Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorado’s statewide nonprofit legal aid program, with thirteen offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas, including family law, public benefits, eviction defense, consumer protection, services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking, and many others.
CLS has strengthened lives, assisted families, and supported communities–one person at a time for over 90 years. We are committed to providing high-quality, free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive, transformational change in the lives of those we serve.
Reporting to the Director of Finance / Controller, the Senior Staff Accountant is an integral part of the accounting team of four. This role is responsible for the financial management and reporting of government grants (federal, state, local). This role collaborates with the Grants Manager and other senior leadership to provide budget and grant reporting. In addition, this role supports the accounting team in general ledger maintenance, reconciling accounts, preparing financial reports, payroll, and assisting with audits and budgeting processes.
The Senior Staff Accountant collaborates with CLS units and offices throughout the state to provide excellent financial services and works in tandem and coordination with Colorado Legal Services staff to write the next chapter to the organization’s nearly 100-year story of life-changing impact for low-income and vulnerable Coloradans.
• Government Grants and Service Contracts
o Working with the Controller and the Grants Manager, maintain a large portfolio of federal, state, and local grants and service contracts.
o Maintain compliance with federal grant management rules (OMB Uniform Guidance).
o Collaborate with Grants Manager and other senior leadership and management staff to prepare information for grant applications and reports, including budgets with staff salary allocations, direct program costs, and indirect costs.
o Review grant expenditures for compliance with restrictions.
o Prepare and manage grant-specific budgets, including communicating funds availability to senior leadership, managing/supervising attorneys, and other CLS staff.
o Maintain records pertaining to all awards including contracts, budgets, reimbursements requests, expense substantiation, timesheets, etc.
o Prepare grant billing and financial reports in accordance with contract terms.
o Prepare monthly payroll allocations to ensure employee time is appropriately charged to grants. Work closely with Human Resources Director to ensure timesheets reflect appropriate grant allocations.
o Serve as main fiscal contact for awarding agencies on some grants.
• Payroll
o Review, post, and reconcile payroll and payroll related entries.
o Perform other payroll responsibilities, including but not limited to:
Workers compensation claims
Payroll reporting
Payroll liabilities
Personal Action Forms
Invoice processing of Fringe Benefits
Survey reporting – EEOC, Economic Census
• General Ledger Maintenance and Reconciliation
o Reconciliation of assigned accounts.
o Participate in month-end close process, including preparing or reviewing reconciliations, preparing financial statements, analyzing balances and budget-to-actual variances.
o Record accounting transactions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
• Assist with annual audit and preparation of Form 990.
• Support the periodic budgeting/reforecasting process.
• Provide excellent customer service to coworkers and across departments.
• Prepare ad-hoc reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited institution of higher learning or similar educational experience.
• Three or more years successful experience in accounting, ideally in the nonprofit sector.
• This position is a predominantly in-person role.
• Detail-oriented with strong critical thinking and analytical skills.
• Ability to set clear priorities.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Demonstrated commitment to equal justice and poverty law.
• Experience working with a federal Legal Services Corporation grantee organization.
• Possess strategic vision related to accounting and the ability to learn and deploy new systems.
• Knowledge and experience with Abila – MIP Fund Accounting.
Please email a copy of your resume and cover letter to [email protected]. Please include “Senior Staff Accountant” in the subject line. Please do not apply directly through a hiring platform like Indeed or LinkedIn; your application will not be accepted unless you email us directly as described in this paragraph. A cover letter is required.
Note: Please mention how you heard about the job announcement in your email.
Please no solicitations from recruitment firms.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging:
CLS embraces diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building and retaining a workforce that respects and empowers each individual and represents a variety of diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences. We encourage all qualified candidates to apply for this position.