Vice President, Accounting

Environmental Defense Fund, Inc.; New York (NY); On-site; USD 248,000 - 268,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. is seeking a Vice President of Accounting responsible for overseeing financial operations, ensuring compliance with regulations, and providing strategic financial leadership. The role requires strong accounting abilities, leadership skills, and a deep understanding of internal controls.

Qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree and CPA certification, plus over 15 years of experience in accounting, including nonprofit settings. The position offers a salary range of $248,000 - $268,000 with a range of benefits.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive accounting experience, including 5 years in public accounting.
• Experience in a large nonprofit with complex funding structures.
• Deep knowledge of US GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction over financial functions and reporting.
• Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations and oversee annual audits.

Skills

Strong accounting and reporting skills

Leadership ability

Excellent communication skills

Comprehensive analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field

CPA certification

MBA (preferred)

Tools

Nonprofit ERP Systems (e.g., NetSuite)

Audit software

Data analytics tools

Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)

Job description

Overall Function

The Vice President, Accounting (GL, Financial Reporting, Compliance and Treasury) is a senior finance leader responsible for the integrity, transparency and strategic oversight of the organization’s financial operations. This role ensures best in class accounting practices, regulatory compliance and treasury management while serving as a key advisor to executive leadership. This position fosters collaborative relationships across departments to align financial stewardship with mission impact and long‑term sustainability. This role requires strong accounting and reporting skills, leadership ability, excellent communication skills, and a deep understanding of internal controls and the ability to improve processes. The Vice President, Accounting reports to EVP & Chief Financial Officer and has three direct reports.

Key Responsibilities

• Financial Leadership & Oversight – Provide strategic direction over the general ledger, financial reporting, compliance and treasury functions; ensure the integrity, accuracy and timeliness of all financial information; serve as a key advisor to the CFO and executive team on financial risks and opportunities; lead and develop a high‑performing accounting and finance team; participate in advancing EDF’s organizational effectiveness and culture goals.
• General Ledger & Close Governance – Oversee and optimize the monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes; establish and enforce accounting policies in accordance with GAAP and nonprofit standards; ensure scalability and consistency of accounting operations across the organization; provide oversight on complex accounting issues and technical interpretations.
• Financial Reporting & Insights – Oversee preparation of internal and external financial reports, including board and committee materials; ensure clarity, accuracy and relevance of financial reporting for executive decision making; translate financial data into strategic recommendations.
• Compliance, Controls & Audit – Ensure full compliance with nonprofit regulations including Form 990, CGA, FBAR, and other filings; provide executive oversight of the annual audit as well as various agreed‑procedure audits; design enhanced internal control processes and maintain a robust internal control environment and risk management framework.
• Treasury & Financial Stewardship – Oversee cash flow strategy, liquidity planning and investment oversight; ensure effective management of banking relationships and financial institutions; establish policies for cash management, investments, reserves and financial risk mitigation.
• Process & Systems Transformation – Lead continuous improvement and transformation of finance processes; drive adoption and optimization of financial systems and reporting tools; champion automation, scalability and data‑driven decision‑making; establish best practices across finance functions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field required.
• CPA certification required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 5 years in public accounting and 5 years in a leadership role.
• Experience in a large nonprofit with complex funding structures required.
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting standards, Uniform Guidance and donor/grant compliance.
• Deep knowledge of US GAAP and strong knowledge of internal controls and regulatory requirements.
• Proven experience overseeing accounting function, reporting, treasury and audits.
• Experience with nonprofit ERP Systems (e.g., NetSuite, NetSuite Planning & Budgeting).
• Comprehensive analytical skills with strong attention to detail and ability to identify issues, analyze root causes and develop practical solutions.
• Experience working with executive leadership, audit and finance committees and Board of Trustees.
• Sense of urgency to drive timely decisions, meet deadlines and achieve goals in a complex environment.
• Proven time‑management skills and ability to juggle multiple responsibilities across various time zones.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated integrity, ethics, and professionalism in handling confidential information and sensitive situations.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high‑performing teams, fostering accountability, collaboration and continuous professional growth.
• Demonstrated self‑awareness, cultural competency and inclusiveness, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Strong proficiency in audit software, data analytics tools, and Microsoft Office suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 10% of the time domestically and internationally, as needed.

Compensation & Benefits

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. Pay range: 248,000 – 268,000USD. Benefits include health, dental, vision, retirement plan, paid time off and other standard benefits.