Conservation Project Accounting Lead

Conservation Project Accounting Lead

Memphis, TN

The Conservation Project Accounting Lead is a newly created role within the NHQ Conservation Department Administration, reporting to the Director of National Conservation Systems. Most of the work described in this position represents new department-level financial coordination, reporting, and review capacity for Conservation rather than a reassignment of existing regional accounting duties. The role is responsible for coordinating department-level period-end close activities, ensuring the accuracy and consistency of Conservation project accounting records, and supporting Finance and Accounting-led audit and compliance processes through standardized preparation and review.

This role will work closely with NHQ Accounting and Finance, as well as regional accounting staff, to implement consistent procedures for reconciling and reviewing Conservation sub-ledgers related to:

• Project expenditures and revenue
• Deferred and on-account revenue
• Department-level accounts receivable
• Habitat project work-in-progress and revenue accruals
• Land and Habitat Revolving Fund activity

This role will coordinate, maintain, and review Conservation-specific schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation used by Finance to prepare the SEFA, Indirect Rate proposal, hourly billing rates, and department-level financial reporting for management. Habitat Revolving Fund work is currently handled by existing staff as an additional duty; this responsibility would transition to this position over time as priorities are established and progress on the other key responsibilities becomes clear.

While this position will require coordination with multiple staff throughout the organization, this is an individual contributor role with no direct supervisory responsibility.

The Conservation Department includes more than 450 staff, manages over 2,000 projects and 1,200 funding agreements, and accounts for nearly $300 million annually in direct project and operating expenditures. This role provides scalable financial operations discipline aligned with the department's size, complexity, and federal compliance profile.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Department-Level Close Coordination and Reconciliation

• Develop and implement standardized monthly and annual department-level close coordination processes for Conservation, in partnership with NHQ Accounting.
• Perform department-level review, reclassification, and reconciliation of project revenue to ensure consistent application of revenue recognition practices across regions prior to enterprise close.
• Coordinate and reconcile Conservation Department accounts receivable, including project invoicing, on-account receivables, aging analysis, and alignment with recognized revenue.
• Review and reconcile Conservation sub-ledgers prior to enterprise close, including ILF mitigation program accounts and related bank account reconciliations, such as:
  • Project expenditures
  • Project revenue and deferred revenue activity
  • Land and Habitat Revolving Fund financial transactions
• Prepare Conservation project work-in-progress and revenue accrual support schedules each month, based on approved project cost and progress data, for review and posting by NHQ Accounting.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies across regions and systems prior to escalation to Finance, reducing rework during enterprise close.
• Serve as the primary Conservation point of contact for close-related coordination with NHQ Accounting and Finance.

2. Grant Compliance Support

• Coordinate and validate Conservation Department inputs supporting NHQ Finance SEFA preparation, including project-level reconciliations, funding attribution review, and supporting schedules.
• Ensure Conservation project accounting records are maintained in a manner consistent with federal grant and audit requirements.
• Support Finance during audits and monitoring reviews by providing Conservation-specific documentation, schedules, and explanations.

3. Billing Rates and Cost Recovery Support

• Maintain auditable project cost, labor, and allocation support schedules used by NHQ Finance in annual hourly and indirect rate calculations.
• Coordinate with regional teams to ensure consistent labor charging, project attribution, and coding practices.
• Serve as the Conservation liaison to Finance during rate development, review, and audit inquiries.

4. Habitat Revolving Fund and Land Activity Oversight

• Maintain department-level financial tracking for DU's Habitat Revolving Fund activities, including allocation of interest expense to the portfolio.
• Coordinate reconciliation of land acquisitions, dispositions, carrying costs, and related revenues with NHQ Accounting.
• Ensure that land and Habitat Fund financial activity is consistently reflected in Conservation sub-ledgers supporting enterprise financial statements.

5. Process Standardization and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and document standard Conservation financial operations procedures in coordination with NHQ Accounting and regional…