Staff Accountant in Los Angeles, California at California Environmental Voters
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Job Description
Staff Accountant
Employment Type: Non Exempt (Hourly)
Wage: $60,000 – $70,000 annualized, paid hourly
Department: Finance
Reports To: Accounting Manager
Position Location: California – Oakland, Los Angeles, Riverside, Sacramento
Work Schedule: Four-Day Work Week: Two (2) days in office, two (2) days remote. However, there may be certain circumstances, like pressing deadlines or peak business periods, where it becomes necessary for the organization to temporarily switch to a five-day work week.
We're hiring for only one person for the Accounting Manager role. This posting is one of four listings for the same Accounting Manager opening — one for each of our CA offices (Oakland, Sacramento, LA, Riverside), and the role can be based at whichever office works best for the selected candidate.
WHY THIS ROLE, WHY NOW
Every grant tracked, every invoice paid on time, and every clean monthly close starts with accurate day-to-day accounting, and that is what the Staff Accountant owns. This work is currently handled by an outside accounting firm, and EnviroVoters is bringing it in house. The Staff Accountant steps into that transition early, helping shape the processes the organization will run on for years to come.
You will report to the Accounting Manager and work with staff across all four of our California offices, processing transactions, supporting the close, and being the first point of contact when colleagues have questions about expenses and reimbursements. If you want to build strong financial fundamentals inside a mission driven organization, this is a great place to do it.
What Makes This Role Distinctive
- Four-day work week for most of the year, with five day weeks during peak periods
- A front row seat to bring accounting in house, with real input into the processes that get built along the way
- Broad exposure across accounts payable, accounts receivable, grant coding, and monthly close support
- Direct partnership with the Accounting Manager and daily contact with staff across all four offices
- Comprehensive benefits package, including health, vision and dental coverage, 401(k) with employer match, 12 days PTO, 12 holidays, a year end office closure between Christmas and New Year, and additional benefits that support employee wellbeing and work life balance
Position Summary
The Staff Accountant performs the day-to-day accounting work of the organization, including transaction processing, account reconciliation, and maintenance of accurate financial records across both entities. This work is currently performed by an outside accounting firm, and the Staff Accountant assumes these responsibilities as the function transitions in house, contributing to the design of the resulting processes. The role reports to the Accounting Manager and works with staff across all four office locations.
KEY PRIORITIES
Handle day-to-day accounting
- Process accounts payable, including invoice coding, approval routing, and payment run preparation
- Process accounts receivable, including recording deposits, contributions, and grant payments
- Enter journal entries and maintain accurate, well documented transaction records
- Reconcile bank and credit card accounts monthly
- Maintain organized digital records and supporting documentation for all transactions
Support staff and vendors
- Process staff expense reports and reimbursements across all four offices
- Serve as first point of contact for staff questions regarding expense coding, receipts, and reimbursement timing
- Maintain vendor records and follow up on missing documentation, including Form W-9
- Track credit card activity and obtain outstanding receipts
Support the close and reporting
- Support the Accounting Manager through the monthly close, including preparation of schedules and reconciliations
- Maintain accurate coding across grants, programs, and both entities
- Prepare reports and transaction details as requested by the Accounting Manager or Finance Director
- Assist with year-end Form 1099 preparation and audit documentation requests
Improve process and systems
- Document accounting procedures as bookkeeping transitions in house
- Identify opportunities to streamline manual or inefficient processes
- Support system setup, cleanup, and implementation projects as assigned
- Perform other duties as assigned
What We Need From You
The following reflects what success in this role requires. Candidates and staff are not expected to meet every item, and equivalent experience is considered.
- Bookkeeping or accounting experience: approximately two or more years handling accounts payable, accounts receivable, and reconciliations. Nonprofit experience is helpful; nonprofit specific practices can be learned on the job with solid fundamentals in place
- Systems fluency: comfort in QuickBooks Online or a comparable accounting system, plus working knowledge of Excel
- Accuracy: this role is the front end of the organization's financial records, where small errors compound at close and at audit, so consistent attention to detail is essential
- Timeliness and follow through: the ability to keep invoices, reimbursements, and outstanding documentation moving without prompting
- Service orientation: the ability to work patiently and helpfully with colleagues who do not have finance backgrounds
- Sound judgment about when to ask: willingness to raise questions on unclear coding or documentation rather than making assumptions
- Mission alignment: commitment to the mission of the organization. An environmental background is not required
Additional Helpful Experience
- Experience with nonprofit or fund accounting
- Familiarity with 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) structures
- Experience tracking restricted grant funds
- Experience with accounts payable and expense platforms such as Bill.com, Expensify, or Ramp
- Coursework or a degree in accounting, or progress toward a certification
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
California Environmental Voters and the California Environmental Voters Education Fund are committed to workplace diversity and inclusion. We are equal opportunity employers and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
EnviroVoters and EnviroVoters Ed Fund have a deep commitment to equity and fostering a culture of inclusion. We invite and encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those from groups traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversifying our organization.