Staff Accountant

Downtown Women's Center; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Downtown Women’s Center is seeking a Staff Accountant to support day-to-day accounting and contribute to timely financial reporting in a nonprofit setting. You will maintain the general ledger, perform reconciliations, manage fixed assets, and assist with month-end close.

The ideal candidate has a solid accrual-based accounting foundation, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field required; equivalent experience considered.
• Minimum of three years of progressive accounting experience; nonprofit experience preferred.
• GAAP/accrual-based accounting knowledge and month-end close experience required.
• Experience with audits and nonprofit accounting structures is preferred.
• Sage Intacct and Bill.com experience required; proficient Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain general ledger by verifying, posting, reviewing, and reconciling transactions in Sage Intacct.
• Balance subsidiary accounts and reconcile discrepancies.
• Contribute to month-end and year-end close processes with accurate schedules.
• Prepare, review, and post complex journal entries including payroll, prepaid expenses, depreciation, and accruals.
• Maintain fixed asset schedules and depreciation, perform asset roll-forwards.
• Analyze balance sheet accounts, investigate variances, and implement corrective actions.
• Record and reconcile bank activity across multiple accounts.
• Manage Accounts Receivable including aging and collections.
• Post rent deposits and reconcile related receipts.
• Review revenue and deposits from donations, EFT, Givebutter, Stripe, etc.
• Support accounting for social enterprise and retail operations and related reporting.
• Review and reconcile Bill.com, checks, and corporate card entries.
• Manage current liabilities and compliance items (sales tax, payroll liabilities, etc.).
• Summarize financial status and support reports for management.

Skills

Technical Accounting

General Ledger Management

Month-End Close

Account Reconciliation

Internal Controls

Communication

Analytical Thinking

Time Management

Attention to Detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting / Finance / Business Administration

Tools

Sage Intacct

Bill.com

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The Staff Accountant is responsible for supporting the day-to-day accounting operations of the organization and plays a critical role in ensuring the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of DWC's financial reporting. This position is a key contributor to the monthly close process and is responsible for maintaining general ledger integrity through the preparation of journal entries, account reconciliations, fixed asset accounting, revenue reconciliation, and cash management activities.

The ideal candidate possesses a strong foundation in accrual-based accounting, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced nonprofit environment. This individual will work collaboratively across Finance, Development, Human Resources, and operational departments to ensure financial transactions are properly recorded, reconciled, and supported in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and organizational policies. Experience with nonprofit accounting, Sage Intacct, and financial systems is strongly preferred.

Essential Functions

• Maintain the general ledger by verifying, allocating, posting, reviewing, and reconciling transactions in Sage Intacct.
• Maintain and balance subsidiary accounts by verifying, allocating, posting, and reconciling transactions and resolving discrepancies.
• Serve as a key contributor to the month-end and year-end close processes by completing assigned close activities, preparing supporting schedules, and ensuring all deliverables are completed accurately and within established deadlines.
• Prepare, review, and post complex journal entries, including payroll-related entries, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, fixed assets, depreciation, amortization, revenue adjustments, and other month-end accruals and reclassifications
• Maintain fixed asset schedules, prepare depreciation entries, complete fixed asset roll-forwards, and reconcile fixed asset balances.
• Perform detailed analysis and reconciliation of balance sheet accounts, investigating variances and identifying corrective actions necessary to ensure the integrity of financial records.
• Perform and support bank activity recording and reconciliations across assigned operating, reserve, money market, certificate of deposit, investment, and LLC bank accounts.
• Prepare and enter assigned non-grant Accounts Receivable; maintain AR aging, follow up on collection status as needed, and update Accounting Manager on key items.
• Post DWC tenant rent deposits and support rent receivable and security deposit reconciliation on a monthly basis.
• Review revenue and deposit activity for accuracy, including donations, EFT activity, Givebutter, Stripe, Bloomerang, and other assigned revenue/deposit sources.
• Support the accounting and reconciliation processes for DWC's social enterprise and retail operations, including sales activity, deposits, inventory-related transactions, and associated financial reporting requirements.
• Review and reconcile Bill.com clearing, manual checks, corporate card entries, and related close items as assigned.
• Manage current liabilities and recurring compliance items, including sales tax payable, deferred income, accrued expenses, payroll liabilities, and related reconciliations.
• Summarize financial status by collecting information and preparing or supporting balance sheet, profit and loss, department, and other financial reports.
• Collaborate with Accounts Payable, Development, Payroll, Human Resources and management to obtain support, resolve discrepancies, and ensure financial information is complete and properly documented.
• Assist with the annual audit, preparation of supporting schedules, and tax filing support as assigned.
• Other duties as assigned.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Technical Accounting Knowledge
• General Ledger Management
• Month-End Close and Financial Reporting
• Account Reconciliation and Analysis
• Internal Controls and Compliance
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Time Management and Organizational Skills
• Attention to Detail and Accuracy
• Communication and Collaboration
• Professionalism and Accountability
• Ethical Conduct and Confidentiality
• Adaptability and Continuous Learning
• Cultural Humility

Supervisory Responsibility

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands are representative of those needed to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time exempt position. Office hours are 9:00 am to 5:30 pm with the flexibility to work evenings and weekends when necessary

Travel

No travel is expected for this position.

Ability to Work Remotely

Hybrid (2-3 days in office)

Required Education, Experience, and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required; equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Minimum of three years of progressive accounting experience required; nonprofit accounting experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with month-end close procedures, account reconciliations, journal entry preparation, and general ledger maintenance.
• Working knowledge of GAAP and accrual-based accounting principles.
• Experience supporting annual financial audits is preferred.
• Knowledge of nonprofit funding structures, restricted funds, and government grant accounting preferred.
• Experience with Sage Intacct and Bill.com required.
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills required, including pivot tables, lookups, and financial analysis functions.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Must be a CA resident and live no more than 75 miles from DWC; must be available for in-person meetings at DWC.
• Must provide documentation of a negative TB test result within the last twelve months, on first day of hire.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance

Being authorized to work in the U.S. is a precondition of employment. DWC does not sponsor employment visas, such as H-1B.

Downtown Women’s Center will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Downtown Women’s Center is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.

Downtown Women’s Center provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants and actively seeks candidates who reflect the rich diversity of the communities that we serve. We are committed to a work environment that embraces and promotes individuality and inclusion. We believe that diversity and inclusion of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences are essential to our organization’s effectiveness, and allow us to serve our clients in the respectful, responsive, and understanding way that they deserve. We define diversity in broad terms to include race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, mental or physical disability, marital status, pregnancy, military and veteran status, medical condition, geography, socio-economic status, and other unique attributes that make us who we are.

Downtown Women’s Center complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.