Staff Accountant

The Opportunity: 

The Staff Accountant will ensure accuracy, completeness, and timeliness in processing and reporting financial information to internal and external customers. The staff accountant will assist in all month-end close activities, payroll accounting, grant reporting, accurate and reliable financial statements, annual audit preparation, and special projects as needed.

Essential Job Tasks:

• Perform, review, and analyze a broad range of complex accounting and fiscal activities to ensure compliance with organizational policies and appropriate accounting treatment
• Maintain strong accounts payable processes, ensuring timely and accurate processing of payments
• Records payroll and benefits-related journal entries in a timely and accurate manner
• Prepare and reconcile client and vendor invoices
• Perform month-end journal entries, account reconciliations, and accruals as needed
• Support the annual independent audit, single-audit, and Form 990, by preparing schedules and reviewing working papers
• Develop and produce various reports to meet internal and external needs, ensuring accuracy and compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• Prepare monthly financial reports for the Board, including footnotes to explain variances
• Assists with budget development, cash flow forecasting, and analyses
• Support grant reporting, administration, and compliance
• Maintain a constant state of audit readiness through clean and accurate code, tagging, and reporting

Minimum Job Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Business Administration
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant accounting experience
• Minimum of 3 years of nonprofit accounting experience in an educational setting (strongly preferred
• Experience with federal grant accounting
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Experience with QuickBooks (strongly preferred)
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects and shift priorities effectively
• Ability to maintain confidentiality as required and appropriate
• Access to and ability to work from a home office

Core Competencies:

• Excellent research skills
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent financial reporting skills
• Ability to budget and forecast

The Network:

 PLA is a transformative education nonprofit that is changing communities across the country by providing a depth of resources not found in the traditional education model.  In addition to serving as one of the country’s best turnaround school operators and successfully launching charter school start-ups, PLA also provides our school communities with a successful, research-based summer learning program (Summer Advantage), a successful Reading and Math Intervention program (Reading and Math Advantage), and a workforce development program (PLA University) that provides expanded opportunities for our high school graduates, along with the family members of our current staff and students. This menu of programs and services is unique to our network, sets us apart from other organizations, and provides expanded opportunities for our staff through career advancement opportunities and expanded income opportunities.  

Compensation and benefits:

PLA School Leaders receive a base salary that is competitively aligned to the market. In addition to a base salary, PLA School Leaders receive: 

• Competitive Compensation
• Benefits – Healthcare, vision, and dental insurance
• Monthly professional development opportunities, including participation in our annual Leader Institute
• Opportunities to collaborate and brainstorm with other School Leaders in the network
• Incentive and bonus opportunities

PLA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.  We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristics as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

Please read carefully.

Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

By completing this application you understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for PLA to hire me. If hired, I understand that either PLA or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of PLA has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary.

You attest by applying to this position that you have given PLA true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. I authorize PLA to contact references provided for employment reference checks. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.