Finance Manager

ZOOCEANARIUM GROUP LLC•Syracuse, NY

14d•$60,000 - $70,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Finance Manager is responsible for supporting the financial operations, reporting, controls, budget management, and revenue reconciliation of Harborview Aquarium. This position is responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, supporting accounting processes, assisting with budget tracking and forecasting, and providing timely financial information to leadership. The Finance Manager reports to the Executive Director for day-to-day operations and works closely with the zoOceanarium Group CFO regarding accounting policies, financial reporting, budgeting, internal controls, and corporate financial procedures. The position also collaborates with department managers, vendors, payment processors, and applicable County representatives to ensure financial activity is properly documented, approved, reported, and aligned with established policies and procedures.

Requirements

Three to five years of accounting, finance, bookkeeping, or financial management experience required.
Experience with budgeting, financial reporting, reconciliations, accounts payable, and general ledger accounting required.
Working knowledge of accounting principles, internal controls, cash handling, revenue reconciliation, and month-end close processes required.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint required.
Ability to analyze financial data, identify trends, explain variances, and communicate financial information clearly to non-financial managers.
Ability to review system reports, identify discrepancies, and work with vendors or internal teams to resolve financial reporting issues.
High attention to detail and accuracy.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with department managers, vendors, external accountants, payroll providers, payment processors, IT support providers, and leadership.
Creative problem-solver who thrives when presented with a challenge.
Ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
Ability to read, listen, and communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
Ability to access, review, and accurately input information using moderately complex computer systems.
Ability to work with spreadsheets, reports, financial systems, POS reports, and detailed documentation for extended periods of time.
Ability to maintain focus and accuracy while performing repetitive or detail-oriented tasks.
Ability to communicate effectively with vendors, department managers, external service providers, and leadership.
Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience in hospitality, attractions, nonprofit, government-funded operations, retail, food service, or public-facing operations preferred.
Experience working within departmental budgets and supporting managers with budget tracking preferred.
Experience with QuickBooks or similar accounting software preferred.
Experience with POS, ticketing, payroll, purchasing, payment processing, or inventory systems preferred.
Familiarity with PCI compliance, payment processing controls, or cardholder data handling procedures preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with Executive Director and zoOceanarium Group CFO to ensure proper setup and implementation of financial systems, accounting workflows, chart of accounts, department codes, reporting structures, procurement policies, and related financial procedures.
Assist with the development of the operating budget, departmental budgets, cash flow projections, and financial forecasts.
Coordinate with leadership and department managers to establish purchasing, invoice approval, expense coding, and budget tracking procedures.
Assist with vendor setup, W-9 collection, payment terms, resale certificates, insurance documentation, and contract tracking.
Support the implementation of accounting, purchasing, payroll, POS, ticketing, and revenue reporting systems.
Support the Executive Director and Operations Manager in the financial setup, testing, and validation of POS, ticketing, payment processing, and related revenue systems.
Review POS and ticketing system configuration to ensure revenue categories, tender types, tax settings, discounts, comps, refunds, memberships, gift cards, departments, and general ledger mapping are accurate.
Assist with testing admissions, retail, café, membership, online sales, refunds, cash payments, credit card payments, gift cards, daily closeout procedures prior to opening.
Assist in developing procedures for daily POS closeout, cash drawer reconciliation, refunds, voids, discounts, comps, chargebacks, and payment discrepancy resolution.
Assist with PCI compliance preparation by coordinating documentation, payment handling procedures, device tracking, staff training records, and applicable vendor compliance information.
Coordinate the development and documentation of procedures for cash handling, deposits, change orders, armored car service, safe counts, cash drawer reconciliation, refunds, comps, and financial closeout.
Maintain accurate financial records and ensure transactions are coded appropriately by department, project, account, and budget category.
Manage or support monthly close activities, including reconciliations, journal entries, accruals, financial review, and reporting.
Prepare monthly financial reports, budget-to-actual reports, variance explanations, and operating summaries for leadership review.
Track actual financial performance against approved budgets and notify leadership of significant variances, risks, or trends.
Work with department managers to monitor spending, understand budget availability, and support responsible financial decision-making.
Reconcile ticketing, POS, retail, café, memberships, gift cards, online sales, refunds, chargebacks, and payment processor deposits.
Review POS, ticketing, and payment system reports to ensure sales, taxes, discounts, comps, refunds, memberships, gift cards, and tender types are being reported accurately.
Reconcile POS, ticketing, and payment processor activity to bank deposits, daily closeout reports, cash counts, and accounting records.
Support PCI compliance activities, including documentation of payment handling procedures, payment device tracking, staff training records, vendor compliance documentation, and annual self-assessment support.
Reconcile daily sales reports to bank deposits, POS reports, ticketing reports, and cash handling documentation.
Monitor cash handling procedures, safe counts, cash drawers, change orders, armored car pickups, deposit preparation, and over/short reporting.
Process, review, and track vendor invoices to ensure they are properly approved, coded, supported, and consistent with purchase orders, contracts, or department approvals.
Track recurring invoices, contract renewals, payment terms, service agreements, and vendor obligations.
Serve as the primary day-to-day financial liaison with applicable County representatives, coordinating reimbursement requests, audit support, financial documentation, reporting requirements, contract administration, and compliance with County approval requirements and internal purchasing policies.
Prepare or coordinate sales tax reporting and ensure taxable and non-taxable revenue is categorized properly.
Coordinate with HR and department managers to review payroll reports, department coding, overtime, PTO, and labor cost variances.
Track labor costs against budget and assist with staffing cost analysis, seasonal labor planning, and overtime control.
Support retail inventory accounting, cost of goods tracking, shrink reporting, margin analysis, and inventory adjustments.
Support café cost tracking, vendor invoice review, food cost analysis, waste tracking, and margin reporting.
Maintain financial documentation for audits, County review, external accountants, insurance audits, management review, and other reporting needs.
Assist in the preparation of annual budgets, rolling forecasts, long-term financial planning, and updated operating assumptions. Provide financial analysis and recommendations to leadership; budget approval authority remains with the Executive Director and zoOceanarium Group CFO.
Help identify cost savings, process improvements, revenue risks, and opportunities to improve financial performance.
Maintain confidentiality of financial, payroll, vendor, employee, and business information.
Work closely with all internal departments to support accurate reporting, maintain appropriate segregation of financial duties and internal controls, safeguard Aquarium assets, and promote efficient aquarium operations.
Other duties as assigned