Staff Accountant

Position: Staff Accountant

Department: Finance & Operations

Office Location: The ideal candidate is located in any of the following states or major metropolitan areas where Lambda Legal has an office: New York, NY (Headquarters); Atlanta, GA (Southern); Dallas, TX (South Central); Chicago, IL (Midwest); Los Angeles, CA (Western); or Washington, D.C.

Work Type Designation: Work from Home for Washington DC or Chicago, IL. This position is Hybrid for all other regions for routine or occasional commute to the assigned office of record for audit purposes and other special projects due to work sites having legacy financial files.

Work from Office and Hybrid employees must be able to commute to their assigned Regional Office as their schedule demands.

Report To: Controller or Chief Financial Officer

Union Salary Grade: F1. This is a union position.

Annual Salary Range: $63,887 - $93,344. The salary for this role will be determined by a candidate's years of relevant experience related to the position, as well as their geographic region. Our salary scale steps start at 1 year or less and go up to 30+ years of experience.

Travel: This position may require travel up to 10%

FLSA Status: Exempt / Full-Time

Who We Are

Lambda Legal is a national advocacy organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education, and public policy work. Since 1973, Lambda Legal has used impact litigation and other advocacy tools to decriminalize same-sex relationships; challenge discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV in the workplace, in the home, in schools, in health care, and in the military; and protect LGBTQ+ families, including by winning and defending marriage equality. Our clients are not charged for legal representation or advocacy and Lambda Legal receives no government funding. Headquartered in New York City, Lambda Legal also has regional offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, and Washington, DC. We believe that serving the full breadth of the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities requires cultural competency and enthusiasm for diversity of all kinds. To be successful, we must approach our work with an understanding that discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or HIV status is not the only obstacle to achieving full formal and lived equality for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV; rather, we recognize the intersectional nature of discrimination, specifically including biases based on race, religion, national origin, gender, disability, education, and class. Considering this reality, we prioritize a proactive commitment to counteracting these biases and their compounding effects in the work we do, but also in how we work together as an organization.

Staff Accountant

The Staff Accountant role is responsible for compiling and maintaining the organization’s accounts payable records. Additional responsibilities include certain general ledger tasks (including journal entry preparation, account reconciliation and analysis), accounts receivable support, monthly close activities, and ad hoc projects. This will be a dynamic role which has the potential to substantially grow in the coming years. While this position ideally works in one of our regional offices on a regular basis, candidates seeking a hybrid or work from home arrangement will be considered, provided they can report to the closest regional office as needed.

What you’ll do:

Reporting to the Controller or Chief Financial Officer, the Staff Accountant requires someone who takes initiative and has a strong attention to detail. The following is a list of the core responsibilities for the Staff Accountant, however other duties may be assigned:

• Accounts Payable Processing: Review all invoices, check requests, and expense reports for proper documentation and approval before payment; process invoices and expense reports using Concur and records in general ledger system.
• Staff Support: Provide guidance to staff on the effective use of financial systems, templates, and resources, ensuring alignment with organizational policies and procedures. Collaborate with team members to address questions and enhance their understanding of financial processes.
• Vendor Relations: Reconcile vendor statements, research discrepancies, and respond to vendor inquiries to maintain strong relationships; maintain all vendor documentation in appropriate systems.
• Reconciliation and Closing: Assist in month-end closing by preparing assigned journal entries and account reconciliations, including but not limited to regional bank accounts, prepaid expenses, accrued expenses, and fixed assets.
• Record Maintenance: Maintain thorough and accurate files and documentation, adhering to company policies and accounting standards. This position may be required to go into their assigned office on an as needed basis to access legacy financial files for audits and other compliance reporting.
• Policy Maintenance: Maintain updates to financial policies as directed and approved by Controller or Chief Financial Officer. This includes updates to external policies and internal control documents.
• Compliance Support: Ensure timely maintenance of 1099 forms and compliance financial policies.
• Collaboration: Contribute to financial and administrative projects that align with the organizational goals, adapting to evolving needs while staying within established parameters.
• Other duties as assigned.

Who you are:

With the understanding that no one person will offer every desired skill and characteristic outlined below, compelling candidates will offer much of the following:

• 1-2 years+ of related experience preferably in a non-profit environment.
• Accounting coursework or degree from an accredited college or university (preferred but not required).
• Highly proficient with Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel and PowerPoint, and familiarity with at least one automated accounting system. Experience with Concur is a plus.
• Strong attention to detail with a drive to research and resolve variances and other issues.
• Highest level of professional ethics and confidentiality. You are someone who routinely demonstrates exemplary levels of professional discretion and judgement in responsibly handling sensitive and confidential information, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and legal requirements.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written, organization, time management, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to adapt to a changing environment and respond accordingly.
• High level of commitment – must display a positive, confident assertive personality and be able to work on projects until completion.
• Ability to multi-task, work under pressure and meet deadlines required.
• Must possess the following personal attributes: Trustworthy, Strategic, Organized, Results-driven, Self-starter, Inclusive, Transparent and Collaborative.
• Ability to interact with all levels of the organization and to excel in an environment that emphasizes teamwork and collaboration.
• Any successful candidate will welcome the opportunity to work in a racially- and gender-diverse environment

Successful candidates will welcome the opportunity to work in a racially- and gender-diverse environment and to contribute to a positive and inclusive atmosphere. Working at Lambda Legal requires a demonstrated awareness of and commitment to the concerns of the breadth of the communities that Lambda Legal serves. Prior work on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community and/or people living with HIV is highly desirable. Experience working with other historically marginalized communities (in a professional or volunteer capacity) is also desirable.

All employees at Lambda Legal are expected to adhere to ethical conduct in all interactions and tasks, ensuring a positive and respectful workplace environment.

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Read more about Lambda Legal's work on our blog and Instagram.

Lambda Legal believes in creating a more equitable playing field for applicants and values the depth of relevant skills built through successful education, work, and life experiences. If your background and skills are a close match for this position, you are strongly encouraged to apply.

Lambda Legal is committed to further building and maintaining a staff that reflects the full range of LGBTQ+, HIV-affected and allied communities, and is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. Lambda Legal encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship or immigration status, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Black people, Indigenous people, people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, women, people with abilities in multiple languages, immigrants, people living with disabilities, protected veterans, and formerly incarcerated individuals and individuals living with HIV are all encouraged to apply.

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Why Work at Lambda Legal?

You get to do meaningful, life-changing work at a national level for LGBTQ+ people and everyone living with HIV. Lambda Legal also proudly offers competitive benefits for our team. We understand that our staff’s dedication and effort are instrumental in achieving our mission. A highlight of the benefits we offer include:

• Medical benefits that begin on your start date
• Dental, Vision, and Life insurance (effective 30 days from your start date)
• Short & Long-Term Disability plans (effective 30 days from your start date)
• 403(b) Retirement Plan (employer contribution and matching program begins after 90 days of employment)
• Paid Time Off:
  • Paid Vacation (15 Days)
  • Sick Leave (12 Days)
  • Personal Leave (3 Days)
  • Religious Observance Leave (3 Days)
  • Bereavement and Bereavement Anniversary Leave
  • Floating Holiday (1 Day)
• 12 paid holidays and 5 early office closures
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA/DC FSA) and Commuter Benefits
• Health Reimbursement Account
• $50 monthly mobile phone reimbursement
• Annual professional development fund
• Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day
• Premium subscription to the Calm App
• Paid sabbatical after 7 years of service at Lambda Legal (4 weeks for non-exempt positions and 8 weeks for exempt positions)