Lead Accountant

Reports To: Asset Finance Manager

Department: Finance and Accounting

Location: Oakland, CA

Schedule: Monday through Friday

Travel: Local travel may be required

Salary: $78,000-$88,000 DOE

Employee Status: Regular, Full-Time, Exempt

Union: N/A

Supervises: N/A

Benefits:

Two weeks of paid vacation a year, sick time, 14 holidays, up to five floating holidays based on employee status, medical and dental benefits on the first of the month following 30 days of employment, life insurance policy at no cost to employee (with the option of increasing policy amount), flexible spending account for medical and dependent care costs, commuter benefits, 403(b) with employer match, and other benefits. We foster a joyful workplace and offer opportunities for professional development and growth.

Agency Summary

The Unity Council is a non-profit Social Equity Development Corporation with a 60-year history in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland. Our mission is to promote social equity and improve quality of life by building vibrant communities where everyone can work, learn, and thrive.

Our programs aim to provide the community with the tools, knowledge, and resources to transform their lives and ultimately achieve their long-term educational, career, and financial goals. These holistic programs and services reach more than 11,000 individuals and families annually in five languages. Programs include: early childhood education, youth mentorship and leadership development, employment services, career readiness training, housing and financial stability, senior citizen services, affordable housing and neighborhood development, and arts and cultural events. Our work expands beyond the Fruitvale district and now reaches across Oakland and into Concord. The Unity Council employs a diverse workforce of more than 350 people who reflect the linguistic, cultural, and ethnic identity of the communities we serve.

Position Summary

Lead Accountant positions report to either a Senior Accountant, Accountant Manager/Budget Manager, Controller, or Chief Financial Officer. The position performs assignments and duties with minimal supervisor and direction and is required to demonstrate expertise in major phases of accounting functions at the department/program-wide level and highly complex fiscal, cost accounting, billings/invoicing and revenue recovery reconciliation and associated banking and accounting transactions, financial/bank account management and reporting, and ERP financial systems analysis and reconciliation duties. Also, the Lead Accountant prepares, maintains and balances financial statements and associated reports, schedules, and exhibits; develops and maintains analyses and projections of assigned funds, fund balances, revenues and expenditures, budget to actual; and identifies methods to align financial records and data across multiple financial systems to develop technical reports on estimates, cost allocation, and budgetary modifications. In addition, the Lead Accountant reviews the work product of Staff Accountants and provides constructive recommendations to resolve errors, omissions, or deviations for standards.

Responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Plan and lead a major accounting area of responsibility.
• Establish and maintain accounting systems, internal standards and controls for revenue and expenditure accounts.
• Develop and maintain cost accounting and cost allocation formularies and methods.
• Prepare periodic and special financial reports and analyses of assigned grants, programs, and departments;
• Coordinate the preparation of a segment of budgets, and make necessary computations to ensure that individual budgets are correct;
• Prepare revenue and expenditure forecasts;
• Administer the organization’s legal responsibility in relation to fiscal matters;
• Review and approve documents authorizing financial transactions, assure the availability of funds, and encumber funds;
• Coordinate or prepare federal, state, counties, cities, and grantors expense claims, revenue and recovery billings, financial reports, and maintain accurate records, documentation, and reports as required.
• Advise management as to the financial status of assigned areas of responsibility and provide financial and budget reports.
• Reviews and reconciles computer-generated financial reports and makes required adjustments.
• Develop accounting procedures for departmental functions.
• Coordinate accounting and financial reports with auditors, funders, and vendors.
• Review and correct the work of Staff Accountants and provide instruction and guidance.
• Analyze and evaluate changes in regulatory requirements, funders terms and conditions, and The Unity Council and Board of Directors’ policies, resolutions, and Finance procedures and recommend an effective course of action;
• Serve as liaison with other departments and external funders, government agencies, auditors, and vendors in matters related to finance/accounting, auditing, and budgeting.
• Analyze financial reporting requirements, gather, compile, prepare and verify a variety of complex accounting and narrative statements and reports requiring extensive analysis and interpretation of data.
• Review and analyze accounting records and fiscal activities to ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting/program/legal requirements/internal controls, and identify issues, trends, and patterns; and advise management on accounting, budgetary, and internal control standards and procedures and requirements.
• Establish and maintain general and subsidiary accounts and related ledgers, including revenue and disbursement, and reconcile various accounting reports to the general ledger and financial system of record to banking/financial institutions’ ledgers.
• Review financial documents such as payroll expenditures, vendor payments, vouchers, purchase orders, and invoices and ensure accurate and timely completion of accounting transactions and reconciliation.
• Make verbal presentations and conduct training on accounting policies and procedures;
• Explain implications of complex accounting matters to non-financial managers and decision makers;
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• The knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform this function are acquired through possession of a bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, Economics, Auditing or a closely related field; and three (3) years of professional experience performing full scope accounting or auditing work.
• Possession of a master's degree in accounting, master's degree in business administration with emphasis in accounting, or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license, may substitute for one (1) year of experience; or
• Possession of successful completion of sixty (60) semester units or ninety (90) quarter units of college, of which twenty (20) semester units or twenty-seven (27) quarter units must be in accounting and/or auditing; and four (4) years of professional experience in accounting or auditing work at the Staff Accountant level.
• Theory, principles and best practices of accounting and auditing along with their application to nonprofit and governmental accounting and budgeting.
• Conduct legislative, regulatory, and policies governing the accounting, budgeting, and financial operations of nonprofits or governmental organizations including FASB’s Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements, Interpretations, and Technical Bulletins; and interpret and apply relevant principles, laws, rules, regulations and procedures.
• Concepts, systems and terminology of accounting and automated accounting and budgeting systems, software and spreadsheet applications.
• Office management practices and procedures, including recordkeeping systems.
• Principles and practices of serving as lead accountant for a major area of responsibility.
• Management/supervisory experience with verifiable experience serving as supervisor/manager.
• Plan, direct and evaluate the activities of assigned accounting functions and staff.
• Review and correct the work of Staff Accounts and/or Lead Accountants.
• Research, audit, analyze, and evaluate complex financial and statistical data and prepare financial statements, management financial reports, narrative reports and presentations.
• Strong analytical skills to research concepts and methodologies to identify, analyze and evaluate complex problems and propose solutions.
• Prepare, maintain and reconcile a variety of complex accounting, banking, and financial records, documents and reports and develop financial feasibility and cost allocation models.
• Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with co-workers, subordinates, management, Board and Committee members, vendors/service providers, and the public and others contacted in the course of work.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Exercise prudent independent judgment.
• Use various computer applications and software in support of accounting activities.
• Other assigned duties.

Essential Functions

Physical position requirements; machines and/or equipment used:

• Regularly required to operate standard office equipment (personal computer, photocopier, calculator, fax machine, etc.);
• Ability to work on a computer for up to 8 hours per day;
• Regularly required to sit for long periods of time, with periodic breaks;
• Regularly required to use hands to operate computer and other office equipment;
• Occasionally you may be required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and carry or lift files and/or one or two reams of copy paper.

Pre-Employment Requirements

This description is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities or requirements for the position. This position may change or assume additional duties at any time.

Please submit your cover letter and resume.

The Unity Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.