STAFF ACCOUNTANT

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Job location
615 Second Ave
Suite 400
Seattle, WA 98104
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project
Street address: 
615 Second Ave
City: 
Seattle
State: 
Washington
ZIP: 
98104
Job type: 
Administrative/Financial
Position Description: 

SUMMARY
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project (NWIRP) is seeking to hire a Staff Accountant to join our Finance Unit in Seattle. The staff accountant will work alongside our Finance Director and another staff accountant in supporting a staff of 120+, as well as vendors and others. Initially, work for this position will mostly be completed remotely due to COVID-19, however, there will be occasional work and training that will be in person in our Seattle office. After return to normal operations, the position will be based out of NWIRP’s Seattle office.
The staff accountant will share the responsibilities for accounts payable and accounts receivable functions on an accrual basis, including payments to suppliers, contractors, and employee reimbursements as well as payroll functions. Familiarity with ACH payments needed, payroll processing software and MIP accounting software desirable. We hope you can join us in our fight of keeping families together, protecting people from violence, and standing up to injustice.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
Beginning annual salary for candidates with 1-year experience is $29.50 per hour ($53,688 annually) and is higher depending on years of directly relevant experience. For example, for someone with 10 years of directly relevant experience the compensation would be $35.61 per hour ($64,825 annually); 20 years = $42.14 per hour ($76,712 annually).
NWIRP is proud to be a unionized employer and this full-time position is covered by NWIRP’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. NWIRP offers a generous benefits package, including:
• 100% of premiums for excellent health, vision and dental plans, as well as Health Savings Accounts or Flexible Spending Accounts;
• 3% employer retirement contributions;
• Employer paid disability/life/AD&D coverage;
• Annual leave of 16 paid vacation days, 13 paid holidays, 12 paid health-related leave days;
• Subsidized transit pass once return to normal operations;
• 12 weeks of paid parenthood leave after 6 months of employment;
• 4 weeks of paid sabbatical after 5 years of employment.

COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION:
Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is an equal opportunity employer committed to having a diverse staff, board, and volunteer base reflective of the communities we serve and that enhances our ability to create a vibrant environment where all members of the NWIRP community thrive. We strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants (including people who were formerly detained, undocumented, or who have navigated the immigration legal system), women, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds and language abilities.
NWIRP is committed to providing a work environment free from discrimination and harassment. NWIRP does not discriminate on the basis of class, race, color, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, political ideology, age, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability. Excepting any undue hardship, NWIRP will provide reasonable accommodations upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The staff accountant role will have primary responsibility for some of the areas below and will serve as back up in the remaining areas, as directed by the finance director:

Accounts Payable (AP)
• Receive and record invoices, employees’ reimbursement and check request forms with proper supervisor approval and backup documentation.
• Pay invoices, check requests and employees’ reimbursement requests by printing checks (or uploading ACH payments). Obtain authorized signatures for checks and distribute.
• Ensure all expenses have proper backup, received either in hardcopy or electronically before payment (invoice, check request, supervisor approval, and documentation of goods received or services performed) and coordinate proper coding of expenses.
• Set up new vendors before payment, obtaining W-9 forms and coding as 1099 vendors when appropriate and setting up to receive ACH payments when requested/authorized. Issue 1099-MISC forms annually.
• Receive monthly downloaded credit card expenses and send out to cardholders using the credit card expense form for coding into MIP. Communicate with staff on missing receipts and descriptions.
• Ensure accurate filing/recordkeeping for all AP payments and backup documentation whether via check, ACH or online payments. Whenever possible/practical promote conversion to electronic format.
• Maintain security of check stock and order as needed.
• Reconcile quarterly and ensure the correct contents/balance of general ledger balance sheet accounts for which the staff accountant is the primary user, e.g., prepaid expenses, credit card payable, employee receivables.
• Review stale checks and reprocess as necessary.
Accounts Receivable (AR)
• Record cash receipts activity to ensure proper coding, booking of all revenues and receivables, in coordination with Development and the Finance Director.
• Record pledges receivable and reconcile the same with the subsidiary records in the Raiser’s Edge fundraising software in coordination with the Development Unit; ensure proper period and year end cut-off for posting of pledge revenue.
• Write-off of pledges receivable to the allowance for doubtful accounts, in coordination with the Development Unit and with Finance Director approval. Generate and record billings for other receivables as requested by the Finance Director.
• Reconcile bank and investment accounts monthly to the general ledger to ensure proper coding and documentation.
• Prepare and maintain monthly investment roll-forward schedule.
• Maintain and record in-kind contributions for internal volunteer hours in coordination with the Associate Director for attorney in-kind services.
• Maintain orderly electronic and paper records of AR transactions, and work with the other staff accountant help to implement records organization, retention, and storage.
• Reconcile balance sheet accounts for accounts receivable and payroll accounts at least quarterly, as well as assisting with other reconciliations as requested by the Finance Director.
Other Responsibilities
• Prepare, process and review bi-weekly payroll for all staff, including calculating step increases, compensatory and overtime payout, vacation payout, supervision bonuses and retroactive pay when necessary.
• Assist with the annual audit and tax preparation, including preparation of audit and tax schedules, compiling documents for review and responding to requests from auditors and tax preparers, as requested by the Finance Director.
• Record accounting entries for, and maintain spreadsheet summaries of, fixed assets and depreciation annually.
• Prepare quarterly tax filings (L & I and B & O) and annual filings with the State and local governments for corporate and charitable registrations; maintain the list of all required quarterly and annual required government filings.
• Coordinate with the Finance Director to ensure fiscal deadlines and timelines are met.
• Prepare adjusting journal entries as needed or at the request of the Finance Director.
• Other duties and tasks as assigned by the Finance Director.

REPORTS TO
Finance Director.

ABOUT NWIRP:
Founded in 1984, the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project is a nationally-recognized legal services organization dedicated solely to advancing and defending the rights of low-income immigrants and refugees. Each year, NWIRP provides direct legal assistance in immigration matters to over 10,000 people from over 150 countries, speaking over 60 different languages and dialects. NWIRP also strives to achieve systemic change to policies and practices affecting immigrants and refugees through impact litigation, public policy work and community education. NWIRP serves the community from four offices in Washington State in Granger, Seattle, Tacoma and Wenatchee.

Requirements: 

PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND ATTRIBUTES
• Demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights with a belief in the mission, vision, and values of NWIRP;
• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in accounting preferred, but equivalent experience will be considered;
• Minimum of 1+ year accounting experience, accounting experience in nonprofit sector preferred;
• Knowledge and experience with GAAP accounting, accounts receivable/payable, and payroll;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Ability to work with detailed information with a high degree of accuracy;
• Ability to be accurate and meet deadlines in a high-volume setting;
• Ability to learn and follow procedures quickly;
• Commitment to working in a diverse working environment;
• Embraces process improvement and is comfortable making recommendations;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to work independently and as a team player;
• Familiarity of MIP (or ability to learn), online payroll systems, web-based software, MS Word and Excel.

To apply: 

TO APPLY
Please consolidate your resume and cover letter into one single file and submit your application here: https://secure3.entertimeonline.com/ta/90199.careers?CareersSearch
For your cover letter, please indicate a) why you are passionate about immigrant rights; b) why you are a good fit for the role. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but for full consideration please apply by June 1, 2021. Incomplete applications will not be considered

Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submission deadline: 
Monday, May 31, 2021