Director, Finance & Accounting

Founded in 1979, the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is a leading non-profit organization (501(c)3) in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. NILC's mission is grounded in the belief that everyone living in the U.S. regardless of race, gender/gender identity, immigration status, or economic status - should have equal access to justice, resources, and educational and economic opportunities that enable them to achieve their full human potential. Together, NILC and the affiliated NILC Immigrant Justice Fund (IJF), a 501(c)4 organization, work to advocate more directly for federal immigration reform policies. NILC is committed to advancing its mission - which intersects race, immigration status, and class - through racial, economic, and gender justice and equity orientation. 

Headquartered in Los Angeles with an office in Washington, DC, NILC seeks to achieve just laws and policies that address systemic inequities, create narrative and culture change for an inclusive and equitable society, and build a healthier and more powerful movement. For more information, please visit www.nilc.org. and www.immigrantjusticefund.org/

NILC is at an exciting moment in its organizational trajectory, supporting our five-year strategic framework and scaling the organization and its work through influencing systems, policy advocacy at the federal and state levels, engaging in movement and power building, and narrative and culture strategies in addition to continuous improvements to our operational model. We are looking for entrepreneurial, results-driven, relationship builders who are committed to NILC's mission and values of racial justice & equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships & collaboration, encouraging respect & personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty.

 

Reporting to the Vice President, Finance & Accounting, the Director, Finance & Accounting (Director) leads day-to-day accounting operations. The Director role leads the monthly close in order to compile accurate, auditable interim and annual financial statements. The Director along with the accounting team performs all accounting functions, assists in the creation of and adherence to internal controls, and manage systems to report financial information to internal and external stakeholders. The Director is responsible for managing accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, the closing process, and ensuring the completeness and accuracy of financial data.

 

This leader will have in-depth knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, proficiency in accounting research, pay great attention to detail and have a strong motivation to contribute to the achievement of accurate and efficient close and financial reporting processes. The Director is also responsible for working with all accounting and finance team members, HR, and technology teams to understand key processes and then identify, recommend, and implement process and/or technology improvements. 

   

 

The Director, Finance & Accounting will be responsible for providing leadership and driving success in the following key areas:

Specific Position Responsibilities

•        Lead and manage all day-to-day financial accounting processes ensuring revenue and expenses are recorded accurately and timely, managing the month end close process ensuring entries are accurate, errors are minimized, data is accessible and transparent to internal stakeholders.
•        Maintain internal controls and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, program budgets, and disbursements.
•        Review and approve all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
•        Compiles interim and annual financial reports.  
•        Serve as point of contact and manage annual 403b audit, annual financial statement audit, and annual tax filings (990 and others as applicable).
•        Oversee payroll accounting function and maintain compliance over tax reporting including, but not limited to, employer withholding, Unemployment Insurance, and paid family leave taxes.
•        In collaboration with the VP, responsible for the configuration and maintenance of financial systems, including the GL software, expense management application, banking, and disbursements systems.
•        Collaborates with HR on selection, configuration and maintenance of the payroll and timekeeping systems.  
•        With the VP, ensures financial processes and procedures are effective and appropriate.
•        Completes all state and federal tax forms, registrations, and licenses and insurance needs/policy renewals for continued operations.
•        May be a part of or lead cross functional/departmental projects using the MOCHA framework/methodology.

Supervisory Responsibilities

•         Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains staff.
•         Oversees the daily workflow of direct reports.
•         Serves as a coach and mentor including providing constructive and timely feedback to foster a collaborative environment that develops strengths, improves weaknesses, and encourages creative problem-solving.
•         Actively manages direct reports using applicable performance management software including documenting regular check-ins, goal progress, and any other relevant information in the system for performance and coaching purposes.
•         Handles discipline and performance issues in accordance with organizational policy.
•         Directly manages employees with possibility for additional staff.
•         Manages outside consultants, third party administrators, and vendors.

Shared Organization Responsibilities

•        Champions NILC & IJF's mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income by demonstrating a commitment to human rights, and racial, economic, and social justice
•        Attends and actively participates in NILC meetings at the organization, department, project, and individual level
•        Develops relationships and supports NILC and IJF colleagues across all teams, recognizing that each individual brings a unique background and perspective to the work and assuming good intent from each other.
•        Follows through on commitments acting with a clear sense of ownership individually and collectively by taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, establishing clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results, and designing feedback loops into work.
•        Learns quickly when facing new situations by experimenting to find fresh solutions, taking on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks, and extracting lessons learned from failures and mistakes.
•        Acts with integrity by following through on commitments, being direct and truthful, keeping confidence, and showing consistency between words and actions.
•        Commits to centering NILC's values of racial justice & equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships & collaboration, encouraging respect & personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty in all decisions and actions
 
• In recognition of the fluidity of the work and ecosystem that NILC operates in, other duties may be assigned depending on organizational need.

What We're Looking for in This Role

•         Commitment to NILC & IJF's mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income and a demonstrated commitment to human rights, racial, economic, and social justice, and equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice for all.
•         Collaborative, proactive, and action oriented working style with a strong service mentality promoting mutual accountability and inspiriting trust and confidence from colleagues, other NILC team members, and NILC leaders alike.
•         Maintains a focus on continuously improving processes, and internal controls.
•         Demonstrates sound judgement in decision-making, high integrity, and utmost respect for confidentiality.
•         Strong verbal and written communication skills: ability to read, analyze, and interpret as well as draft documents such as reports, correspondence, and presentations for various audiences. 
•         Excellent attention to detail and proven track record of mitigating risk and reducing errors.
•         Demonstrated critical thinking skills and the ability to interpret and apply accounting rules.   
•         Creates a climate where people are motivated to do their best to help NILC achieve its objectives.
•         Builds strong-identity teams that apply their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
•         Extensive knowledge of non-profit accounting principles, procedures, and standards, including a strong understanding of 501(c)(3) and multi-entity compliance with a related (c)(4), 990's, audits, payroll, and other practices unique to nonprofits.
•         Proficiency with accounting and reporting software; Ability to analyze, interpret, and communicate financial and accounting data to different internal and external audiences.
•         Recognizes each team member's unique background and perspective to achieve team goals in a positive and motivating working environment.
•         Develops team through coaching, feedback, exposure and stretch assignments.
•         An inclusive management style that places deep value on diverse perspectives and emphasizes the development and growth of team members and encourages learning and continued improvement.  

Qualifications Required

•        Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
•        CPA required.
•        10+ years of accounting experience required in a nonprofit, with at least 4 years of supervisory experience.
•        Expert level use of Excel, strong experience using accounting applications, financial/human resource information systems, and Microsoft Office applications.
•        Proficiency with in-office and virtual environments and software such as MS Office, internet research, and virtual collaboration tools. 

Preferred Qualifications

•        Master's degree in accounting, CPA, or MBA preferred.
•        NetSuite experience a plus
•        Experience with both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations preferred.
 
At NILC, we know that talented people may have different backgrounds or experiences, and if your education and experience doesn't exactly align with the above that's okay! NILC believes that diversity in all dimensions of the organization supports and bolsters the innovative thinking essential to its success and is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants. NILC's goal is for our people to reflect the communities in which we live and serve and to ensure representation of people of color, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities in our organization. We encourage you to apply and let us know in your cover letter why you are qualified and the right fit for this role and NILC. 

Work Environment

• Location & Travel:


• NILC's offices are located in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, California. For this role, up to 10-20% of overnight interstate travel may be required; travel is typically quarterly to the NILC Washington, DC office or another location within the US for 3-5 nights.


• Compensation & Benefits: 


• NILC's compensation and benefits philosophy is to provide a competitive offering in the nonprofit sector and ensure equity across the organization. The salary range for this role is $128,800 - $161,000.


• Physical Demands


•        Remaining in a stationary position, often standing, or sitting for prolonged periods
•        Communicating with others to exchange information.
•        Repeating motions, like typing or answering a phone, that may include the wrists, hands and/or fingers.
 

$128,800 - $161,000 a year