Staff Accountant
position announcement
Location: Remote (work from home in the United States).
Reports to: Director of Finance
About The Praxis Project: The Praxis Project (Praxis) is a values-driven, national nonprofit organization that seeks to improve health justice and equity through partnerships that build community power, improve cross-sector authentic collaboration and engagement, and increase support for base-building and power-building organizations. Praxis believes strongly that organized communities are critical partners in the struggle to create healthy communities. Praxis works with over 200 diverse grassroots groups across the United States that influence local policy, mobilize communities, and strengthen programs and organizations to improve health, justice, and racial equity. Praxis enables local efforts to build community power through training, technical assistance, capacity-building services, and comprehensive fiscal sponsorship. Our work is focused on partnerships that actively advance Praxis’s mission to build healthy communities by transforming the power relationships and structures that affect our lives. For more information, please visit www.thepraxisproject.org.
The work environment at The Praxis Project is faced-paced, creative, and fun, and our team is hardworking and highly passionate about our mission. We aim to define the new “best practices” of operational excellence for justice and equity and to be where people love to work. Join us!
Position Summary
The person in this role is committed to Praxis’ mission and values and those of our fiscally sponsored projects. This individual is detail oriented and is a trusted member of the Finance and Accounting team and will play a significant part in executing accounting tasks and projects so that our operations can run efficiently, allowing our partners to focus on eradicating the social justice issues within their communities.
This role is a full-time (40 hours per week) exempt position and is not eligible for overtime. This person will work a general schedule of 8:00 AM-4:00 PM, Monday through Friday PST/10:00 AM-6:00 PM CT or 11:00 AM-7:00 PM ET. This schedule may fluctuate, occasionally working more than 40 hours per week.
Although remote, in-state and out-of-state travel will be required for participation in team or organizational retreats and convenings. The salary range for this position is $80,000-$84,000 USD annually and will be based on experience and qualifications. Praxis provides regular cost-of-living pay changes and substantial employee benefits beyond salary, taking a holistic approach to setting compensation. Praxis works overwhelmingly with communities of color and constituent-led organizations. Candidates whose lived experiences reflect those of the partners we work with are strongly encouraged to apply.
Essential duties & responsibilities
Accounting and Finance
Support monthly, quarterly and annual close processes, including bank, investment, credit card account and balance sheet reconciliations.
Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements for Projects, FSPs and The Praxis Project.
Support Praxis projects with budgets and finance needs.
Support annual audit, 990 and budget preparation.
Review payable, receivable and deposit entries made by Accounting Associate/s and platform syncs.
Coordinate with Development team on grant management by providing financial documents and support as necessary annual audit, 990 and budget preparation.
Review payable, receivable and deposit entries made by Accounting Associate/s and platform syncs.
Coordinate with Development team on grant management by providing financial documents and support as necessary.
Prepare grant finance reports for proposals, interim and final reports as needed via attaching the appropriate documentation, logging into the foundation's platform and entering information.
Maintain restricted grant release schedule and entries.
Maintain grant expense and payroll allocations. Regularly meet with assigned Fiscally Sponsored Project/s.
Work with assigned FSP/s to create annual budget.
Prepare monthly financial statements for assigned FSP/s. Provide other financial information and support for assigned FSP/s as needed.
Monthly payroll reconciliation.
Review/approve payroll allocations prepared by Accounting Associate.
Contribute to the learning and development of Accounting Associate/s, supervise workflows as assigned, and cross-train and provide coverage as needed and instructed by the Director of Finance.
Post adjusting journal entries for monthly, quarterly, and annual account reconciliations. Review, investigate, and correct errors and inconsistencies in financial entries, documents, and reports.
Special Projects
Complete process documentation and participate in continuous process and procedure improvement.
Contribute to finance and accounting processes, policies, and manuals.
Take on ad hoc accounting and finance projects to ensure smooth workflows and enhance accounting expertise, during key time periods, including but not limited to end-of-year closing, onboarding, and offboarding fiscally sponsored projects, etc.
Stay abreast of up-to-date accounting changes; per the approval of the Director of Finance, attend and/or participate in relevant trainings to maximize learning and development opportunities
Staff Engagement & Accounting Administration
Communicate with appropriate FSP staff to share accounting updates and request information.
Participate in regular meetings with internal finance team members, accounting consultants, and FSP staff as needed.
Maintain an accurate and easy-to-read accounting filing system to store historical data and current data and accounting resources.
This is not a 100% comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities that may be assigned.
Required Qualifications: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
Minimum four years of progressively responsible accounting experience working with nonprofit organizations.
Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP) for nonprofit organizations and general accounting procedures and policies.
Knowledge of Sage Intacct or equivalent accounting software.
Strong proficiency using Excel for data tracking and reporting.
Degree in Accounting strongly preferred
Experience with grants management including foundations, government and corporate grants.
Experience and interest in working with diverse populations and communicating financial and accounting concepts to lay audiences.
Comfortable and capable of working with constant change and on multiple projects simultaneously.
Ability to work well with and to support multiple members of a team.
Strong oral and written communication skills and exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
Deep commitment to Praxis’ mission and approach.
Experience supporting accounting for comprehensive fiscal sponsorship or multi-entity structures.
Motivated self-starter and a quick learner with the ability to work independently and to collaborate with colleagues at all levels of the organization.
A high level of professionalism, customer service orientation, and scrupulous attention to
detail even during high pressure periods.
Superior organization and time management skills with ability to manage and prioritize own workload.
Experience implementing significant new accounting systems, policies, and procedures.
Constantly looking for ways to improve and streamline processes.
Mental and Physical Demands
Fast-paced work environment.
High level of concentration and attention to detail required.
Time speaking and listening: (range 50–70%).
Extended time sitting or standing, while at a computer.
Occasional travel (about one trip per quarter) including overnight travel may be required.
In-person team meetings and/or participation in local networking events may be expected approximately 1x per month.
Some exposure to hearing, seeing, or imagining traumatic events or social crises within the communities we serve.
Extensive interaction and communication with colleagues and strangers, in person and virtual
Praxis currently works remotely both as an internal team and with our partners based across the United States. Leading and participating in remote video and telephone conferences is required.
Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and insurance are required for employees driving
on Praxis business; driving record checks may be required as well.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Praxis Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religious creed, disability (mental and physical) including HIV, AIDS, and AIDS-related conditions, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, age, marital status, sexual orientation, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.
Work Authorization/Security Clearance Requirements
Praxis participates in I9 & E-Verify. You must be able to prove you are legally authorized to work in the United States. This role may require a background check.
Reasonable Accommodations
The Praxis Project will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified employees with disabilities unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on Praxis operations. Please submit reasonable accommodation requests to people@thepraxisproject.org.
Required Training
Praxis is committed to fostering a safe and welcoming work environment. All Praxis employees are required to complete training on preventing harassment and discrimination, managing bias, and creating an inclusive workplace on an at least annual basis. Ongoing finance and accounting-related training may be assigned for professional development purposes.
How to Apply
Please submit your application for the Director of Finance position at The Praxis Project using the Staff Accountant Application Form. Interviews will begin the week of May 15. The ideal start date is Monday, June 5, 2023.