Director of Finance and Accounting

Director of Finance and Accounting

Reports to: Executive Director

Located in Albany, New York, must live in NYS

Full-time, Min 35hr/ week, with occasional work requirements outside of normal work hours

$120,000-$150,000 – DOE, plus generous benefits

 

Overview

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, a nonprofit civil legal services program, is seeking an experienced Development and Communications professional. Legal Aid’s mission is to fight for fairness, dignity, and justice for those living in poverty and for a society that is inclusive and equitable for all. We transform lives, build community, and empower people by using the law to address individual and systemic wrongs and inequities. Our service area spans sixteen counties, in upstate New York, encompassing six regional offices. This position is based in our Albany, New York office. For more information about our work, our staff, and our clients, visit www.lasnny.org.

The Director of Finance and Accounting is responsible for LASNNY’s long-term financial health and growth. The Director will establish strategies that will increase our grant funding, oversee accounting operations, produce accurate reports on where our funds are going within the organization and improve or change current practices to increase efficiency and ensure longevity of the program. The Director will provide financial projections by coordinating budget/forecast preparation, collecting, analyzing, and consolidating financial information, and advising departments on the collection and analysis of data. The Director will design, manage, and implement the organization’s financial systems and accounting practices. The Director will have overall responsibility for LASNNY’s finances as a $17milllion not-for-profit law firm.

 

Education and Experience

  • Master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or Finance required.
  • Certified Public Accountant designation preferred.
  • Eight to ten years of experience in financial management required.

 

Preferred Experience

  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
  • Experience with Grants Gateway
  • Experience with FundEZ
  • Experience with LegalServer
  • Experience with a Unionized Staff and Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA)

 

Required Skills/Abilities

  • Excellent management and supervisory skills.
  • Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
  • Proficient in database and accounting computer application systems.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Must have reliable transportation and valid driver’s license.

 

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Finance:

  • Support organization financial objectives by providing financial analyses and recommendations and directing staff.
  • Develop accounting organizational strategies by contributing accounting and financial information, analysis, and recommendations for strategic thinking and direction, and
    establishing functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
  • Establish accounting operational strategies by evaluating trends, establishing critical measurements, determining production, productivity, quality, and customer-service
    strategies, designing systems, accumulating resources, resolving problems, and implementing change.
  • Provide financial projections by coordinating budget/forecast preparation, collecting, analyzing, and consolidating financial information, and advising departments on the
    collection and analysis of data.
  • Maintain sufficient funds by forecasting cash requirements and obligations.
  • Drive the financial planning of the organization by analyzing its performance and risks.
  • Retain constant awareness of the organization’s financial position and act to prevent problems.
  • Set up and oversee the company’s finance IT system.
  • Oversee all audit and internal control operations.
  • Conduct analysis to make forecasts and report to upper executives.
  • Ensure adherence to financial laws and guidelines and grant requirements.
  • Maintain relations with all grantors, grantees, and subgrantees, and their grant managers, compliance officers, and all other divisions.
  • Maintain relations on financial operations with all funding sources.

Accounting:

  • Establish and maintain the general ledger, cash flow analysis, and organization budget.
  • Supervise the accounts payable process. Ensure that bills are paid timely. Monitor cash flow and consult with ED to prioritize payment of accounts as needed. Maintain relations with vendors.
  • Manage the accounts receivable. Ensure that all funds received are deposited promptly. Prepare and submit vouchers as necessary to funders. Supervise the preparation of various voucher submissions.
  • Manage bank accounts, client trust accounts, investment accounts, and money markets, line of credit, credit card and all debt. Maintain relations with our banks and other vendors.
  • Supervise the preparation of the computerized payroll and assure timely preparation of payroll. Review and approve reports produced by Payroll Company.
  • Serve the needs for staff: process travel advances and expense reports, make payroll changes, assist with reimbursements, and the like.
  • Keep abreast of developments in the field of nonprofit accounting, legal services financial community, grants management and administration, and relevant human resource administration.

General:

  • Participate in the development and improvement of LASNNY through staff task forces, committees, meetings, and other means.
  • Participate in key role as part of LASNNY’s Executive Management Team (EMT). Cooperate with other members of the EMT, offices, and program to develop effective teamwork and make LASNNY institutionally strong.
  • Prepare reports and presentations for the Board of Directors, including board reports, annual reports and impact reports.
  • Embrace and support LASNNY’s overall mission, standards, policies, and procedures, DEIB initiatives, and confidentiality guidelines.
  • Manage and supervise all accounting and finance staff.
  • Perform related responsibilities as needed.

 

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional law office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment and software and remote videoconferencing platforms.

 

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift or move office products and supplies, up to 20 pounds.

 

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

At LASNNY we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. We strongly encourage applications from women, BIPOC, LGBTQ persons, protected veterans, applicants and recipients of public assistance, older adults, and people with disabilities.

If you are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at LASNNY and we will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by applicable law.

Closing Date: May 30, 2023 or Until Filled

To apply, please: