Senior Accountant

Position Description

The Senior Accountant is a key member of the Business Office responsible for maintaining the integrity of the School’s accounting records and supporting timely, accurate financial reporting. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Accountant performs complex general ledger accounting, month-end and year-end close activities, account reconciliations, fixed-asset accounting, cash and investment reconciliations, audit preparation, and financial analysis. The role also supports tuition and auxiliary-program accounting, restricted and donor-designated funds, payroll and benefits reconciliations, and departmental budget monitoring.

• Lead assigned components of the monthly, quarterly, and fiscal yearend close, including preparation and review of journal entries, accruals, deferrals, allocations, and supporting schedules.
• Maintain the general ledger and perform timely reconciliations of bank, investment, payroll, benefits, tuition, accounts receivable, accounts payable, debt, prepaid expense, fixed asset, and other balance sheet accounts.
• Prepare recurring and ad hoc financial statements, management reports, account analyses, and budgettoactual reports for the Controller, Chief Financial Officer, and department leaders.
• Investigate account variances, unusual transactions, and reconciling items; document findings and resolve discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain the fixed asset ledger, including capitalization, depreciation, disposals, constructioninprogress activity, and reconciliation to the general ledger.
• Support accounting for tuition, enrollment deposits, financial aid, auxiliary programs, summer programs, transportation, food service, athletics, fine arts, facility rentals, and other School activities.
• Ensure accurate accounting for gifts, grants, endowment activity, donor restrictions, board designated funds, and releases from restrictions in coordination with Advancement and the Controller.
• Reconcile payroll files, benefit deductions, employer contributions, retirement plan activity, and payrollrelated general ledger accounts in partnership with People Operations and Payroll.
• Assist with annual operating and capital budget development, forecasts, departmental budget monitoring, and preparation of variance explanations.
• Prepare audit schedules and supporting documentation; respond to auditor requests and assist with the annual financial statement audit, employee benefit plan audit, and other compliance reviews.
• Support preparation of IRS Form 990, 1099 reporting, sales and use tax filings, property tax or exemption documentation, and other required reports assigned.
• Monitor compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, nonprofit accounting standards, School policies, donor restrictions, and established internal controls.
• Recommend and implement improvements to accounting processes, documentation, workflows, and financial systems while maintaining appropriate segregation of duties.
• Provide professional, timely support to faculty, staff, families, vendors, auditors, and other stakeholders regarding financial questions within the scope of the role.
• Assist in training, guiding, or reviewing the work of accounting staff as assigned; serve as a resource on accounting procedures and systems.
• Maintain complete, organized, and confidential financial records in accordance with record retention requirements.
• Perform other duties and special projects assigned by the Controller or Chief Financial Officer.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field required.
• CPA, CPA candidate, CMA, or master’s degree in accounting or finance preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including significant general ledger, close, reconciliation, and financial reporting responsibilities.
• Experience in an independent school, higher education, nonprofit organization, or similarly complex organization preferred.
• Solid knowledge of U.S. GAAP; familiarity with nonprofit accounting, netasset classifications, donor restrictions, grants, and endowments strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting external audits and preparing complete, well organized audit schedules.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, lookup functions, formulas, data analysis, and financial schedules.
• Experience with accounting or enterprise resource planning systems; experience with tuition management, expense…