Helps Education Fund Job Announcement
Position Title: Director of Finance
Reports to: Executive Director
Job Type: Full-time
Location: North Carolina (Research Triangle area preferred)
Overview of the Position
Do you care deeply about promoting equitable access to high-quality education? Do you enjoy creating value and advancing organizational impact with your financial insights and expertise? If YES, consider joining our dynamic team in the fight for educational equity!
The ideal candidate will have:
- At least 4-6 years of successful finance and accounting experience
- Experience with non-profit accounting and bookkeeping processes, controls, and procedures
- Thorough understanding and use of major accounting software suites (QuickBooks preferred)
- Experience working with external agencies to process financial audits
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with multiple staff and a range of external agencies (e.g., banks, community partners) relevant to accounting operations.
Although it is not a requirement, experience with managing the accounting needs for foundation, state, and federal grants is desired.
Helps Education Fund is committed to cultivating a diverse environment and continues to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, socio-economic class, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Organizational Overview
Since its inception in 2010, Helps Education Fund has maintained its mission of advancing educational equity by partnering with educators and community organizations that serve a high percentage of historically underserved students, schools, and families. Through collaborative partnerships locally, nationally, and internationally, we provide low- or no-cost programs and services that meaningfully improve student learning. These programs and services are collaboratively developed and rigorously evaluated, creating a true bridge that connects educational research and practice.
Although Helps Education Fund began in 2010 with only a small group of volunteers, we have grown to a diverse team of nearly 40 staff -- each of whom is passionate about improving educational equity through community engagement and authentic partnerships. We’re now looking for the right person to join our team to oversee the accounting and financial reporting functions of the organization as well other administrative duties.
The Director of Finance will work both cooperatively and independently to steward the mission of Helps Education Fund. This position will be responsible for accounting services, providing back-office finance support to the Executive Director, and performing related administrative activities that benefit the organization.
Summary of Main Duties:
- Create, maintain, and monitor all accounting and financial records.
- Record checks against approved invoices and requisitions.
- Log monthly receipts and receivable invoices.
- Monitor financial transactions and inspect books for accuracy.
- Prepare and manage payroll.
- Verify and post details of business transactions—such as funds received and disbursed, and total accounts—to computer spreadsheets and databases, including reconciliation of accounts receivable.
- Prepare the annual organizational budget for submission to the Executive Director and the Board of Directors.
- Prepare key monthly, quarterly and annual reports for our internal and external stakeholders, including the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Project Directors, grantors and external auditors/tax preparers.
- Reconcile bank statements on a monthly basis.
- Prepare and track budget documents when required by grants or funding reports.
- Prepare or update relevant accounting/tracking forms as needed (e.g., employee timesheets, PTO forms, etc.).
- Process W-2s and 1099s annually.
- Prepare all necessary documents for completing annual audit and 990 form.
- Process and keep knowledgeable about new or relevant forms, procedures, and accounting laws (e.g., I9 forms, sales tax registration, new state tax IDs, tax credit opportunities, etc.).
- Participate in professional staff development, board meetings, finance committee meetings, and other organizational meetings as needed.
- Other relevant duties as assigned.
The ideal candidate will possess experience and training to execute the responsibilities summarized in the job description and ideally demonstrate the following skills, experiences, and characteristics:
- Deep care for educational equity and social justice; experience with and passion for working with diverse populations is a plus
- Proven track record of successful accounting activities
- Excellent attention to detail and communication skills
- Solid interpersonal, organizational, and critical thinking skills
- Ability to be self-driven, results-oriented, and collaborative
- Ability to recognize critical events or needs and adjust priorities and deadlines in order to maximize quality and performance
- Capable of setting priorities and working on multiple projects (at times with competing tasks and deadlines) simultaneously
- Ability to operate in compliance with organizational policies and procedures, as well as external (donor/legal/IRS) requirements
- Willingness to learn
- Proficiency in software or technology commonly used for this job, such as Quickbooks Online (or a comparable type of software), Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Google Docs and Sheets, Google Drive, and virtual communication tools such as Zoom or Google Meet
- Sense of humor is a plus!
Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately. Applications will be reviewed by a hiring committee on a rolling basis, with interviews scheduled for qualified applicants starting in July 2022. The anticipated start date of this position is August 2022.
To apply, email your resume and cover letter to Dalia Wimberly, Director of Operations, at dalia@helpseducationfund.org. Please write in the subject line, “Director of Finance application- your first and last name.”
In your cover letter, please provide your salary requirements. Salary and benefits for this director-level position are competitive and will be commensurate with experience.
Questions about the position should be sent to Dalia Wimberly, Director of Operations, at dalia@helpseducationfund.org.