support capacity to ensure proper reporting, compliance, quality control, and data management across the two departments; and will work to integrate financial information between systems in support of financial planning and overall financial accountability.

To see a detailed overview describing the ideal candidate and the desired qualifications, please click here .

Desired Qualifications

Candidates will have a minimum of eight years of increasing responsibility in general accounting, accounts payable, and accounting for investments in addition to a Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field. The Finance and Grants Accountant will also have comfort with and command of databases and systems, including sophisticated online grants management databases, from set up, ongoing improvement, and use.

To be considered

The Lemelson Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We enthusiastically welcome and accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religious creed, color, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition as defined under State law, disability, genetic information, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and/or local laws and ordinances.