Accountant

Job DetailsJob Location: HACM - Milwaukee, WI 53202 

Accountant

Department: Finance and Accounting
Reports to: Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, or Controller
FLSA Status: Exempt
Supervises: None

Position Summary

The Accountant performs professional accounting work supporting the organization’s financial operations, including general ledger maintenance, account reconciliations, accounts payable and receivable support, grant and program accounting, and monthly financial reporting. The Accountant ensures transactions are accurately recorded, adequately supported, and completed in accordance with accounting policies, funding requirements, and internal controls.

This position is appropriate for an early-to-mid-career accountant with experience in a nonprofit, governmental, social-service, healthcare, educational, real-estate, or similar mission-driven organization. Experience with affordable housing or HUD programs is helpful but not required.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

General Accounting

Prepare and post journal entries for assigned accounts, programs, properties, or funds.
Maintain accurate general-ledger records and supporting documentation.
Perform monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, cash, receivables, payables, prepaid expenses, accruals, fixed assets, and other assigned balance-sheet accounts.
Research and resolve discrepancies, reconciling items, coding questions, and unusual transactions.
Review transactions for proper account coding, funding source, program, cost center, and supporting documentation.
Assist with monthly, quarterly, and year-end closing activities.

Accounts Payable, Receivable, and Cash Support

Review invoices, payment requests, and supporting documentation for completeness, appropriate approvals, and proper coding.
Assist with vendor-account reconciliation, payment research, and resolution of invoice discrepancies.
Prepare or assist with deposits, cash receipts, accounts-receivable reconciliations, and aging reports.
Support the reconciliation of tenant, program, grant, vendor, and intercompany balances, as assigned.
Assist with fixed-asset additions, disposals, depreciation schedules, and inventory-related accounting.

Grants, Programs, and Financial Reporting

Assist with accounting for grants, restricted funds, contracts, and program activity.
Support the preparation of grant reimbursement requests, financial reports, and schedules.
Monitor assigned revenues and expenses against budgets and funding restrictions.
Prepare recurring financial reports, account analyses, and variance explanations for review by senior accounting staff.
Assist with public housing, Capital Fund, rental-property, development, or other program accounting as assigned.
Work with program and operational staff to obtain timely documentation and resolve financial-reporting issues.

Audit, Compliance, and Internal Controls

Prepare account reconciliations, schedules, invoices, contracts, and other workpapers for the annual audit and compliance reviews.
Maintain organized electronic files and documentation sufficient to support supervisory review and audit testing.
Follow established internal-control procedures related to cash, disbursements, revenues, payroll, grants, and financial reporting.
Identify errors, control concerns, and process-improvement opportunities and bring them to the attention of the supervisor.
Assist with implementation of accounting policies, procedures, and system improvements.

Other Responsibilities

Provide responsive customer service to internal departments, vendors, funders, and other stakeholders.
Participate in training and professional development related to accounting, grants, systems, and housing programs.
Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.

QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
Two years of professional accounting experience; relevant internship, public accounting, bookkeeping, or nonprofit-finance experience may be considered.
Knowledge of basic accounting principles, account reconciliations, journal entries, and financial-reporting processes.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and accounting software.
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to meet deadlines.
Ability to communicate effectively with finance and non-finance staff.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in nonprofit, governmental, social-service, healthcare, educational, property-management, or real-estate accounting.
Experience with Yardi software.
Experience with grant, fund, or restricted-fund accounting.
Experience with accounts payable, bank reconciliations, audit support, or month-end close.
Familiarity with affordable-housing, HUD, public-housing, or property-management operations.
Progress toward CPA certification or other relevant accounting credential.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ability to apply accounting principles to routine transactions and identify issues requiring supervisory review.
Ability to analyze financial data, organize documentation, and maintain accurate records.
Ability to handle confidential employee, resident, vendor, and financial information with discretion.
Ability to work independently on recurring assignments while collaborating effectively with a team.
Commitment to the organization’s mission and to providing accurate, timely financial support to its programs and residents.