Foundation Staff Accountant

Mississippi University for Women; Columbus (MS); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Foundation Staff Accountant at Mississippi University for Women Foundation provides essential financial support, handles donor gifts, prepares reports, and maintains donor records in compliance with accounting standards.

The role assists with audits, reconciliations, and monthly processing while collaborating with the Foundation Accountant and Executive Director on key financial operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Accounting or Business Administration with an emphasis in finance or nonprofit management.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant accounting or bookkeeping experience, preferably in a nonprofit, foundation, or higher education environment; 5 years preferred.
• Experience supporting general ledger maintenance, accounts payable/receivable, and financial reporting.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Exposure to audit preparation, fund accounting, or donor fund tracking preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assists the Foundation Accountant and auditors to provide reports, records and other required documents.
• Supervises memorial and honorarium gift program.
• Receipts, posts, and processes gifts, honorariums and memorials received by the Foundation.
• Prepares, edits, and mails receipts and acknowledgments, honorarium and memorial letters.
• Manages matching gift program, prepares and sends request forms to employing companies, records pledges, receipts and prepares acknowledgments.
• Prepares and posts monthly recurring bank drafts, payroll donations, credit card transactions, reconciles corresponding deposits, manages donor records and prepares acknowledgments initially and annually.
• Prepares annual scholarship report letters, assembles with scholarship reports and mails, along with setting up funds.
• Creates and maintains all donor records, gifts, letters and other correspondence.
• Verifies and reconciles procurement card and bank card purchases as well as departmental budgets.
• Prepares contribution reports and reconciles deposits.
• Responsible for accounts payable in Financial Edge; prints accounts payable checks weekly.
• Prepares annual tax letters for monthly recurring bank drafts, payroll donations and credit card gifts.
• Prepares restricted fund reports and mails on a quarterly basis.
• Processes electronic payments during special events; assists with other functions for and during special events.
• Responsible for reconciliation of MUW Alumni Association bank accounts.
• Cross trains with the Foundation Accountant and Assistant to the Executive Director.
• Performs other reasonable duties as assigned by the Foundation Accountant or Executive Director.

Skills

Accounting

Nonprofit experience

Microsoft Office

Audits

General ledger

Donor fund tracking

Attention to Detail

Analytical Thinking

Time Management

Communication

Teamwork

Confidentiality

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Business Administration

Tools

QuickBooks

Blackbaud Financial Edge

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Proposed Annual Salary, Hourly Rate or One-time payment

• Assists the Foundation Accountant and auditors to provide reports, records and other required documents.
• Supervises memorial and honorarium gift program.
• Receipts, posts, and processes gifts, honorariums and memorials received by the Foundation.
• Prepares, edits, and mails receipts and acknowledgments, honorarium and memorial letters.
• Manages matching gift program, prepares and sends request forms to employing companies, records pledges, receipts and prepares acknowledgments.
• Prepares and posts monthly recurring bank drafts, payroll donations, credit card transactions, reconciles corresponding deposits, manages donor records and prepares acknowledgments initially and annually.
• Prepares annual scholarship report letters, assembles with scholarship reports and mails, along with setting up funds.
• Creates and maintains all donor records, gifts, letters and other correspondence.
• Verifies and reconciles procurement card and bank card purchases as well as departmental budgets.
• Prepares contribution reports and reconciles deposits.
• Responsible for accounts payable in Financial Edge; prints accounts payable checks weekly.
• Prepares annual tax letters for monthly recurring bank drafts, payroll donations and credit card gifts.
• Prepares restricted fund reports and mails on a quarterly basis.
• Processes electronic payments during special events; assists with other functions for and during special events.
• Responsible for reconciliation of MUW Alumni Association bank accounts.
• Cross trains with the Foundation Accountant and Assistant to the Executive Director.
• Performs other reasonable duties as assigned by the Foundation Accountant or Executive Director.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required, particularly in Accounting or Business Administration with an emphasis in finance or nonprofit management.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant accounting or bookkeeping experience, preferably in a nonprofit, foundation, or higher education environment; 5 years experience preferred.
• Experience supporting general ledger maintenance, accounts payable/receivable, and financial reporting
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
• Exposure to audit preparation, fund accounting, or donor fund tracking preferred

Other Skills, Abilities and Qualifications:

• Attention to Detail: Strong accuracy in data entry, record -keeping, and financial reconciliation.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to identify discrepancies, analyze financial data, and support audit preparation.
• Technical Proficiency: Familiarity with accounting software preferred (e.g., QuickBooks, Blackbaud Financial Edge); sStrong Excel skills required (e.g., formulas , pivot tables).
• Time Management: Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage multiple responsibilities efficiently.
• Communication: Clear and professional verbal and written communication skills for working with internal departments and external vendors.
• Teamwork: Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively with accounting staff, development officers, and administrative teams.
• Confidentiality: Demonstrated ability to handle sensitive financial and donor information with discretion.
• Adaptability: Willingness to learn new systems and processes in a dynamic, mission-driven environment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; move and/or lift up to 25 pounds and exposed to outdoor weather conditions. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. Work environment is general office conditions with moderate noise.

Job Description Summary

The Foundation Staff Accountant provides essential financial and administrative support to the Foundation Accountant in managing the day-to-day accounting operations of the MUW Foundation. This position assists with processing gifts, maintaining accurate financial records, preparing reports, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and institutional policies. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, dependable, and committed to supporting the financial integrity of the MUW Foundation’s mission.

Hours of Availability

Prior to hiring, the final candidate(s) must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation. A prior conviction reported as a result of the background investigation DOES NOT automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration for this position. However, failure to disclose may disqualify a candidate.

Requisition Number

Requisition Number FY20784NF

Open Date

Open Date 09/23/2026

Will this job have a specific close date?

No

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • MUW Departmental Announcement
  • MUW Human Resources Office
  • MUW Website
  • Mississippi Employment Service
  • Local Newspaper
  • In-state Newspaper
  • Out-of-state Newspaper
  • The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • HigherEdJobs.com
  • Friend
  • Journal/Periodical
  • Off-campus Recruitment
  • Women/Minority Publication
  • Contacted by department and invited to apply
  • Other
  • The Academic Network (TAN)
• * Are you currently authorized to work in the United States? (Proof of Citizenship or Immigration status will be required upon offer of employment)
  • Yes
  • No
• * If hired, would you need sponsorship or work authorization to work for MUW now or in the future? (NOTE: MUW does not sponsor employment visas.)
  • Yes
  • No