Sr. Associate, Accounting

The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is a small, collaborative team of experienced professionals committed to achieving equity for students historically underrepresented in higher education—students from low-income backgrounds, first-generation-to-college students, and/or students of color. Our fast-paced work environment supports a work-life balance that allows team members to use their talents to the fullest. As a national membership network, we are continually informed and inspired by organizations and systems across the country committed to breaking down barriers for students and supporting them in earning college degrees and building successful careers.

NCAN is a hybrid workplace with a centrally located office in Washington, D.C., requiring team members to be onsite two days per week—Mondays and Wednesdays.

The Sr. Associate, Accounting owns the day-to-day transactional accounting, database maintenance, and reconciliation work that keeps NCAN's financial operations accurate and current. This role blends early-career bookkeeping fundamentals with hands-on ownership of NCAN's core systems, including iMIS, BILL, and Quick Books Online, and serves as the operational backbone of the finance function.

• Notices when something looks off in the numbers before anyone points it out
• Feels real satisfaction in a clean reconciliation and a balanced ledger
• Moves comfortably between multiple systems and platforms without losing accuracy
• Flags a question or discrepancy right away rather than letting it sit
• Wants to build a strong foundation in nonprofit accounting and financial operations

• Process payables for approval and payment, including preparing and coding all vendor invoices, staff reimbursements, and reviewing credit-card transactions in NCAN’s accounts payable system (currently BILL) for approval.
• Create invoices in NCAN’s Association Management System (iMIS) and/or accounting system (currently Quick Books Online), including follow-up as needed with customers and/or NCAN staff
• Work with Programs Team to track membership renewals and generate invoices as needed
• Maintain accurate staff records in Paychex related to on/offboarding, salary and/or benefits adjustments on an as-needed basis
• Draft the payroll workbook for review and approval.

• Perform daily reconciliation of batching activity in iMIS, weekly check deposits and reconciliation, and monthly reconciliation of all benefits accounts and among QBO, iMIS and NCAN’s conference registration system (Cvent).
• Complete monthly bank account and lock box reconciliations
• Prepare and make required journal entries in QBO to maintain timeline and accurate records across NCAN’s information systems.
• Support month-end and year-end close, including drafting work papers for review by the Sr. Director.
• Prepare required year-end financial schedules and documents in preparation for the organization’s annual audit.

• Support accurate coding, tracking, and documentation of financial activity related to grants and other restricted funds, as directed by the Sr. Director.
• Provide timely accounting information required for grant reporting, reconciliations, and compliance.
• Support annual budget data entry and other routine financial reporting needs.

• Set up and maintain vendor and member accounts across BILL, Quick Books Online, and iMIS.
• Maintain accurate staff records in NCAN’s external FSA system.
• Help identify and resolve discrepancies or data inconsistencies across financial and operational systems
• Flag unusual transactions, discrepancies, or potential…