Staff Accountant - Indianapolis, United States - Strada Education Network

Description

Overview

The Staff Accountant role is responsible for tax-related and various general ledger tasks and responsibilities. The Staff Accountant's responsibilities include assisting with federal, state and local tax returns, assisting in audits, month end reconciliations, and the timely recording and closing of the company's monthly accounting books, which provides dual support between tax and general accounting. The successful candidate will also assist the accounting department with special accounting projects as requested. To be successful as a Staff Accountant, the role requires that the individual is up to date with the latest technologies which assist in accounting duties, preferably experience with NetSuite, and have excellent communication skills. Ultimately, a top-notch Staff Accountant should have strong analytical skills, pay attention to detail, and the ability to manage their time efficiently.

Context

Strada Education Foundation is a national nonprofit social impact organization that supports programs, policies, and organizations that strengthen connections between education and employment in the U.S., with a special focus on helping those who have faced the greatest challenges securing economic opportunity through postsecondary education or training (PSET). Our new strategic plan focuses on five strategic pillars: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordable PSET, work-based learning, and employer alignment.

We work with partners in education and training, nonprofit organizations, industry, startups, and public policy. We leverage strategic philanthropy, investments, research, communications, advocacy, and collaborating organizations as tools to help advance equitable pathways to opportunity. Strada aspires to be a nonprofit partner of choice working with education and training providers and leaders, policymakers, and peer organizations. Strada offers a dynamic, collaborative, and inspiring professional environment that provides learning and professional development opportunities, both within the organization and with external partners.

Key Responsibilities:

Ensure state and local tax compliance. (25%)

• Complete property and sales tax returns on a monthly, quarterly, and/or annual basis.
• Supervise and promptly address inquiries, aiming to minimize tax assessments and optimize professional fees.
• Supporting state and local audits as required.
• Researching tax laws.
• Offer support with payroll filings in additional locations.
• Collaborate with the legal department to ensure registrations and regulatory filings are finalized.
• Maintain records of all financial tax-related affairs.

Ensure federal tax compliance. (25%)

• Help in compiling federal and state income tax documents for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, ensuring compliance with tax regulations during the filing process.
• Support in the annual preparation of Form 990 by collaborating with internal and external stakeholders.
• Help in preparing federal tax returns for for-profit entities, collaborating with both internal and external resources.
• Supervise and promptly address inquiries, aiming to reduce tax assessments and optimize professional fees.
• Providing support for federal audits as required.

Provide general accounting assistance. (50%)

• Accountable for multiple general ledger responsibilities, including maintaining the fixed asset subledger, posting monthly depreciation and amortization, managing lease liabilities and reconciliations, and overseeing sales tax liability accounts.
• Complete month-end reconciliations as required.
• Help ensure month-end close is completed accurately and on time.
• Work closely with operational sales and revenue teams to assess revenue streams for sales tax applicability, which includes managing the sales tax process within NetSuite.
• Provide support in preparing tax provisions for financial statements.
• Support any requests during financial statement audits.

Additional job duties:

• Offer thorough analyses and explanations for all transactions.
• Create documentation for external auditors.
• Complete special projects or additional tasks as requested or assigned.
• Prepare tax payments.
• Forecast and monitor tax filings.
• Submit quarterly and annual tax filings.
• Compile essential documents for tax payments and filings.
• Provide financial information to the accounting department.
• Monitor industry trends and keep track of tax-related changes, particularly for nonprofit organizations.
• Produce routine tax expenditure reports for management.
• Utilize software tools for managing company accounting tasks.

Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Taxation, or related field required.
• One (1) - Two (2) years or more of related accounting work experience.
• Analytical abilities and research capabilities.
• Adept at operating in a high-speed and ever-changing environment.
• Capable in a hybrid tax and accounting position.
• Understand and implement statutory and regulatory guidelines and requirements.
• Robust technical expertise, communication prowess, organizational abilities, and writing proficiency.
• Deep understanding of tax accounting principles.
• Expertise with Excel and Google Sheets required.
• Expertise and experience in nonprofit taxation.
• Proficiency in comprehending, analyzing, and interpreting various types of documents including general and financial materials, manuals, journals, and reports.
• Keep abreast of regulatory changes and evolving practices in the financial and accounting industry sectors.
• Proficiency in handling multiple abstract and concrete variables while maintaining a keen focus on detail.
• Proficiency in identifying problems, gathering data, verifying facts, and drawing accurate conclusions.
• Effectively present information to management, customers, and peers."
• Compose standard business letters and reports.
• Handle multiple tasks, establish objectives, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Comprehensive grasp and expertise in change management principles, implementation, and the ability to positively impact change through experience.

Committed to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through PSET, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers. Demonstrated alignment with Strada's guiding values, commitment to building a strong and healthy workplace culture, and working in a collaborative environment.

Adept at operationalizing strategy and effectively communicating strategic endeavors within the organization and in external contexts, both verbally and in writing. Particular skill in designing annual plans, monitoring progress, and refining plans as needed. Adaptable with tolerance for ambiguity. Able to problem-solve and navigate varied viewpoints. Capacity to refine efforts based on evidence that change is needed. Ability to lead efforts to visualize and monitor change. Capability to see and support innovative ideas and opportunities across the organization, and to embed innovation within operational plans. Capabilities in taking the perspective of others and adapting an agenda and approach – toward a shared aim - accordingly.

Ability to effectively utilize a hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving, with effective quantitative and communication skills. Ability to take on broad-reaching and sometimes ambiguous questions while working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Strada team members across the organization.

Ability to translate innovative, strategic ideas into tangible, actionable steps, as well as to effectively monitor progress and partner with others on identifying improvements during implementation to increase the likelihood of successful execution.

Commitment and professional experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and organization, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives in the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.

Demonstrated ability to cultivate, grow, and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with partners outside the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills—including identifying and working through challenges—underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Proven collaborator, able to work with colleagues at all levels in the organization.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to Strada's organizational vibrancy, employee experience, and mission. Strada is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified by Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. We strongly encourage applicants from people of color/the global majority, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ and gender nonconforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We believe every member on the team enriches our workplace by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver critical insights and solutions.