United States of America: Accounting Manager

Overview

The Accounting Manager reports to the Deputy CFO and manages the General Ledger Accounting team. S/he is responsible for ensuring that the MSH books are closed accurately and timely, monthly, quarterly, and annually; that MSH books are in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles, the organization’s Cost Accounting Standards, Federal and other contractual requirements, and internal policies and procedures.

S/he coordinates and supports MSH external audits activities worldwide. S/he supervises the country office support accounting team, and is responsible for the functional excellence of MSH’s country offices, and for the reporting processes across the organization’s 30+ international country offices S/He will play a lead role in the implementation of several key change initiatives including decentralization of financial management responsibilities to country office level and a heightened focus on value-for-money and efficiency at every level.

Specific Responsibilities

Ensure integrity and clean audits worldwide

• Manage a consolidated, fund-based general ledger; demonstrated ability to establish a strong control system around the accounting close cycle to assure proper reconciliation and review of balance sheet accounts, proper authorization of journal entries, and efficient authorization workflows that safeguard the organization’s assets and ensure compliance with donor requirements
• Coordinate year-end financial and A-133 audit activities with external auditors;
• Provide audit support to the country offices as required
• Serve as technical accounting lead to the Deputy CFO and other Finance and Operations group leaders
• Provide technical accounting guidance to peers across the organization and to the Finance department’s leadership

Document accounting process and ensure worldwide accountants are trained in month end and year end processes

• Working with the Manager of Standards and Monitoring, ensure strong internal controls around the accounting from field offices throughout the world; ensure proper review of all posted entries, and completeness of reconciliation of accounts required for the close cycle and compliance with donor requirements.
• Ensure proper documentation of accounting policies and procedures
• Support the Deputy CFO with research of applicable GAAP and propose and implement required modifications to existing accounting processes, as required; ensure compliance with the organization’s Cost Accounting Standard for all federally funded projects
• Analyze accounting systems and implement accounting workflows and system improvements to streamline and automate accounting processes and convert to electronic processes and workflows where possible and practical.

Supervise General Ledger team

• Supervise the general ledger and country accounting team by establishing staff goals aligned with the organization’s annual objectives and department goals; ensures development of staff through training, coaching, and clear accountabilities

Other duties

• Assist the Deputy CFO and Finance and Operations’ leadership with special projects as needed.
• MSH is experiencing significant growth and business transformation, and the Accounting Manager will have the opportunity to be exposed to a significant level of ad-hoc analysis and projects if core duties above are delivered timely, accurately and professionally.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

Required

• Postgraduate education in field of study closely related to the assigned responsibilities.
• CPA required.

Experience

Required

• Eight years of public, private/nonprofit experience required; Big Four or National Firm experience strongly preferred.

Preferred

• Experience successfully leveraging automated accounting systems strongly preferred, knowledge of Navigator preferred, but not required. Experience with Quickbooks a plus.
• Experience with federal cost reimbursement practices, such as the Federal Acquisitions Regulations (FAR) and USAID regulations desirable.

Knowledge and Skills

• Must have a strong technical accounting background and solid understanding of the accounting close cycle in order to independently lead the general ledger and country finance accountants to close accurately and on time.
• Must be able to take the lead role in the coordination of the annual year-end audit and drive financial statement preparation; knowledge of A-133 audits a plus
• Knowledge of Nonprofit accounting and fund accounting a plus; experience with foreign currency accounting and multinational accounting a plus; prior work experience with non-USG, foundations, and other donors preferred
• Must be able to review existing accounting processes and recommend and implement improvements to accounting workflows and internal controls; ability to develop and measure accounting efficiencies a plus
• Must be able to confidently research and document accounting positions, recommend to Finance management, and oversee the documentation of accounting positions, policies, and procedures; the General Ledger Manager will be expected to serve as primary technical lead in the organization as a back-up to the Controller/Deputy CFO.
• Must take a key role in providing technical accounting guidance to internal stakeholders, and be able to effectively communicate complex accounting principles to a diverse audience; must be able to develop strong accounting knowledge in the general ledger accounting team.
• Self-starter who can work well independently and also work effectively as a team member; must be able to manage the workflow of the accounting team.
• Must be able to assume pivotal roles in accounting system upgrades and the design of accounting system interfaces.
• Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to operate in a culturally diverse organization, and communicate to all levels within the organization
• Excellent Excel skills with demonstrated ability to extract data and summarize financial information for diverse internal customers.
• Fluent English required; working knowledge of French and/or Spanish a plus

Competencies

• Ability to understand, organize, and update electronic databases and feel comfortable utilizing diverse systems to automate the accounting process.
• Ability to work under pressure with positive attitude, remain focused on results, and respond to changing priorities
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse organization, and communicate to all levels within the organization recognizing that most communications will be with individuals having English as a second or third language strongly desired.

Physical Demands

• Availability to travel domestically and internationally 20% of time
• Keyboard use, pulling drawers, lifting papers <10lbs., etc.

https://jobs-msh.icims.com/jobs/9581/accounting-manager/job