Senior Accountant

About the Opportunity
The Academy is looking for a Senior Accountant to join our dynamic and dedicated team! Reporting to the Senior Manager, Financial Accounting, this position focuses on ensuring proper revenue recognition and CAPEX vs. OPEX reporting according to US GAAP, preparing complex journal entries and reconciliations, and reviewing the work of junior members of the team. The Senior Accountant will collaborate with other teams, such as Development, Sales, FP&A, Financial and Operational Accounting, and our external financial statement auditors.

Organizational Culture:
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. 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.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. Staff are currently expected to work from the Academy offices at least 2-3 times per week, which may fluctuate based on business needs. Please do not apply if you are not able to work onsite. Candidates are required to have up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination, including receiving a booster shot, as a condition of employment, absent qualifying exemptions in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals receiving a conditional offer of employment from the California Academy of Sciences will be provided the full text of the vaccination policy.

About the Business & Finance Division
The Business & Finance Division believes that providing valuable insight to our Academy partners enables them to achieve the Academy’s mission. To do this, we support our colleagues and each other so that we can accomplish the Academy’s mission together, we anticipate and respond quickly to the needs of our partners, we build trust in our partners that fosters collaborative relationships, and we deliver timely and accurate information to our partners so that they can make better decisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Participate in the period-end close procedures, to include the preparation of general ledger journal entries and supporting documentation that is audit ready.
• Manage the period-end close process, to include providing the close calendar to the accounting team, coordinating activities related to the close process, and facilitating the monthly close meetings with the Accounting and FP&A teams.
• Review journal entries, account reconciliations, and ad hoc analyses/projects prepared by junior members of the team.
• Review period-end financial results and variance analysis as compared to budget, prior year, year-end, and prior quarter.
• Develop and maintain the account reconciliation process. Ensure that all account reconciliation procedures comply with US GAAP. Process must include adequate documentation such as account reconciliation summary and documentation of accounting entries for manager/supervisor review.
• Prepare account reconciliations and identify/resolve reconciling items in a timely manner.
• Prepare schedules and reports in support of the annual and interim audit; all schedules prepared must be adequately documented.
• Serve as the primary liaison to external auditors for interim and year-end audit work, coordinate all audit requests, and ensure that all deliverables for the audit are met in a timely manner.
• Assist in the preparation of the quarterly and annual financial statements and annual tax Form 990.
• Assist in the preparation of the annual budget and periodic forecasts for assigned line items within the Accounting Department.
• Develop accounting procedures for new processes and prepare procedures/guidelines for other departments to ensure compliance with company policies and US GAAP. Once the process is finalized, responsible for communicating to appropriate users and business partners.
• Identify and implement process improvements and strive to follow best practices to enhance the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of individual and team work products.
• Work on any accounting, financial project/analysis, or ad-hoc research as required.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.
• Supervise and lead the work of junior staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business, or Finance-related field.
• Minimum of 3+ years of relevant accounting experience in either public accounting or a combination of public accounting and corporate accounting experience.
• CPA license (preferred) or working towards passing the CPA exam.
• Moderate understanding of complex accounting concepts, including a good working knowledge of US GAAP to include revenue recognition, contingencies, balance sheet classifications, etc.
• Intermediate knowledge of Excel, required.
• Ability to work as part of a team or collaborate well with team members and external collaborators (if applicable) to accomplish mutual goals.
• Ability to work efficiently and communicate with staff, cross-functional teams, and external customers from different identities and experiences.
• Ability to bring new ideas, create inventive solutions, and find efficiencies to transform manual or detailed processes.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion.

Physical Environment: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities who meet the job’s essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, use a computer, and communicate on the phone, in person, and online meetings/calls. Must be able to perform repetitive motions 90% of the time.

Compensation and Benefits
Hiring range: $100K - $113K
Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week. Although this position is exempt from overtime pay, there are periods when additional hours and/or weekend work will be expected to fulfill business needs.

Starting salary will vary based on experience and relevant skills/knowledge set.

The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Review of applications will begin on February 28, 2023, and will continue until the position is filled.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please upload your resume and complete the brief online application

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.