Accounting Specialist

Organization Summary

Buck Institute for Education, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (dba PBLWorks) headquartered in Northern California, is the industry leader in providing professional development and support services related to Project Based Learning (PBL). PBLWorks creates, collects, and shares high-quality PBL tools and resources with K-12 teachers and leaders across the country. At PBLWorks, we believe that all students — no matter where they live or what their background — to have access to quality PBL instruction to deepen their learning and achieve success in college, career, and life.

Position Summary

PBLWorks is poised for its next phase of growth, innovation, and impact. Our Strategic Plan 2024–2028 expands our focus from professional learning to support teachers in designing PBL units to the development of new products and redesigned services that enable all teachers to implement PBL by creating curriculum units that teachers can adapt and the creation of a digital platform that teachers can access from anywhere at any time. This role, along with the rest of the team, will allow us to fulfill our mission to build the capacity of teachers and school systems to design and facilitate high-quality Project Based Learning.

The Accounting Specialist will be primarily responsible for maintaining and processing accounts payable, journal entries, A/R invoicing, collections, and payments, as well as other accounting and administrative tasks as needed. Reporting to the Controller, the Accounting Specialist is a key position in a five-person department and is responsible for administering our expense reporting and bill payment systems.

Key Responsibilities:

This role will be responsible for the general support of the accounting functions, ensuring compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and the organization’s policies and procedures.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Account Payable/Expense reporting

• Manage and process all vendor invoices, employee expense reimbursements, and credit card transactions for timely payment.
• Ensure proper expense coding and approvals, including prepaid portions and shared cost allocations.
• Maintain the vendor database and oversee vendor relationships to ensure key tax forms are received and filed in a timely manner.
• Complete and file quarterly and annual tax forms as needed (CA 592, 1099s, T-4)
• Train and support staff in using key financial systems and general ledger (G/L) coding.
• Assist in the month-end and year-end closing, as well as the annual audit.
• Collaborate with staff, national faculty, and other teams within the organization.
• Other duties as assigned.

General Ledger Accounting

• Accurately calculate and record monthly Prepaid Expenses
• Post monthly PTO accrual journal entries
• Support the annual audit process and tax filings, as needed
• Support other finance functions, as needed

System Administration

• Onboard new employees in various accounting systems
• Oversee all aspects of the expense reporting system, including user roles, expense approval workflow, as well as bill payment, and integration with Intacct.
• Lead/oversee the automation of key A/P processes, including corporate credit card reconciliations.
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for accounting procedures.

Support Accounts Receivable

• Support with A/R invoicing as needed
• Assist with collections and maintaining customer records.
• Assist with payment applications and resolving any payment discrepancies
• Serve as back-up to Senior A/R Accountant

Other duties as assigned.

Requirements, Skills and Abilities

This role must believe in PBLWorks’ core values, be driven by our mission and vision, and share our commitment to advancing racial equity.

Specific requirements include:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance and/or three or more years of relevant experience
• Experience with Sage Intacct, Expensify, Bill.com, Salesforce, and/or other ERP accounting software is strongly preferred
• Prior experience with non-profit accounting preferred
• Competent with Adobe, Excel, Google Apps (Vlookups and Pivot Tables) required
• Strong knowledge of accounting mechanics, journal entries, and both accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Ability to work in collaboration with diverse groups of people.
• Ability to identify and solve or escalate problems efficiently and quickly.
• Extraordinary organizational skills, with high attention to detail, and exceptional focus on accuracy and accountability.
• Excellent time management skills, with a proven ability to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks.
• Ability to adapt to the needs of the organization and employees.

Additional requirements are:

• Results-proven track record of exceeding goals and a bottom-line orientation; evidence of the ability to consistently make good decisions through analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment; high level of business acumen; problem-solving, project management, and creative resourcefulness.
• Impeccable integrity, clear communicator in writing and verbally.
• Flexible and able to multitask; can work within an ambiguous, fast-moving environment while driving toward clarity and solutions; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems.
• Action-oriented: enjoys working hard and looking for challenges; proactive; not afraid to take risks.

The successful candidate will possess these skills and abilities:

• Ability to thrive in a collaborative and diverse environment.
• Strong analytical skills; basic business intuition.
• Great listener.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Extraordinary organizational skills with an exceptional focus on accuracy and accountability.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and prioritize.
• Data-driven with analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to adapt to the needs of the organization and employees.

The successful candidate will reflect these attributes:

• Integrity, a positive attitude, and self-direction.
• Belief in transparency and open communication.
• Passionate about addressing equity in education.
• Ability to build trust quickly.
• A team player who can work effectively with peers and other associates within a collegial yet demanding work environment

Reporting Relationships

• The Accounting Specialist reports directly to the Controller and may occasionally support the two senior accountants.

Location

• This is a remote position with expected travel up to 10%, including to the home office in Novato, California.

Compensation & Benefits

• This full-time, non-exempt role offers full health benefits (including medical, dental, and vision), a 403b, and life and disability insurance. PBLWorks offers competitive pay (commensurate with experience) and a generous benefits package.
• The pay range for this position starts at $31.25 per hour.

Additional Requirements

PBLWorks participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. We will only use E-Verify once a newly hired employee has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

As a company, we celebrate and embrace diversity. We actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in every hiring process. Buck Institute for Education is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act).