Payroll/Financial Accountant

Job Type

Full-time

Description

EMBRACING ABILITIES. EXPANDING POSSIBILITIES.
Easterseals is a non-profit organization serving the Chicago and Rockford Region. Easterseals works diligently to encourage individuals to reach their full potential, helping to create individualized success stories. Our core services are comprised of a wide range of programs, including Easterseals Academies for individuals living with autism spectrum disorder and other intellectual disabilities, Early Childhood Education, Early Intervention, Home Visiting, training, and more.

For more information about our organization, please visit us online at www.eastersealschicago.org .

This Payroll/Financial Accountant upholds and advances Easterseals' mission, vision, values, and strategic plan, contributing to the organization's and the finance team's strategic goals and objectives. Under the direct supervision of the Controller, the Payroll/Financial Accountant is primarily responsible for assisting with the preparation of the biweekly payroll and serving as a backup to the Payroll Manager, preparing journal entries, and completing balance sheet reconciliations, schedules, reports, and analyses. Additionally, this role supports annual audits and special projects as needed.

This position is headquartered at Easterseals Chicago Location at 1939 W 13th Street, Chicago, IL 60608.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Assist the Payroll Manager with the preparation and review of the bi-weekly payroll, ensuring accurate input, approval, and timely submission of the company's payroll, including processing employee timesheets, calculating wages, and handling deductions and benefits.
• Serve as the backup to the Payroll Manager, taking full charge and responsibility for payroll processing in her absence.
• Respond to payroll-related inquiries from employees and resolve any discrepancies.
• Prepare and distribute payroll reports and statements as needed.
• Complete assigned duties on the month-end close checklist accurately and within designated timelines.
• Prepare month-end journal entries and analyses, ensuring accurate recording and classification of financial transactions. This may involve analyzing supporting documentation, coordinating with other departments, and inputting data into the accounting system.
• Reconcile balance sheet accounts timely and accurately, ensuring all reconciling items are thoroughly documented and cleared promptly, using best practices.
• Prepare audit schedules.
• Assist with preparing various analyses and reports, which may include Form 990, the CYEFR, the CFR, Easterseals National reporting, census reports, budgets, etc.
• Provide excellent customer service by promptly responding to inquiries, providing information, and conducting thorough analyses as needed.
• Establish and document systems for recordkeeping and accounting, ensuring compliance with established standards and best practices.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations, staying current with changes, and implementing necessary adjustments.
• Stay current with accounting and finance standards, best practices, and government regulations, proactively incorporating them into daily tasks.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by your supervisor.

Requirements

Education/Certification:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or equivalent combination of education and experience

Knowledge/ Experience Required:

• A minimum of 3-4 years of payroll and general accounting experience.
• A minimum of 2-3 years experience reconciling balance sheet accounts and preparing audit schedules.
• Experience with Paylocity or similar payroll software.
• Experience with automated accounting systems; experience with MIP preferred.
• Knowledge and experience using the advanced features of Microsoft Excel.

Skills/Abilities:

• Advanced computer skills, including expert-level proficiency in Excel and at least intermediate proficiency in Teams, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), best practices in accounting policies and procedures, and internal controls.
• Excellent mathematical, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with all levels of the organization, as well as with external clients and customers.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, along with strong interpersonal skills. Coordination and communication with managers, funders, auditors, and other key stakeholders are essential.
• Strong ability to analyze and interpret financial data, and to prepare financial reports, analyses, and reconciliations.
• Capability to develop and manage action plans and projects, and to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and accuracy-driven.
• Demonstrate expertise in his/her functional area, leveraging a unique core of knowledge and skills to achieve results.
• Open to new approaches and takes steps to increase knowledge, skills, and abilities, both from within and outside Easterseals.
• Ensure customer satisfaction through the process of monitoring, developing, improving, and delivering excellent service.
• Adhere to the department and Easterseals policy and procedures. Achieve results that support and contribute to the accomplishments of the strategic plan of the organization, and the department.
• Adhere to established quality, and performance improvement standards, and the ability to anticipate and bring about change when needed.

ADA: Easterseals will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disability Act of 1990. Unless exempted by the Americans with Disabilities Act, all persons hired for this position are required to possess the ability to perform the physical tasks necessary to treat clients, i.e., bending, floor-sitting, etc., as well as to have the ability to lift up to 50 pounds frequently.

Salary Description

$74,757 - $94,696/Annually