Junior Accountant at Sustainable Apparel Coalition – Chicago, Illinois

[Finance Coordinator / Junior Accountant]

Full-time position, flexible/remote, location - USA

About Cascale

Cascale is a global, non-profit alliance of 300 leading apparel, footwear, and textile brands, retailers, manufacturers, sourcing agents, service providers, trade associations, NGOs and academic institutions.

Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, we are stepping into a new era of impact with a new name, new look, and same enduring vision. The SAC was incorporated as a 501(c) 6 nonprofit organization and launched the groundbreaking Higg Index suite of tools in 2011. In May 2019, the SAC spun-off the Higg Index technology platform to Higg, now Worldly, which delivers tools and services that help consumer goods businesses accelerate transformation for a more sustainable future. As of 26 February 2024, we are now officially known as Cascale. For more information, visit www.cascale.org.

Together, we are working toward a shared vision of an industry that gives back more than it takes — to the planet and its people. Through multi-stakeholder engagement, our mission is to transform business for exponential impact through groundbreaking tools, collaborative partnerships,and trusted leadership for industry sustainability.

To reach this shared vision, we have developed the Higg Index in collaboration with our members, to create a global approach for effectively measuring and evaluating the social and environmental impacts of value chains and products. Our groundbreaking tools enable organizations to identify hotspots, improve sustainability performance, save time and money, and engage with value chain partners to scale systemic change across the industry.

Position Description

The Finance Coordinator provides financial and administrative support to the organization by supporting Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and Grant Administration. This is an excellent opportunity to use your finance skills to advance sustainability and nonprofit missions.

Duties & Responsibilities

Accounts Payable:

• Assist with the Accounts Payable function, by (amongst others) receiving and entering bills and ensuring timely payment.
• Assist with the review of purchase orders, pricing, payment terms, and other charges for accuracy.
• Support with maintaining financial relationships with service providers, addressing inquiries, issues, and facilitating payments.
• Assist with setting up vendors for payment, ensuring all necessary documentation is complete.
• Collaborate with staff on contract renewals.
• Assist with the monthly processing of expense reports and employee reimbursements.
• Assist with various tax related matters as necessary, including assisting with filing 1099 forms at year-end.

Accounts Receivable:

• Assist with the Accounts Receivable function, including (amongst others) issuing invoices to members and stakeholders in accordance with GAAP and internal policies and procedures.
• Track, record and reconcile all payments, ensuring timely and accurate accounting of all receivables processing.
• Manage the maintenance and updating of member and stakeholder files, including name or address changes, mergers, or contact changes. This includes updating tools such as Salesforce and QuickBooks Online.
• Support with handling inquiries from members and stakeholders related to invoices, supplier maintenance forms, banking details, and facilitating payments.
• Assist with invoice purchase orders and using online PO systems to ensure accurate and timely invoice payment processing.
• Assist with month-end and year-end activities, such as deferred revenue calculations, revenue accruals, and account reconciliations.

Grant Management/Support:

• Support grant administration activities such as tracking grant expenditures and ensuring compliance with grant guidelines and regulations.
• Generate financial reports for grantors and internal stakeholders, and if necessary assisting with grant proposals (including grant budgeting) and applications.
• Manage grant administration, including maintaining all grant-related documents and correspondence, and liaise with project teams for reporting and issue resolution.

General Financial Reporting and Administration:

• Provide general administrative support to the finance team in an organized, confidential manner, including maintaining organized records, files, and documentation.
• Assist with month end close, including ownership of specific tasks.
• Support the preparation of monthly financial reports, ensuring they are timely, accurate, and compliant with agreement terms.
• Assist with annual financial audit requirements.
• Familiarization with all accounts payable and receivables processes for potential operational backup.

Qualifications & Experience

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in finance, accounting or related field with at least [1] year of relevant experience;
• Experience in financial management of projects and/or grants;
• Good understanding of accounting, including accrued accounting, revenue recognition and audit requirements;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities.
• Capability to work independently while collaborating with staff.
• Keen attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Required expertise in computer and business software, including platforms such as QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) applications, and Google Workspace.
• Preferred experience with financial software such as Bill.com, Salesforce.com and Navan.com.

Cascale seeks a candidate who is:

• Mission-driven: Is motivated by sustainability and the mission of the organization.
• Team player: Has team-oriented experience and approach.
• Tech-savvy: Has the ability to understand and manage a variety of technology and software platforms to support the organization.
• Organized and detail-oriented: Is able to effectively manage many different moving parts (information, projects, software) to help keep the organization running smoothly.
• Excellent communicator: Is able to interact with people of all levels in a confident, professional manner.

Reporting Structure

This is a full-time role, reporting directly to the Senior Controller, Finance.

Compensation and Location

This role is remote, based in the US. The salary range is $43,000 - $49,000. Please note, Cascale is a global organization, and as such, Cascale staff sometimes work early or late hours.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Cascale is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Apply

Maybe you don’t tick all the boxes above— but still think you’d be great for the job? Go ahead, apply anyway. Please. We know that experience comes in all shapes and sizes—and PASSION can’t be learned. To be considered for this position, please apply here.

[Finance Coordinator / Junior Accountant]

Full-time position, flexible/remote, location - USA

About Cascale

Cascale is a global, non-profit alliance of 300 leading apparel, footwear, and textile brands, retailers, manufacturers, sourcing agents, service providers, trade associations, NGOs and academic institutions.

Formerly known as the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, we are stepping into a new era of impact with a new name, new look, and same enduring vision. The SAC was incorporated as a 501(c) 6 nonprofit organization and launched the groundbreaking Higg Index suite of tools in 2011. In May 2019, the SAC spun-off the Higg Index technology platform to Higg, now Worldly, which delivers tools and services that help consumer goods businesses accelerate transformation for a more sustainable future. As of 26 February 2024, we are now officially known as Cascale. For more information, visit www.cascale.org.

Together, we are working toward a shared vision of an industry that gives back more than it takes — to the planet and its people. Through multi-stakeholder engagement, our mission is to transform business for exponential impact through groundbreaking tools, collaborative partnerships,and trusted leadership for industry sustainability.

To reach this shared vision, we have developed the Higg Index in collaboration with our members, to create a global approach for effectively measuring and evaluating the social and environmental impacts of value chains and products. Our groundbreaking tools enable organizations to identify hotspots, improve sustainability performance, save time and money, and engage with value chain partners to scale systemic change across the industry.

Position Description

The Finance Coordinator provides financial and administrative support to the organization by supporting Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and Grant Administration. This is an excellent opportunity to use your finance skills to advance sustainability and nonprofit missions.

Duties & Responsibilities

Accounts Payable:

• Assist with the Accounts Payable function, by (amongst others) receiving and entering bills and ensuring timely payment.
• Assist with the review of purchase orders, pricing, payment terms, and other charges for accuracy.
• Support with maintaining financial relationships with service providers, addressing inquiries, issues, and facilitating payments.
• Assist with setting up vendors for payment, ensuring all necessary documentation is complete.
• Collaborate with staff on contract renewals.
• Assist with the monthly processing of expense reports and employee reimbursements.
• Assist with various tax related matters as necessary, including assisting with filing 1099 forms at year-end.

Accounts Receivable:

• Assist with the Accounts Receivable function, including (amongst others) issuing invoices to members and stakeholders in accordance with GAAP and internal policies and procedures.
• Track, record and reconcile all payments, ensuring timely and accurate accounting of all receivables processing.
• Manage the maintenance and updating of member and stakeholder files, including name or address changes, mergers, or contact changes. This includes updating tools such as Salesforce and QuickBooks Online.
• Support with handling inquiries from members and stakeholders related to invoices, supplier maintenance forms, banking details, and facilitating payments.
• Assist with invoice purchase orders and using online PO systems to ensure accurate and timely invoice payment processing.
• Assist with month-end and year-end activities, such as deferred revenue calculations, revenue accruals, and account reconciliations.

Grant Management/Support:

• Support grant administration activities such as tracking grant expenditures and ensuring compliance with grant guidelines and regulations.
• Generate financial reports for grantors and internal stakeholders, and if necessary assisting with grant proposals (including grant budgeting) and applications.
• Manage grant administration, including maintaining all grant-related documents and correspondence, and liaise with project teams for reporting and issue resolution.

General Financial Reporting and Administration:

• Provide general administrative support to the finance team in an organized, confidential manner, including maintaining organized records, files, and documentation.
• Assist with month end close, including ownership of specific tasks.
• Support the preparation of monthly financial reports, ensuring they are timely, accurate, and compliant with agreement terms.
• Assist with annual financial audit requirements.
• Familiarization with all accounts payable and receivables processes for potential operational backup.

Qualifications & Experience

The ideal candidate should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in finance, accounting or related field with at least [1] year of relevant experience;
• Experience in financial management of projects and/or grants;
• Good understanding of accounting, including accrued accounting, revenue recognition and audit requirements;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral, listening, and written communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple priorities.
• Capability to work independently while collaborating with staff.
• Keen attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Required expertise in computer and business software, including platforms such as QuickBooks Online, Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) applications, and Google Workspace.
• Preferred experience with financial software such as Bill.com, Salesforce.com and Navan.com.

Cascale seeks a candidate who is:

• Mission-driven: Is motivated by sustainability and the mission of the organization.
• Team player: Has team-oriented experience and approach.
• Tech-savvy: Has the ability to understand and manage a variety of technology and software platforms to support the organization.
• Organized and detail-oriented: Is able to effectively manage many different moving parts (information, projects, software) to help keep the organization running smoothly.
• Excellent communicator: Is able to interact with people of all levels in a confident, professional manner.

Reporting Structure

This is a full-time role, reporting directly to the Senior Controller, Finance.

Compensation and Location

This role is remote, based in the US. The salary range is $42,500 - $49,000. Please note, Cascale is a global organization, and as such, Cascale staff sometimes work early or late hours.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Cascale is committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.

Apply

Maybe you don’t tick all the boxes above— but still think you’d be great for the job? Go ahead, apply anyway. Please. We know that experience comes in all shapes and sizes—and PASSION can’t be learned. To be considered for this position, please apply here.