Accounts Payable & Accounting Specialist

Hope The Mission•North Hills, CA

About The Position

Hope the Mission is seeking an Accounts Payable & Accounting Specialist to support accurate, complete, and compliant processing of vendor payments, invoices, and reimbursements across an organization with numerous sites and funding sources. Reporting to the Director of Finance, Accounts Payable, the Specialist handles high-volume accounts payable administration and related accounting functions. Duties include processing invoices and payment batches, maintaining vendor records, coding expenditures to general ledger accounts and grants, assisting with close activities and reconciliations, and keeping documentation audit-ready. The role supports compliance with GAAP, organizational policies, procurement standards, and funder requirements. The position works Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It involves administrative and accounting tasks, with occasional interaction with individuals and families in crisis and the possibility of stressful or potentially hostile situations. The employee may periodically work outdoors, drive in and around Los Angeles County, and be near service or emotional support animals.

Requirements

Associate's degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration.
Minimum of 3 years of accounting or accounts payable experience.
Experience processing high-volume accounts payable transactions.
Knowledge of GAAP and internal accounting controls.
Experience with QuickBooks Online or comparable accounting software.
Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
Strong understanding of accounts payable best practices and procurement and purchasing workflows.
Ability to interpret contracts, invoices, and financial documentation.
Ability to process high-volume accounts payable transactions accurately and on deadline.
Ability to apply GAAP and organizational accounting policies to expense coding, documentation, and reporting.
Ability to perform three-way matching and verify expenditure compliance with grant and procurement requirements.
Ability to prepare payment batches, reconciliations, accounts payable schedules, and supporting audit documentation.
Ability to maintain organized, audit-ready electronic and physical accounting records.
Ability to identify and resolve invoice discrepancies, duplicate payments, and vendor issues efficiently.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines with strong attention to detail and accuracy.
Clear and professional written and verbal communication with vendors, staff, and finance leadership.
Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of financial information and vendor data.
Proficiency in QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Excel, and standard accounting and office technology.
Must pass pre-employment criminal background screening and drug and alcohol screening.
Must provide proof of legal authorization to work in the United States.
Must comply with organizational policies, including safety, confidentiality, and conduct standards.
Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree.
Nonprofit or grant-funded accounting experience.

Responsibilities

Process vendor invoices according to organizational policies and payment schedules.
Perform three-way matching of purchase orders, invoices, and receiving documentation.
Review invoices for completeness, approvals, and supporting documentation.
Monitor invoice aging and ensure timely payment of vendor obligations.
Prepare payment batches, including ACH, checks, and electronic payments.
Process employee reimbursement requests and verify compliance with procurement and travel policies.
Research and resolve invoice discrepancies, duplicate payments, and vendor inquiries.
Establish and maintain vendor master records, including W-9s and required vendor documentation.
Assist vendors with payment status and account inquiries.
Review and code invoices, credit card transactions, reimbursements, and other expenditures to appropriate general ledger accounts, departments, classes, and grants.
Verify expenditures are allowable, allocable, reasonable, and properly documented.
Assist with grant expense coding and funding compliance.
Monitor corporate credit card activity and reconcile supporting documentation.
Assist with month-end and year-end close activities.
Prepare accounts payable schedules and supporting documentation.
Assist with reconciliations of accounts payable-related accounts.
Prepare financial reports and analyses as requested.
Maintain organized accounting records to support financial reporting.
Maintain audit-ready accounting documentation and assist with annual financial audits and grant monitoring reviews.
Support preparation of IRS Form 1099 reporting.
Ensure compliance with GAAP, organizational accounting policies, procurement standards, and grant requirements.
Maintain organized electronic and physical accounting files and follow the record retention policy.
Support continuous process improvement initiatives within the Finance Department.
Perform other duties as assigned.