Department: Financial Services
Reports to: Controller
Position Type: Full-time
Position FLSA Status: Salaried Exempt
Virtual/Remote or In-Office: Hybrid, 3 days in office
This position offers an excellent growth opportunity for an early-career accounting professional to gain valuable experience in the nonprofit sector. Working closely with experienced CPAs, the successful candidate will receive hands-on training and exposure to accounting, financial reporting, audit preparation, internal controls, and financial operations, with opportunities to expand their skills and take on increasing responsibility. Candidates pursuing CPA licensure are encouraged to apply.
The Junior Accountant will report directly to the Controller within the Finance Department, supporting accounts payable, cash receipts, reconciliations, month-end close, financial analysis, and reporting processes. This role is ideal for a highly analytical, a technology-oriented accounting professional with advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency and enjoys improving how financial information is organized, analyzed, and presented.
The successful candidate will be a self-starter who looks beyond existing processes, identifies more efficient ways to complete recurring work, and takes ownership of producing accurate, well-supported schedules and analyses. Strong skills in variance analysis, reconciliations, accuracy, and attention to detail are essential.
Responsibilities:
Accounting Operations and Reporting
- Support month-end close activities, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and completion of close checklists.
- Process accounts payable transactions, including invoice entry, payments, and vendor record maintenance.
- Support cash management activities, including processing cash receipts, completing remote check and bank deposits, and performing monthly donation box and petty cash counts.
- Analyze general ledger accounts, investigate unexpected balances or activity, and prepare clear supporting documentation.
- Prepare and optimize year-end audit schedules and workpapers as necessary, ensuring amounts reconcile to the general ledger.
- Work closely with the Chief of Financial Services and CEO on special projects and ad hoc financial analyses, including reconciliations, variance analyses, and Excel-based schedules.
Excel, Financial Analysis, and Process Improvement
- Develop, maintain, and optimize Excel-based accounting schedules, reconciliations, tracking files, and management reports.
- Review existing workpapers for accuracy, usability, consistency, and opportunities for automation or simplification.
- Perform variance analysis, investigate unusual activity and clearly document conclusions.
- Design checks and controls within Excel files to identify errors, omissions, and data-quality issues.
- Organize and analyze large data sets and convert accounting information into clear, decision-useful reports.
- Standardize templates, formulas, schedules, and supporting documentation to improve efficiency and audit readiness.
- Recommend practical improvements to recurring accounting and reporting workflows.
- Assist with system implementations, data testing, report development, and process documentation.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance required.
- Strong understanding of fundamental accounting principles, including debits, credits, journal entries, and general ledger activity.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel proficiency, including experience building, improving, and automating accounting schedules and recurring processes using SUMIFS, XLOOKUP, pivot tables, data validation, conditional formatting, and formula auditing.
- Strong analytical judgment and the ability to identify discrepancies, assess reasonableness, and investigate root causes.
- Demonstrates exceptional accuracy, attention to detail, follow-through, and ownership of assigned work.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with staff and leadership at all levels.
- High level of professionalism, discretion, confidentiality, and sound judgment.
Experience
- Minimum 1–3 years of accounting, finance, or related experience
- Hands-on experience with accounting software; Blackbaud Financial Edge experience is preferred.
- Experience maintaining accounting records and efficient workflows in a hybrid or remote environment.
Candidate Screening
Candidates should be prepared to discuss examples of Excel schedules or accounting processes they have built, improved, automated, or reorganized. The interview process may include a practical Excel and accounting exercise focused on reconciliations, variance analysis, accuracy, and problem-solving.
What We Offer
Hybrid work schedule; medical, dental, and vision coverage; FSA benefits; 403(b); life insurance; AD&D insurance; long-term disability insurance; generous paid time off; and an extensive paid holiday schedule that reflects a broad range of religious and cultural observances.
The Center for Jewish History is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Which Excel functions or tools do you use most frequently in your accounting work, and why?
Education:
Ability to Commute:
- New York, NY 10011 (Required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in New York, NY 10011
