April 25, 2023

The ACLU-DC is a non-partisan, non-profit public interest organization devoted to protecting civil rights and civil liberties of those who live and work in the District of Columbia. Our 22 staff members work daily to achieve this mission through advocacy before the D.C. Council, litigation, public education, and organizing in all eight wards of D.C. ACLU-DC is an affiliate of the national ACLU, the leading defender of civil liberties guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The ACLU works in communities, in the legislature, and in the courts to defend and expand individual rights and personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

This position is currently in a hybrid work posture. Residence in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia are required. This position reports to the Deputy Director, and is a full-time, permanent position, which is classified as exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Summary/Objective

The Finance Associate/Senior Associate works to provide exceptional administrative support to all departments within ACLU-DC. Under the supervision of the Deputy Director, this role is primarily responsible for the management of organizational finances and financial policies and procedures, as well as the use and management of technology for all staff. This role may also support other functions as needed in the Operations Department.

(This position is open to candidates with a range of experiences. Those with less nonprofit accounting experience may be classified as Finance Associate, with a pay range of $68,000-82,000, depending on placement in our compensation policy and salary scale. More experienced/qualified candidates may be hired directly as Finance Senior Associate, with a pay range of $77,000-97,000.)

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Financial Management

  • Manage the day-to-day financial needs of the organization, performing essential financial functions such as maintaining bank accounts, preparing invoices and deposits, and managing hundreds of AP and AR entries in accounting software each month to include collecting, coding and processing all expenditures and other revenues.
  • Perform bookkeeping procedures in compliance with legal and organization policies.
  • Contact and interface with vendors, customer service, and contractors as necessary.
  • Collect revenue items, document revenue, and make bank deposits.
  • Perform monthly and quarterly reconciliations and financial reporting in coordination with external accounting firm.
  • Work with the external accounting firms to ensure compliance with generally accepted account practices.
  • Oversee finance technology functions; ensure effective and efficient implementation and coordination of all operations.
  • Implement accounting best practices, and review/revise procedures to align with accounting best practices.
  • Ensure payroll is administered on time and that all personnel costs are appropriately allocated and recorded.
  • Monitor company operations in financial operations and ensure employees and business practices comply with regulatory and legal requirements.
  • Under the direction of the Deputy Director, oversee the organization’s annual budget, including preparing the annual budget, overseeing the budgetary process, and ensuring that sound financial controls are in place.
  • Monitor and support procurement of goods and services, including assisting staff with distributing RFPs, evaluating vendor proposals, and executing contracts.
  • Support program staff with financial needs, including managing payments and assembling documentation in line with policies and procedures.
  • Manage the annual financial audit, including providing access, documents, and information to the external auditing firm.
  • Provide recommendations to leadership on improving financial accounting practices and procedures.

Technology Use & Management

  • Effectively use technology to support finance and Operations Department functions.
  • Manage organization-wide technology applications as needed.
  • Manage technology support process and functions, including interacting with contract technology support and the National ACLU.
  • Use technology platforms (Sage Intacct, Excel, online banking platforms, etc.) to manage organization finances and communicate financial status to organization leadership.

Other

  • Other duties as assigned to support the overall organization operational needs.

This position may be assigned other organization operations duties as needed, and may be cross-trained on other operations work in order to ensure proper operational capacity is maintained at all times. Senior Associate-level candidates, especially those with CPA or other related education/certifications may be assigned higher-level finance responsibilities as appropriate.

Education and Experience

Required

  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
  • 2-4 years of experience in bookkeeping, accounting, or financial management for a similarly sized organization.
  • Demonstrated experience and expertise in technology applications, and track record of successfully learning and using technology, particularly for finance/accounting purposes.

Preferred

Note: Highly experienced candidates possessing some of the below Preferred qualifications may qualify for placement in a higher pay grade and classification as a Senior Associate.

  • Master’s or other advanced degree in finance, accounting, law, public policy, business administration, or related field (or significant additional experience, such as 10+ years, in lieu of a graduate degree).
  • Accounting-related coursework and/or certification, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) licensure.
  • Expertise in modern technology applications, such as:
    • Accounting: Sage Intacct, BILL.com, Divvy, Tallie, Quickbooks, or similar programs.
    • Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Power BI.
    • Automation tools like Zapier, Microsoft Power Automate.
    • Asana or other project management applications.

Competencies

  • Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to the civil liberties and civil rights issues that are at the core of the ACLU's activities.
  • Ability to listen attentively, provide training to others, and communicate effectively.
  • Exceptional analytical and reporting skills.
  • Detail-oriented and organized.
  • Experience with/ability to learn

To Apply: SUBMIT APPLICATIONS

Applications must be submitted via the Bamboo HR application page. If you have a disability/ies and need accommodation regarding any part of the application process, please contact us at operations (at) acludc.org. To complete the application, you will need to upload:

  • Current resume
  • Cover letter explaining your interest in and qualifications for the position as detailed in the job description

Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis; applying sooner is encouraged. The position will remain open until filled. This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU-DC reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU-DC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU-DC encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other classification protected by the D.C. Human Rights Act or federal employment law.

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