The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU of Iowa) is looking for an experienced accounting and human resources professional who can help us maximize our potential in terms of financial strength and administrative management. The ideal candidate for this full-time, exempt, senior staff position is an organized, natural self-starter with an orientation to team-wide operations. Ability to anticipate problems, a collaborative work ethic, and a high bar for excellence are also critical. We seek someone who is hands-on and who can navigate a wide array of accounting, HR, and office management responsibilities, consult with employees of all levels on financial and personnel matters, and contribute to growing a staff culture of equity, inclusion and belonging.
The ACLU of Iowa, the statewide affiliate of the national ACLU, is located in downtown Des Moines. It is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, public interest organization that defends civil liberties and civil rights through litigation, legislative advocacy, and public education in areas including but not limited to voting rights, racial and criminal justice, immigrants’ rights, free speech, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ rights and privacy rights. The ACLU of Iowa consists of The American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa (c4) and The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Iowa (c3).
The position is based in our office in Des Moines, Iowa and is eligible for a hybrid work schedule, which would allow for remote work up to two days a week and in office work at least three days per week as needed/assigned.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:
You will help us protect and advance the ACLU of Iowa’s mission by:
- Performing essential day-to-day financial functions such as maintaining financial accounts, preparing deposits, and paying invoices;
- Developing and ensuring compliance with financial reporting and operating policies in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and updating the Accounting Policies and Procedures Manual;
- Assisting in preparation of an annual budget, monitoring all expenditures in accordance with the budget, and facilitating regular communications with director-level staff to discuss budget variance and forecasting;
- Ensuring timely and accurate completion of consolidated financial reports, including preparing all documentation and workpapers needed for an annual audit and coordinating the work of the independent auditors, income tax reporting (Form 990’s), and quarterly financial statements and investment reports;
- Preparing periodic reports of uses of grant funds from National and maintaining required records of grant expenses in accordance with grant agreements.
- Developing and maintaining appropriate banking relationships;
- Advising the Executive Director (ED) on the investment of non-restricted funds not needed for current cash-flow in accordance with the Investment Policy and monitoring investments;
- Updating and ensuring compliance with our Employee Manual;
- Preparing monthly employee payroll, managing timekeeping, and vacation and sick leave records; ensuring timely filing of quarterly payroll tax reports, tax deposits and annual information returns (W-2’s/1099’s).
- Managing employee benefit programs and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations including reporting of certain benefits through payroll;
- Collaborating across the organization to coordinate hiring logistics, onboarding, offboarding, and training on finance and human resources matters.
- Performing general office management tasks including procuring and maintaining office equipment and furniture and office and kitchen supplies, assisting with office phone system set ups and voicemail message retrievals, and scheduling shredding pick up and water deliveries;
- Scan or re-mail individual mail to staff working remotely.
- Coordinating bulk postage for mailings and postage for postage machine.
- Responsible for insurance arrangements including Workers’ Compensation, Board E&O, and Property and performing workers comp annual audit.
- Serving as primary liaison to the office-building superintendent, landlord, and parking garage;
- Serve as backup for internal IT functions including assisting staff with password changes on some applications.
- Providing administrative support for the board of directors including attending quarterly meetings (at least three of which are via Zoom) and working with the Secretary of the board to compose minutes, maintain meeting records, and complete other tasks, as assigned by the ED.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and new accounting standards affecting not-for- profit organizations. CPA preferred but not required.
- Knowledge of consolidated financial statement principles and presentations.
- Knowledge or experience with preparing and filing IRS 990 forms.
- Knowledge of types of donor gifts and reporting of gifts as restricted, unrestricted, conditional and unconditional promises to give, endowment and beneficial interests.
- Knowledge of investment and reserve practices for not for profits, and objectives and guidelines for measuring performance for both short-term and long-term purposes.
- Experience in analyzing financial information and performing various reconciliations between Quick Books and standalone databases;
- Experience in analyzing and performing cost analysis for equipment lease renewals and cost savings in other office equipment usage.
- In-depth knowledge and experience with Quick Books; experience with Quick Books online preferred.
- Knowledge of human resources management principles and methods;
- Knowledge or experience with payroll software and payroll reporting. Knowledge or experience with multi-state payroll a plus.
- Experience with excel spreadsheets for cost accounting projects, building/updating expense and timesheet templates, and other accounting uses. Experience with more formal database applications a plus.
- Organizational skills and working style that allows identification of problems as opportunities to generate solutions that will have an impact tomorrow and long-term;
- Ability to recognize areas where efficiencies in operations can be achieved.
- Ability to write policies and procedures and update policy/procedures manuals timely.
- Ability to translate financial concepts clearly to folks less familiar with them;
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work inclusively across lines of difference in a variety of settings;
- Ability to understand how work impacts people differently and desire to work to fully integrate differentiated strategies across teams for seamless engagement.
- Ability to ensure security of all sensitive data, proper password management, patches/upgrades performed promptly and regularly, and backups performed for all key financial systems and processes.
COMPENSATION:
Starting salary range is $82,000-$95,000, depending on experience, with excellent benefits including generous vacation and sick leave; individual/family employer-provided health insurance; life insurance and long-term disability; defined retirement contribution plan with employer match; and 10 paid holidays.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE:
Submit a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references (identifying their relationship to you and including their email address and phone number) to jobs@aclu-ia.org. Please put “Finance/HR Director” in the subject line of your email.
DEADLINE:
Applications will be reviewed beginning December 1, 2024. Posting will remain active until position is filled.
The ACLU of Iowa is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our goal is to be a diverse workforce at all job levels, and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We encourage immigrants, people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, women, formerly incarcerated people, and members of any other group that may experience adversity in hiring to apply. You are encouraged to self-identify in the application materials. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.
