Staff Accountant

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan • Detroit, MI

7d • $64,000 - $80,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Accountant is an integral member of the Finance team, responsible for supporting the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of the Community Foundation’s financial operations. Reporting to the Accounting Manager, the Staff Accountant is responsible for a broad range of monthly accounting activities, including fund level accounting, account reconciliations, financial reporting, and accounts payable activities. This position works with a degree of independence on a defined portfolio of accounting responsibilities, while collaborating closely with colleagues across the Finance team and with other departments. The Staff Accountant is expected to bring strong technical skills, sound judgment, and a commitment to accuracy to every aspect of their work. The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan was established in 1984 to ensure residents in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Monroe, Washtenaw, Livingston and St. Clair counties can thrive. As a permanent community endowment built by gifts from thousands of individuals and organizations, the Community Foundation supports a variety of activities benefiting economic opportunity, health equity, youth and education, arts and culture, and the environment and public spaces. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has grown to be among the top 35 community foundations in the country and has distributed more than $1.4 billion through roughly 91,000 grants to nonprofit organizations. The Community Foundation’s mission is to make southeast Michigan a desirable place to live, work and play for all residents, today and tomorrow. For more information, please visit www.cfsem.org.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field required.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional accounting experience; nonprofit or foundation accounting experience preferred.
• Experience with full-cycle accounting including general ledger, journal entries, account reconciliations, and month-end close.
• Proficiency in accounting and ERP systems; experience with nonprofit financial management platforms is a plus.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis tools.
• Working knowledge of GAAP as applied to nonprofit organizations, including ASC 958.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy and data integrity.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to research and resolve discrepancies independently.
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Collaborative, team-oriented approach with a willingness to support colleagues across the Finance department.
• Discretion and integrity in handling sensitive financial and donor information.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience supporting an external audit and/or preparing Form 990 schedules is a plus.
• Familiarity with grants management or CRM systems (e.g., Blackbaud, Salesforce) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and enter journal entries, both manually and by import, ensuring accurate and timely recording of financial transactions in accordance with GAAP.
• Support the monthly and year-end close processes, including preparation of account reconciliations and supporting schedules assigned by the Director of Financial Operations or Accounting Manager.
• Assist in the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and supporting schedules, including actual vs. budget reporting and account analyses.
• Route, code, and process vendor invoices accurately and on time, coordinating with department staff to ensure proper approval and budget alignment prior to entry into the financial system.
• Allocate org-wide expenses, including employee benefits, to departments and initiatives.
• Track and reconcile corporate credit card activity monthly, ensuring all cardholder receipts are collected, transactions are properly documented, and charges are coded and recorded in the accounting system.
• Support and collaborate with the Director of Financial Planning & Analysis on the annual budget, department reporting and preparing and entering journal entries.
• Support the annual audit process by preparing workpapers, schedules, and supporting documentation for assigned areas.
• Assist in the preparation of Forms 990 and 990-T and other regulatory filings, including relevant schedules.
• Prepare annual Forms 1099-MISC and 1099-R.
• Adhere to and help maintain the Foundation’s internal financial controls and accounting procedures.
• Support the Finance team’s transition to a new ERP system, including assistance with data migration, validation, and testing.
• Assist with the maintenance and documentation of accounting procedures and records retention, including electronic conversion of records.
• Respond to internal requests for financial information in a timely and professional manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the Finance team and the Foundation’s mission.

Benefits

• 20 days of vacation accrued monthly
• 5 personal days
• 11 holidays
• 9 sick days accrued monthly
• paid parental leave
• employer paid short/long - term disability
• pension retirement program after 1 year of service which contributes 10% of salary

What This Job Offers

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