Finance Specialist (WKKF)

W.K. Kellogg Foundation; Battle Creek (MI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

W. K. Kellogg Foundation is seeking a Finance Specialist to support the finance team in budget, audit, and grant-related processes. This role provides accounting assistance, analyzes financial data, reconciles invoices, and ensures compliance with policies while supporting both staff and grantees.

The specialist will manage payments, optimize cash flow, and collaborate across departments to improve financial systems and reporting. Strong attention to detail and nonprofit experience are valued.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in accounting or related field with 3–5 years' experience; bachelor’s with 2–3 years' experience preferred.
• Foundation or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Attention to detail; accuracy in financial documentation and reporting.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Process payments and monitor expenses; reconcile invoices and grant payments.
• Maintain cash management and banking relations; optimize banking software.
• Provide financial analytics for programming and operations; vendor management.
• Reconcile accounts payable and foundation/trust cash accounts; post journal entries.

Skills

Accounts payable

Cash management

Vendor management

Financial analysis

SAP

Concur

General ledger

Education

Associate’s degree in accounting or related field

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field

Tools

SAP

Concur

BackStop

Job description

Serve as a partner and resource to support all staff in complying with budget and financial for Ends achievement by providing audit, contract, evaluation, governance, grant and legal support with the highest degree of professionalism and integrity.

JOB PURPOSE:

Provide generalist accounting support to both the finance department and the organization including timely processing of financial transactions with appropriate application of accounting procedures and foundation polices/procedures, assist with organizing foundation financial documentation, analytical and technical support, appropriate financial advice, and troubleshooting/problem solving.

A specialist at the foundation generally has the following responsibilities:

• Serve as first point of contact and liaison
• Provide technical support and assistance to key internal and external contacts including grantees, vendors, community partners and others.
• Develop and present information (reports, briefings, presentations, etc.)
• Ensure integrity of data in organizational programming and financial systems
• Handle administrative and logistical processes (correspondence, scheduling, travel, meeting prep and follow-up)
• Assist with planning and execution of events and huddles

Specifically, the finance specialist is responsible for the following:

• Responsible for execution related to the organization’s cash management strategy by completing payments and controlling expenses by receiving, processing, verifying, and reconciling invoices and grant payments.
• Optimize use of the banking system by maintaining relationship with the bank officer as well as being the lead technical expert on the banking software and capabilities.
• Provide analytical and trouble-shooting expertise for financial aspects of programming and operations activities, particularly in the areas of vendor management by providing upfront invoice due diligence and resolving issues directly with vendors and WKKF staff.
• Develop a capacity for accounts payable within other departments and monitor application outside of the finance department to ensure processes and procedures are followed. Reconcile the contingent trust activity, vendor statements and daily cash to SAP including adjusting journal entries as needed.
• Act as a direct financial resource and liaison to supported departments to analyze issues and suggest solutions.
• Maintain working knowledge of finance functions to provide customer service for incoming inquiries.
• Support international operations through budget and financial analysis as directed; monitor and maintain cash flow and analyze the impact of new policies and procedures.
• Continually evaluate processes, procedures, and systems to provide recommendations for modifications that result in a more efficient and effective business environment.
• Attend and actively participate in finance team and organizational meetings to proactively serve supported areas.
• Monitor cash daily by recording all cash flows for foundation and trust cash accounts including investment cash flows. This includes organizing, analyzing and maintaining source documents for all cash flows.
• Reconcile private equity unfunded commitments in BackStop.
• Monitor Foundation and Trust investment inboxes to ensure information is reviewed and filed/disposed of as appropriate.
• Responsible for execution related to the organization’s cash management strategy by completing payments and controlling expenses by receiving, processing, verifying, and reconciling investments.
• Support as needed the travel and expense report processing including analysis of system generated reports, handling individual exceptions as required, and working with individuals on travel related inquiries.
• Provide final review of staff travel expense reports as submitted for compliance with WKKF policy and prior to posting to SAP.
• Run and review 30/60/90 day outstanding credit card and expense reports, at least every other week. Follow up with staff on outstanding issues.
• Track balances owed to WKKF for personal travel items. Follow up with staff to ensure prompt payment.
• Prepare and submit weekly deposit via electronic deposit software. Post deposit and supporting documentation to SAP upon confirming the deposit was successful with the bank.
• Update Concur manuals (profile maintenance, request and expense) as needed for posting to the Vine and training sessions.
• Train staff on Concur when on-boarding and as needed refreshers.
• Compile information related to third party administrator monthly and prepare and post monthly journal entry.
• Assist VP of Finance with President/CEO’s direct reports’ expense reports.
• Serve on WKKF’s Concur Knowledge team. Log cases with Concur when issues arise with the current configuration and functionality.
• Assist in policy development and implementation with regard to travel policies and benchmarking current policies with peer’s policies.
• Run accounts payable and open employee balances reports monthly and summarize information for use in the Financial Condition quarterly monitoring report.
• Work with Internal Audit to follow up on audit findings related to executive staff and trustee travel.
• Process trustee expense reports and audit for compliance with WKKF policies.
• As requested, prepare and process the annual Form 1099s and Form 1042s and associated reports.
• Serve as back up to Accounts Payable/Investments and cashflows/travel expense processing duties.

CORE CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS

Education/

Experience

• Associate’s degree in accounting or related field plus 3-5 years’ experience or equivalent combination of education and experience in accounting required; bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field plus 2-3 years’ experience preferred.
• Foundation or nonprofit experience preferred.
• Ability to work effectively with persons from diverse cultural, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Learning Agility: ability to learn, adapt, and apply ourselves in constantly morphing conditions
• Attention to Details: monitors and checks work and/or information to ensure accuracy and thoroughness in accomplishing a task by evaluating all areas involved, no matter how small, for correctness
• Communication: Ability to speak and write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles. Can get messages across that have the desire effect.
• Deal with Ambiguity: can effectively cope with change, shift gears comfortably, and decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty
• Interpersonal Savvy: Relates well to all kinds of people; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; can defuse even high-tension situations comfortably via diplomacy and tact.
• Priority Setting:Spends time and the time of others on what’s important; quickly zeros in on the critical few and puts the trivial many aside; can quickly sense what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal; eliminates roadblocks; creates focus
• Technical Skills:picks up technical things quickly; can learn new skills and knowledge; is good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge; does well in technical courses and seminars
• Initiative:motivated self-starter who takes action to help achieve individual, pod/core, and organizational goals, often above and beyond what is expected of them
• Strong knowledge of accounting and finance.
• Familiarity with computerized general ledger systems.
• Knowledge of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems preferred (e.g. SAP, Oracle).
• Knowledge of travel and expense management software.

Minimal, as required to support job duties

Job Family

Operational & Technical

Specialist

Salary Grade

D

FLSA Classification

Non-Exempt

WKKF is an Equal Opportunity Employer and shall continue to adhere to the principles of Equal Employment Opportunity to ensure that all applicants and employees are considered for hire, promotion, position status and other employment actions without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, handicap, genetic information or veteran status.