Senior Accountant

Landon School•Bethesda, MD

30d•Onsite

About The Position

Landon School is seeking a Senior Accountant to join its Business Office. Reporting to the Controller, the Accountant will play a key role in the School’s accounting operations, financial reporting, month-end and year-end close, reconciliations, audit preparation, and internal controls. This is not an entry-level accounting position. The successful candidate will bring meaningful accounting experience, a strong understanding of GAAP, and the ability to independently manage accounting responsibilities, identify and resolve issues, and improve processes. Experience in nonprofit, independent school, higher education, or another fund-accounting environment is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field with significant accounting coursework
A minimum of two years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP with demonstrated experience in general ledger accounting, reconciliations, journal entries, month-end close, financial reporting, and annual audits.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
Experience with accounting systems
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Excellent attention to detail with the ability to independently manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Strong communication skills
A high degree of integrity, discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.

Nice To Haves

Accounting experience within a nonprofit organization, independent school, college/university, or other fund-accounting environment.
Experience with nonprofit accounting, including donor restrictions, contributions, endowments, investments, fixed assets, capital projects, and Form 990 preparation.
Experience with Veracross or a similar accounting/ERP system
Experience working directly with external auditors.
CPA, CPA candidate, CMA, or another relevant professional accounting credential is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Support the Controller in maintaining the accuracy and integrity of the general ledger, including preparing journal entries, accruals, prepaid expenses, deferred revenue, allocations, and other accounting entries.
Perform monthly balance sheet and general ledger reconciliations, research and resolve discrepancies, and assist with monthly and annual close processes.
Prepare financial reports and supporting schedules and analyze account activity and budget-to-actual results to identify unusual transactions, trends, errors, and necessary adjustments.
Support accounting and reconciliation for restricted and unrestricted funds, contributions and pledges, endowment and investment activity, and releases of donor restrictions.
Maintain supporting schedules for restricted funds, endowments, capital projects, fixed assets, and other designated funds.
Work closely with Development and other departments to ensure financial activity is accurately reconciled and recorded in the general ledger.
Prepare and review bank, investment, and other significant balance sheet reconciliations and research and resolve outstanding items.
Maintain schedules for cash, investments, prepaid expenses, accrued liabilities, deferred revenue, fixed assets, and other balance sheet accounts.
Assist with recording investment activity, income, realized and unrealized gains and losses, fees, and other cash and investment activity.
Play a significant role in the annual financial statement audit, including preparing audit schedules, reconciliations, supporting documentation, and responses to auditor requests.
Assist the Controller with information required for Form 990 and other regulatory filings and help ensure compliance with GAAP and School accounting policies.
Support the implementation of recommendations resulting from audits and internal control reviews.
Work with the Controller and CFO to evaluate accounting procedures, strengthen internal controls, and identify opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, and accountability.
Help document accounting procedures, maintain appropriate segregation of duties, and support accounting system improvements and integrations.
Proactively identify accounting issues and work with the Controller to develop and implement solutions.
Collaborate with the Controller, CFO, Accounts Payable, Student Accounts, Development, Auxiliary Programs, and other departments to ensure transactions are recorded accurately and timely.
Provide accounting guidance to colleagues and serve as a resource on account coding, documentation, and appropriate accounting treatment.
Serve as a backup for critical accounting functions and participate in Business Office projects and initiatives as needed.