Staff Accountant

Westside Justice Center•Chicago, IL

24d•Onsite

About The Position

The Westside Justice Center (WJC) is seeking a Staff Accountant to support its growing finance and accounting services team. Founded in 2015, WJC is a community-centered Legal Aid clinic dedicated to eradicating barriers to justice. As a Staff Accountant, you will be responsible for supporting the day-to-day financial operations of a small not-for-profit organization by maintaining accurate financial records, processing routine accounting transactions, and assisting with accounts payable, accounts receivable, reconciliations, and general bookkeeping activities. This role will also provide limited support for grant tracking and payment activities, with the primary responsibility for major grant tracking, reporting, and compliance remaining with the Senior Staff Accountant.

Requirements

A minimum of an associate’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field is required
Minimum of two years of professional accounting, bookkeeping, or finance experience required, preferably in a small business, nonprofit, or mission-driven environment
Demonstrated hands-on experience applying accounting principles, bookkeeping practices, and financial recordkeeping in a professional setting
Working experience with accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank and account reconciliations, journal entries, and general ledger activity
Intermediate proficiency with spreadsheets, including Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets; ability to organize data, review details, and prepare basic schedules or reconciliations
Hands-on experience using accounting software required
Strong attention to detail and ability to complete work accurately and efficiently
Ability to organize, prioritize, and follow through on routine accounting tasks in a small-office environment
Ability to communicate clearly and professionally, both in writing and verbally
Ability to apply established accounting procedures and internal controls with sound judgment, accuracy, and appropriate follow-through
Excellent interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills
Reliability, discretion, and professionalism in handling financial information
A willingness to learn, ask questions, and grow within a small finance team
Strong follow-through and the ability to manage recurring deadlines
Comfort working in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment with evolving priorities
A collaborative approach and ability to support colleagues across departments

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree preferred
QuickBooks experience strongly preferred
Three or more years of accounting or finance experience in a not-for-profit, community-based, government-funded, or mission-driven organization
Hands-on experience with grant accounting, restricted fund tracking, funder payment documentation, allocation support, and compliance-related recordkeeping
Experience supporting month-end and year-end close, audit preparation, financial reporting packages, and documentation requests from external funders or auditors
Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks or similar accounting software, including transaction entry, reconciliations, reporting, vendor records, and chart of accounts maintenance
Intermediate to advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills, including formulas, filters, pivot tables, reconciliations, schedules, and financial data review
Experience working in a small finance team where the role requires initiative, sound judgment, confidentiality, and the ability to manage multiple recurring accounting deadlines

Responsibilities

Maintain accurate, complete, and well-organized accounting records for day-to-day financial activity, ensuring transactions are recorded timely and in accordance with established procedures
Manage accounts payable processing, including reviewing invoices for accuracy and proper approval, coding expenses, entering bills, preparing payments, maintaining vendor records, and resolving routine discrepancies
Support accounts receivable functions by preparing invoices, recording payments, monitoring outstanding balances, following up on routine receivables, and maintaining accurate customer or funder records
Prepare and post recurring and routine journal entries, review transaction detail for accuracy, and support maintenance of the general ledger
Perform timely reconciliations of bank accounts, credit cards, vendor accounts, customer accounts, balance sheet accounts, and other assigned accounts; research and resolve variances as needed
Assist with month-end and year-end close by preparing schedules, reconciling assigned accounts, gathering supporting documentation, and identifying items requiring review or adjustment
Maintain organized accounting files, audit support, and historical financial records in accordance with internal procedures, documentation standards, and retention requirements
Prepare routine financial reports, account summaries, schedules, and transaction detail by collecting, reviewing, and organizing financial information for management review
Support grant-related payment tracking, restricted fund activity, and funder documentation in coordination with the Senior Staff Accountant and program staff
Assist with maintaining documentation for restricted funds, grant payments, allocations, and related transactions to support accurate records and compliance with funder requirements
Apply established internal controls, accounting policies, approval procedures, and not-for-profit financial practices consistently, escalating unusual items or exceptions when appropriate
Communicate professionally with staff, vendors, customers, funders, and other stakeholders to obtain information, resolve routine accounting questions, and support timely processing of financial activity
Perform other accounting, reporting, documentation, and administrative duties as assigned to support the finance function