Senior Accountant

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every ­one of the qualifications for the position.

POSITION SUMMARY:
Are you interested in an accounting position that is tailored for someone who enjoys a challenge while working with a dynamic team and team members who are passionate about the mission of their organization? Are you enthusiastic with an entrepreneurial and flexible approach to carrying out your job? Are you curious and love solving a problem? Do you enjoy people and naturally provide great customer service? The California Academy of Sciences seeks someone like you to join its Accounting team. 

The primary responsibility of the Senior Accountant is to ensure that transactions are properly reflected in the Academy’s general ledger on a timely basis in accordance with GAAP. The Senior Accountant also ensures that internal controls and reporting requirements are properly executed. This position reports to the Financial Accounting Manager.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable persons with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Responsible for the preparation of general ledger journal entries during the month-end close, to include adequate supporting documentation that is audit ready. 
• Assists in maintaining the general ledger while ensuring data integrity.
• Assists in preparing the month-end close calendar and coordinating activities related to the close process. 
• Responsible for the review of journal entries prepared by accountants. 
• Responsible for the monthly review of financial results and variance analysis as compared to budget, prior year, year-end and prior quarter.
• Responsible for development and maintenance of the account reconciliation process. Ensure that all account reconciliation procedures comply with GAAP. Process must include adequate documentation such as account reconciliation summary and documentation of accounting entries for manager/supervisor review.
• Responsible for the preparation of schedules and reports in support of annual and interim audit; all schedules prepared must be adequately documented.
• Responsible for assisting in the coordination of the year-end audit and ensuring that all deliverables for the audit are met. 
• Responsible for developing accounting procedures for new processes and preparing procedures/guidelines for other departments to ensure compliance with company policies and GAAP. Once the process is finalized, responsible for communicating to appropriate users and Business Partners.
• Responsible for any ad-hoc analysis requests from client groups in finance and other functional areas. 
• Follow all Academy safety regulations.
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:
The qualifications listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required or preferred.

• Minimum of 4 years of relevant accounting and/or reporting experience, with at least 2 years of relevant month-end close experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Business with a major in Accounting preferred, working toward passing the CPA exam
• CPA preferred
• Moderate understanding of complex accounting concepts, including a good working knowledge of GAAP to include revenue recognition, contingencies, balance sheet classifications, etc.
• Minimum intermediate knowledge of Excel required 
• Ability to coordinate the month end close process and to ensure that we close timely as per the published close schedule. 
• Ability to be the liaison between the Academy and our external auditors and to coordinate auditor requests ensuring that they are completed on time as per agreed upon schedule. 

LANGUAGE SKILLS:
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.  Ability to speak effectively before groups or individuals. Bilingual (spoken and/or written) in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, or other non-English language preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, and reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. Must be able to lift 20 lbs.  Must be able to perform repetitive motions 85% of the time.

While this position would normally be expected to work in the Academy offices with the rest of the Accounting team, under current operations the position is expected to be primarily remote through June 2021. 

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).

The California Academy of Sciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to ensure that all employees and applicants receive equal consideration and treatment, regardless of race, color, creed, gender (including gender identity or gender expression), religion, marital or domestic partner status, age, place of birth, national origin or ancestry, physical, mental or medical disability, height or weight, sex, sexual orientation, citizenship, military service status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law or local ordinance.