Staff Accountant

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Chicago Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc. is seeking an experienced staff accountant focused on grant budgeting, accounting, and reporting in Chicago.

The role partners with program staff and the VP of Finance & Operations to build and monitor budgets across a portfolio of grants, ensuring timely compliance with funder requirements. The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field and at least 3 years of grant accounting experience, with strong

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years of accounting experience with grant or fund accounting.
• Experience administering federal, state, and/or foundation grants; familiarity with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain grant budgets for proposals and renewals in partnership with program staff and VP of Finance & Operations.
• Track actual spending against each grant budget and flag variances before reporting time.
• Prepare and submit grant financial reports, invoices, and drawdown requests per funder deadlines.
• Track grant start/end dates, reporting deadlines, and match/cost-share requirements across active grants.
• Serve as day-to-day contact for grant financial administration across active grants.
• Maintain grant files and documentation for funder/auditor review.
• Support grant closeout processes including final expenditure reconciliation and reporting.
• Assist with annual audit and Form 990 preparation.

Skills

Grant accounting

GAAP knowledge

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Attention to detail

Communication

Multitasking

Discretion

Cross-cultural skills

Project ownership

Education

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

Tools

QuickBooks Online

Excel

Job description

Grant Budgeting & Proposal Support

• Build and maintain grant budgets for new proposals and renewals, in partnership with program staff and the VP of Finance & Operations
• Track actual spending against each grant budget throughout the award period, flagging variances to program and finance leadership before they surface at reporting time
• Prepare and submit grant financial reports, invoices, and reimbursement or drawdown requests in line with each funder’s deadlines and requirements
• Track grant start/end dates, reporting deadlines, and any match or cost-share requirements across the active grant portfolio

Grant & Fund Accounting

• Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for grant financial administration across CLC’s active portfolio of federal, state, and foundation-funded grants
• Track restricted and unrestricted funds by grant and fund in accordance with nonprofit fund accounting standards
• Support compliance with federal grant requirements, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) cost principles, for federally funded programs
• Maintain grant files and supporting documentation sufficient to withstand funder and auditor review
• Support grant closeout processes, including final expenditure reconciliation and reporting

Compliance & Reporting

• Assist with preparation for the annual financial audit and Form 990, including grant-specific audit schedules
• Support preparation of internal financial reports for leadership, including grant burn-rate and portfolio summaries
• Help maintain and strengthen internal controls and accounting policies, particularly around grant compliance

General Accounting Support

• Support monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes
• Serve as backup for accounts payable processing — reviewing vendor invoices, approving payments, and completing payment runs via online banking
• Serve as backup for payroll FTE allocation and reconciliation of ACH and check deposits, currently performed by the VP of Finance & Operations
• Responsibility for these functions may expand over time as the Staff Accountant builds familiarity with CLC’s grant portfolio.
• Other accounting and finance-related duties as assigned, based on organizational needs and capacity.

About You

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (or equivalent professional experience)
• 3+ years of accounting experience, with meaningful experience in grant or fund accounting required
• Experience administering federal, state, and/or foundation grants; familiarity with Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) cost principles strongly preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to manage a portfolio of multiple concurrent grants with varying budgets, reporting formats, and deadlines
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to translate program plans and narratives into accurate, defensible budget figures
• Working knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit fund accounting principles
• Proficiency with QuickBooks Online and advanced Excel skills
• Strong analytical skills, attention to details and accuracy in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment
• High degree of flexibility, ability to multi-task, and take significant initiative
• Excellent people skills, especially the ability to communicate effectively with a diversity of groups and individuals, including program staff who are not finance specialists, and to proactively flag issues before they become problems
• Cross-cultural competencies and self-awareness around issues of power, privilege, and difference
• Ability to take ownership of work and minimize errors, communicating corrections proactively when they arise
• Judgment and discretion in handling sensitive financial information
• Deep commitment to racial justice and community-driven advocacy