The Organization
The William Penn Foundation is a leading American philanthropy located in Philadelphia. With over $2.4 billion in assets and a $100+ million annual grant budget, the Foundation is a vital part of the civic life in one of the country’s most important and historically significant regions. The Foundation has charted a vision consistent with its enduring focus on education, the environment and the cultural vitality of Greater Philadelphia.
The Foundation’s core strategies include:
• Increasing the number of low-income children receiving a high-quality education
• Ensuring clean water by protecting the Delaware River watershed
• Fostering a vibrant city through support to arts and culture organizations, arts education programs, and creating great public spaces
The Foundation believes that successful execution of these strategies is critical to the success of the region and seeks candidates who will operate with a sense of urgency, leadership and entrepreneurship in advancing this work.
Position Summary
Responsible for managing day-to-day general accounting, investment accounting, financial analysis, payroll, internal and external financial statement reporting, Form 990 and State UBIT tax filings, annual budgets, cash flow forecasting, and training. Provides supervision of one Staff Accountant, works cooperatively with internal investments team, and serves as support and back-up to Director.
Position Overview
The duties include, but are not limited to:
Financial Reporting
• Prepare monthly internal reporting package for Foundation leadership.
• Prepare monthly detailed reporting to director team on respective departmental spending to date, to include consultant spend tracking with encumbrances
• Prepare quarterly financial reporting package for the Executive Committee and cash flow report for the Investment Committee
• Prepare annual financial forecast and preliminary budget, financial statements and footnotes for auditors
• Assists with 990-PF, 990-T and State tax forms preparation, quarterly tax estimates, and excise tax forecasts
General Accounting
• Manage day-to-day accounting activities, maintain general ledger activity and reconciliations, and assign transactions to appropriate accounts
• Review standard monthly journal entries and prepare complex quarterly and annual journal entries; oversight of Staff Accountant work Track cash transactions and project weekly cash needs in cooperation with in-house investment management team
• Ensure monthly balance sheet reconciliations and soft monthly financial statement close
• Maintain/update accounting policies and procedures for both internal accounting processes and staff external to the department
• Ensure accounting internal control processes are sufficient and consistently followed to the highest level of integrity
Investments
• Review investment accounting, including monthly reconciliation of custodian bank trial balances for each fund to general ledger and ensure monthly entries are timely and accurately completed
• Prepare investment roll forward for annual audit and reconcile year-end investment market values per manager statements to general ledger and custodian bank
• Calculate quarterly investment fee accruals and verify accuracy of quarterly investment fee invoices
• Perform monthly verification of investment portfolio performance and benchmarking
Grants
• Conduct required proposed grantee financial reviews
• Consult with program staff on the financial aspects of grant proposals and financial reviews, particularly for those organizations whose financial health is more fragile
• Prepare monthly reconciliation of grant payments between grants and finance departments
Additional duties include:
• Supervise Staff Accountant in:
– Accounts payable invoice processing
– Bank reconciliation
– Bi-weekly payroll and payroll-related reconciliations
– Monthly Investment transactions journal entries and reconciliation
– Standard monthly closing journal entries
– Verify employee expense reimbursement forms
– Various ad hoc reports, including budget vs. actual reports
• Serve as a liaison between custodial bank, local bank, auditors, payroll vendor, tax accountant, actuaries, and other financial service providers
• Coordinate and/or prepare schedules and support needed for annual audit, schedules needed by independent tax accountant for annual 990-PF and 990-T filings, and other state UBIT tax filings.
• Manage special annual projects
• Continuing education as required
Education, Training and Experience
• Undergraduate Degree in Accounting or Business with significant accounting related coursework required
• CPA, CMA (or equivalent) and/or advanced accounting/business degree (MBA) highly preferred
• Between 5-7 years of relevant work experience in public accounting or related business environment with nonprofit experience preferred. Accounting or Audit experience in a Foundation desirable
• Familiarity/understanding of rules and complexity of accounting for investments, excise taxes, distribution requirements, etc. in a Foundation preferred
• Proficient in understanding nonprofit financial and investment accounting principles
• Between 2-3 years of supervisory experience and responsibilities managing an accounting function.
• Above average PC proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, with a high degree of proficiency in Excel required. Experience in SAGE 100 or other nonprofit accounting software desired
• Strong detail orientation and quantitative skills
• Good interpersonal skills, sense of urgency, being proactive and ownership for one’s work
• Excellent organization, prioritization, follow-up, analytical, and time management skills with ability to handle multiple priorities and deadlines
• Ability to maintain confidential information and be proactive in addressing accounting situations
• Dependable, with strong work ethic, a passion for mission-based organizations and extremely high degree personal integrity
Physical Demands/Work Environment
The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk, bend, sit, talk, lift, or hear. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk and use hands and arms to operate general office equipment (PC, telephone, file cabinets, copier, postage meter, fax machine and printer). The employee may occasionally lift and/or move between 10 and 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate.
Compensation and Benefits
The William Penn Foundation offers a comprehensive and competitive compensation and benefits package. It employs a well-qualified, professional, and respected staff. It is committed to creating and maintaining an organizational structure that enables all staff to do the work of the Foundation in the highest quality manner possible. The Foundation’s compensation strategy contributes to assuring a work environment that attracts and retains talented, high-performing individuals.
How To Apply
The Foundation reserves the right to modify the job description based upon its needs and may require the employee to perform functions beyond those mentioned above. Neither this job description nor any other communication creates an employment contract between the Foundation and the employee.
The William Penn Foundation values diversity, inclusion, and equity as matters of fairness and effectiveness. We are committed to hiring and retaining a staff that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, fostering an inclusive working environment where staff of all backgrounds feel welcomed and engaged in the Foundation’s mission, and to promoting racial equity in our work.
The William Penn Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and encourages applications from individuals underrepresented in the philanthropic sector, including people of color, and persons with non-traditional work and educational experience. All who believe they meet the stated qualifications are invited to apply. Applications may be submitted to wpfjobs@williampennfoundation.org