Senior Accountant, Finance Department

Brooklyn Defender Services•New York, NY

74d•$85,000 - $95,000•Onsite

About The Position

Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS) is a multi-disciplinary defense office dedicated to representing low-income New Yorkers in criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal matters. Our expertise is focused on the intersection of legal systems that disproportionately affect poor, Black, Latine, and immigrant communities. BDS serves thousands of individuals annually with diverse and complex legal needs, offering not only zealous legal defense but also a wide range of advocacy services through interdisciplinary teams of attorneys, social workers, and advocates, addressing issues such as housing, public benefits, education, and employment. As a public defense office, BDS fosters a collaborative environment where staff work across disciplines to provide high-quality legal services to the people we represent, their families, and communities in Brooklyn. The Finance unit plays a crucial role, managing financial and management accounting, preparing and submitting contract budgets and invoices, tracking revenue and expenses, ensuring funder fiscal policy compliance, and liaising with funding agencies. The Senior Accountant, under the direct supervision of the Assistant Controller, will support the Assistant Controller of Billing and Revenue in managing the day-to-day grant accounting operations. This role involves preparing grant budgets and modifications, recording monthly financial activity, monitoring grant revenues and expenses, ensuring compliance with contractual requirements, and providing financial reporting to stakeholders. The Senior Accountant will also contribute to audits and special projects.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field
Minimum of five (5) years of experience managing government and/or nonprofit grants.
Experience working with funding agencies such as MOCJ, DYCD, DSS, OCA-JCLS, DCJS, and HRA.
Strong knowledge of grant compliance, budgeting, and financial reporting.
Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Sage Intacct or similar accounting systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Prepare and submit accurate monthly and quarterly invoices to funding sources.
Record monthly grant revenue and indirect cost allocations in Sage Intacct.
Record cash receipts related to grant activity in Sage Intacct.
Prepare annual grant budgets and budget modifications in accordance with funder guidelines.
Record personnel reclassifications between funding sources, including maintaining detailed knowledge of organizational salary structures.
Monitor grant revenues, expenses, recoupments, and cash receipts to ensure accuracy and timeliness in recordings.
Review monthly expenses against approved budgets, identify variances, and communicate potential budget issues to the Assistant Controller of Billing and Revenue.
Prepare monthly expense-to-budget analyses and financial projections for grant programs.
Ensure compliance with grant agreements, contractual obligations, and applicable funding regulations.
Maintain accurate and complete financial records and supporting documentations for each assigned funding source.
Follow up on outstanding billing and grant payments as needed.
Assist with annual independent audits and ongoing grantor audits including but not limited to preparing audit schedules, account analyses, and supporting documentation.
Perform special projects and other related duties as assigned.