Staff Accountant

The New York Historical; New York (NY); On-site; USD 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical, dental, vision and life保险

Disability coverage

403(b) retirement plan

Flexible spending accounts

Employee Assistance Program

Store discount at NYHistory Store

Free museum admission

Job summary

The New York Historical Society seeks a Staff Accountant to join our finance team in New York, reporting to the Accounting Manager. You will ensure GAAP compliance and handle a range of financial accounting tasks across revenue, AP, and reporting while supporting internal controls and policy implementation.

The ideal candidate has 1–3 years of accounting experience in a not-for-profit environment and strong Excel/Word skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• 1–3 years of accounting experience; not-for-profit environment preferred.
• Solid understanding of traditional bookkeeping and GAAP.
• Strong knowledge of Excel and Word.
• Excellent written and communication skills.
• Ability to recognize problems and develop solutions.
• Self-motivated with a strong work ethic.
• Strong time management and multitasking skills.
• Knowledge of Blackbaud Financial Edge, Tessitura, or similar platform is desired.

Responsibilities

• Record Cash Receipts for deposits (cash, checks, wire transfers, EFTs).
• Perform monthly revenue reconciliation and entries for Admissions, Public Programs, Education, and other revenue schedules.
• Prepare monthly JEs for revenue activity (PayPal and in-house activity).
• Perform quarterly petty cash reconciliations.
• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for multiple accounts.
• Record internal bank transfers, bank interest, and other activity.
• Manage accounts receivable and follow up on outstanding payments.
• Reconcile balance sheet/revenue accounts for month-end and year-end closing.
• Prepare journal entries including adjusting and recurring entries.
• Act as Accounts Payable back-up as needed.
• Run general ledger reports for department distribution and grant reporting.
• Assist with year-end audit fieldwork and financial statements.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Excel

Word

Not-for-profit accounting

Strong written and communication

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

Blackbaud Financial Edge

Tessitura

Job description

New York’s first museum, The New York Historical is a leading cultural institution documenting over 400 years of American history through a peerless collection of art, documents, and artifacts. Our offerings span groundbreaking exhibitions; acclaimed educational programs for teachers and students nationwide; and thought-provoking conversations among leading scholars, journalists, and thinkers about the past, present, and future of the American experiment. The New York Historical is a museum of museums and a collection of collections. We are home to the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the Center for Women’s History, the Reiss Family Graduate Institute for Constitutional History, the Dorothy Tapper Goldman Center for Teaching Democracy, the DiMenna Children’s History Museum, and the future American LGBTQ+ Museum. We elevate the perspectives and scholarship that define the United States’ democratic heritage and challenge us all to shape our ongoing history for the better.

JOB SUMMARY

The Staff Accountant is a key member of the finance team and reports to and works closely with the Accounting Manager to ensure compliance with GAAP and perform a variety of activities associated with the New York Historical’s financial accounting and reporting, internal controls and policies. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical skills, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

• Record Cash Receipts for incoming deposits of cash, checks, wire transfers and EFT’s;
• Perform monthly revenue reconciliation and accounting entries for various areas including Admissions, Public Programs, Education, and other revenue recognition schedules on a monthly basis;
• Prepare monthly JE’s for revenue activity for PayPal and R&R in-house activity;
• Perform quarterly petty cash reconciliations, ensuring transactions are accurately recorded and supported;
• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for multiple accounts; follow up to resolve all outstanding items;
• Record internal bank transfers, bank interest, and other activity;
• Download and archive bank documents; ensure records are complete and properly stored;
• Communicate wire payment information to internal departments;
• Manage the accounts receivable schedule; follow up with departments on outstanding payments;
• Reconcile all appropriate balance sheet/revenue accounts in preparation for month-end and year-end closing;
• Prepare journal entries; adjusting and recurring entries as needed;
• Act as an initial Accounts Payable back-up as needed;
• Run general ledger reports for departmental distribution and reports related to grant and other donor agreements for reporting and reimbursement purposes;
• Assist Accounting Manager and Controller with ongoing projects, update processes and new system implementations;
• Assist with year-end audit fieldwork, annual financial statements and audit supplemental materials;
• Assist with other projects and related duties as requested.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance;
• 1-3 years of accounting experience, working in a not-for-profit environment preferred;
• Solid understanding of traditional (debit and credit) bookkeeping systems and GAAP;
• Strong knowledge of Excel and Word;
• Excellent written and communication skills;
• Ability to recognize problems and develop solutions;
• Self-motivated with a strong work ethic;
• Strong time management and multitasking skills; can handle multiple responsibilities and projects with competing priorities and deadlines;
• Knowledge of Blackbaud Financial Edge, Tessitura, or similar platform is desired.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee with or without accommodation, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

This is largely a sedentary role using a computer; however, some filing is required. This would require the ability to lift files, open filing cabinets, and bend or stoop as necessary.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The expected salary for this position is $70,000 per year.

The New York Historical provides a generous benefits package for eligible employees to support their health and wellbeing, which includes:

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick and personal days, and holidays observed by the Museum;
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance;
• Short and long-term disability coverage options;
• 403(b) retirement plan with eligibility for employer contributions following one year of full-time service;
• Flexible spending accounts for health-related expenses, dependent care, and parking and transit expenses;
• Employee Assistance Program for all employees and their families;
• 20% discount at the NYHistory Store, Café Clara and Clara restaurant, located within the Museum;
• Free admission to various museums and cultural institutions across the city.

The New York Historical is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Employment related decisions are made without discrimination based on any factor protected by law.

Applicants who are unable or limited in their ability to use our online application system may contact us at [e-mail] for assistance with requesting a reasonable accommodation.