Senior Accountant

Species360 • Minneapolis, MN

14d • $75,000 - $85,000

About The Position

Species360 is seeking a Senior Accountant to own the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of its accounting records and financial close. Reporting to the Director of Finance and Administration, the Senior Accountant prepares financial statements, manages payroll and benefits, administers the annual budget and forecast cycle, and leads annual audit preparation. The role also reviews transactional accounting work and independently resolves accounting questions, including researching and recommending treatment for non-routine transactions.

The position owns month-end and year-end close, general ledger maintenance, reconciliations, budget and forecast administration, financial reporting and analysis, technical accounting, audit preparation, accounts receivable and member billing, internal control review, and support and coaching for the Accounting Associate. The role works directly with department leaders and members to produce useful financial information, resolve billing and accounting issues, and support organizational decision-making.

Species360 is a nonprofit serving zoos, aquariums, and wildlife facilities. Its Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) is used by more than 38,000 individuals and serves over 1,200 facilities in over 100 countries. The organization describes its culture as casual, personable, respectful, and fun, with an emphasis on open communication, partnership, transparency, and peer recognition.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.
• Five or more years of progressive accounting experience, including ownership of a full month-end close.
• Demonstrated ability to research accounting questions independently and reach a defensible conclusion.
• Experience with budget cycle administration and multi-department coordination.
• Proficiency with cloud accounting systems and advanced spreadsheet skills.
• Ability to work with minimal direction, establish priorities independently, and manage competing deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• CPA license, or active CPA candidacy with eligibility.
• Nonprofit accounting experience, including restricted contributions and grant reporting.
• Experience with QuickBooks Online, Budgyt, or comparable FP&A software.
• Experience supporting an external financial statement audit.

Responsibilities

• Own month-end and year-end close, completing it accurately and according to the published schedule.
• Maintain the general ledger and record business activity in accordance with GAAP and organizational policy.
• Perform balance sheet account reconciliations and investigate and resolve reconciling items through clearance.
• Reconcile bank accounts and resolve variances.
• Recommend and implement approved improvements to close procedures.
• Administer the annual budget cycle in Budgyt, including system setup, actuals loads, version control, and template maintenance.
• Coordinate with department leaders to collect, review, and load budget inputs, and independently follow up on outstanding submissions.
• Maintain the rolling forecast, including monthly actuals refreshes and reforecast mechanics.
• Review departmental submissions for reasonableness and internal consistency, questioning variances with departments before escalation.
• Produce budget-versus-actual reporting and variance analysis with written commentary identifying drivers.
• Prepare budget and forecast review materials for the Director of Finance and Administration and leadership review cycles.
• Serve as the functional administrator for Budgyt, including user access, structure changes, and general ledger integration.
• Prepare accurate and timely internal and external financial statements in accordance with reporting calendars.
• Analyze financial results for accuracy, completeness, and conformance to standards; investigate and resolve discrepancies and escalate matters requiring policy decisions or material judgment.
• Provide written analysis of trends, drivers, and results.
• Track project, program, and grant budgets; identify issues, coordinate resolution across departments, and report resolution status.
• Prepare grantor and funder financial reporting in accordance with award terms.
• Partner with department leaders to make financial reporting accurate, understandable, and useful for decision-making.
• Research and recommend accounting treatment for non-routine and new transactions, including revenue recognition, software capitalization, and lease and contract matters.
• Manage audit preparation, including the prepared-by-client request list, advance preparation of supporting schedules, and tracking outstanding items to completion.
• Maintain accounting policy and procedure documentation and recommend updates as practices or guidance change.
• Support preparation of Form 990 and related regulatory filings.
• Own the accounts receivable cycle from invoice generation through collection and account resolution.
• Oversee automated member invoicing from the CRM through the general ledger, including batch review, exception handling, and investigation of synchronization failures.
• Verify billing against agreements, membership terms, and approved rates, and correct underlying CRM records when billing errors originate there.
• Act as the primary finance contact for member and customer billing and account balance questions, resolving disputes and discrepancies directly.
• Manage collections, including dunning schedules, escalations, payment arrangements, and coordination with membership and development staff on at-risk accounts.
• Perform allowance for doubtful accounts analysis and recommend write-offs for approval.
• Own monthly membership count reconciliation and investigate variances against source systems.
• Identify and resolve revenue recording discrepancies between the CRM and general ledger.
• Maintain and update accounts receivable and collections procedures.
• Review accounts payable transactions entered by the Accounting Associate.
• Review the payroll register each cycle before submission and confirm changes against approved documentation.
• Review vendor and employee master file additions and changes for legitimacy and proper authorization.
• Identify internal control weaknesses and recommend remediation.
• Provide informed backup for critical transactional processes during absences.
• Provide technical guidance and coaching to the Accounting Associate.

Benefits

• Paid Time Off combining holidays and vacation; accrual begins at five weeks per year.
• 10 paid sick days.
• Eight weeks of paid parenting leave.
• Medical insurance.
• Dental insurance.
• Life insurance.
• Vision insurance.
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• HSA plan with employer contributions.
• 401(k) plan available immediately at hire, with an employer contribution.
• One-time home office setup stipend for equipment and supplies.
• Required technology and computer provided.
• Monthly technology stipend.
• Casual, personable, respectful, and fun work environment.
• Open communication culture, monthly all-team meetings, annual team retreat, and peer recognition and celebration.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior