Staff Accountant

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania; Cheyney (PA); On-site; USD 54,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania seeks a Staff Accountant to support daily accounting operations, prepare journal entries, perform reconciliations, and assist with month-end and fiscal year-end closing activities.

You will collaborate with the Controller, Senior Accountant, and Fiscal Affairs staff to ensure accurate records and strong internal controls, with attention to detail and research of discrepancies.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of accounting principles and practices.
• Understanding of debits, credits, journal entries, account reconciliations, and general ledger accounting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to research discrepancies and evaluate financial transactions.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and post routine journal entries and accounting adjustments.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of assigned general ledger accounts.
• Review financial transactions for appropriate account coding, accuracy, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and fiscal year-end closing procedures.
• Research and resolve routine general ledger discrepancies and outstanding account items.
• Maintain complete and organized documentation supporting journal entries, reconciliations, and accounting transactions.
• Assist with bank and cash account reconciliations as assigned.
• Reconcile accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll-related accounts, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, and other assigned accounts.
• Assist with fixed asset accounting and related reconciliations.
• Assist with accounting activities related to grants and restricted funds as assigned.
• Assist with the preparation of financial schedules, reports, and account analyses.
• Prepare supporting schedules and documentation for internal and external audits.
• Assist with audit requests and retrieval of supporting financial documentation.
• Review financial system reports to identify errors, duplicate transactions, outstanding items, or unusual balances.
• Research differences between financial records, source documentation, and system reports.
• Coordinate with University departments to obtain documentation and resolve routine accounting issues.
• Assist in ensuring financial transactions are processed in accordance with established University policies and procedures.
• Maintain financial records and accounting documentation in accordance with established record-retention requirements.
• Assist the Senior Accountant and Controller with financial analysis, special projects, reconciliations, and accounting research.
• Participate in process improvements designed to strengthen financial controls and improve accounting efficiency.
• Assist with data cleanup, account maintenance, and financial system-related projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Attention to detail

Analytical ability

Organization

Communication skills

Research discrepancies

Multi-tasking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

SAP

Job description

The Staff Accountant supports the daily accounting operations of Cheyney University and reports directly to the Controller. The position is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, preparing journal entries, completing account reconciliations, reviewing financial transactions, maintaining supporting documentation, and assisting with monthly and fiscal year-end closing activities.

The Staff Accountant works collaboratively with the Controller, Senior Accountant, and other Fiscal Affairs personnel to ensure financial transactions are accurately and timely recorded and that appropriate accounting procedures and internal controls are followed.

This position requires strong attention to detail, analytical ability, organization, and the ability to research and resolve routine accounting discrepancies.

Essential Job Functions

• Prepare and post routine journal entries and accounting adjustments.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of assigned general ledger accounts.
• Review financial transactions for appropriate account coding, accuracy, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and fiscal year-end closing procedures.
• Research and resolve routine general ledger discrepancies and outstanding account items.
• Maintain complete and organized documentation supporting journal entries, reconciliations, and accounting transactions.
• Assist with bank and cash account reconciliations as assigned.
• Reconcile accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll-related accounts, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, and other assigned accounts.
• Assist with fixed asset accounting and related reconciliations.
• Assist with accounting activities related to grants and restricted funds as assigned.
• Assist with the preparation of financial schedules, reports, and account analyses.
• Prepare supporting schedules and documentation for internal and external audits.
• Assist with audit requests and retrieval of supporting financial documentation.
• Review financial system reports to identify errors, duplicate transactions, outstanding items, or unusual balances.
• Research differences between financial records, source documentation, and system reports.
• Coordinate with University departments to obtain documentation and resolve routine accounting issues.
• Assist in ensuring financial transactions are processed in accordance with established University policies and procedures.
• Maintain financial records and accounting documentation in accordance with established record-retention requirements.
• Assist the Senior Accountant and Controller with financial analysis, special projects, reconciliations, and accounting research.
• Participate in process improvements designed to strengthen financial controls and improve accounting efficiency.
• Assist with data cleanup, account maintenance, and financial system-related projects as assigned.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field from an accredited institution.
• A minimum of two years of professional accounting or financial experience is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree concentration in Accounting.
• Experience with SAP or a comparable ERP or financial accounting system.
• Experience preparing journal entries and performing account reconciliations.
• Familiarity with grants or restricted-fund accounting
• Experience working with general ledger systems and financial reporting tools.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of accounting principles and practices.
• Understanding of debits, credits, journal entries, account reconciliations, and general ledger accounting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to research discrepancies and evaluate financial transactions.
• Ability to identify inconsistencies, errors, and unusual financial activity.
• Intermediate to strong Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, filtering, sorting, and basic pivot tables.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to organize financial documentation and maintain accurate accounting records.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet established deadlines.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with the Controller, Senior Accountant, and other University departments.
• Ability to follow established accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Ability to appropriately handle confidential financial information.
• Strong customer-service orientation and willingness to learn new accounting processes and financial systems.

All offers of employment are subject and contingent upon satisfactory completion of all pre-employment criminal background checks.

Cheyney University an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer complies with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, age, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, creed, marital status, political affiliation, personal appearance, or on the basis of rights secured by the First Amendment, in all aspects of employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.