Senior Director, Accounting

Our Mission

New Leaders develops the education workforce by strengthening pipelines that drive positive change and deliver better outcomes for every student.

Position Summary

The Senior Director, Accounting will be based out of a home office located anywhere within the contiguous United States (Pacific, Mountain, Central, and Eastern time zones) or United States territories that fall within the Atlantic time zone.

The Senior Director, Accounting maintains the financial integrity of New Leaders by leading accounting operations, audit readiness, and compliance with nonprofit accounting standards. This role owns the monthly close process, the external audit process, the organization's Form 990 filing, and provides day-to-day accounting controllership.

The Senior Director, Accounting is a highly analytical, detail-oriented leader who partners closely with the Senior Executive Director, Finance, to safeguard the organization's financial integrity, produce timely and accurate financial statements, ensure clean audits, and maintain strong internal controls.

This position reports to the Senior Executive Director, Finance.

Specific Responsibilities

Accounting, Audit & Compliance

• Oversee internal accounting operations, ensuring compliance with GAAP, and update internal processes as needed in alignment with new accounting pronouncements and IRS updates

• Review and approve all journal entries, cash receipts, and account reconciliations

• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and chart of accounts in New Leaders’ Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system, including fund structures, division/department coding, and intercompany transactions

• Oversee all areas of the monthly, quarterly, and annual closing processes; research and correct discrepancies according to GAAP

• Maintain organizational readiness for Single Audit compliance as applicable for federal funding under Uniform Guidance

• Manage multi-entity entries and eliminations to ensure aligned reporting

• Establish and maintain internal controls over the procurement lifecycle

• Oversee fixed asset accounting, including capitalization, depreciation schedules, and adherence to the organization's capitalization policy and thresholds

• Provide oversight of the accounts payable and accounts receivable functions, ensuring accuracy, timely processing, and appropriate internal controls

• Manage the annual external audit process, interfacing with external auditors, responding to requests and inquiries, and coordinating across teams to collect and provide accurate information in a timely manner

• Partner with the Senior Executive Director, Finance to enforce finance policies, procedures, and internal controls, including analyzing, maintaining, and documenting updates

Revenue & Student Accounting

• Oversee revenue recognition under ASC 958, ASC 606, and other applicable standards

• Manage, record, and reconcile all financial entries related to New Leaders' higher education partnerships across programs

• Manage student-level detail for programs to ensure accurate recording in alignment with IHE data

• Work with external IHE partners to reconcile student accounting records

• Ensure compliance with internal policies, external regulations, applicable grant agreements, program partner policies, and revenue share agreements governing higher education partnership programs

• Work cross-functionally with Program teams to ensure accurate and timely student data

Reporting & Grant Management

• Ensure completion of timely and accurate organizational and segmented financial statements

• Oversee grant accounting and reporting

• Manage restricted funds and ensure proper releases of restricted net assets against grants

• Produce accounting-related reports for the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive Director, Finance, as requested

• Lead preparation of the organization's annual Form 990

• Manage preparation and submission of the annual indirect cost rate proposal to the federal government

• Support the Senior Executive Director, Finance in analyzing financial performance against grants and restricted funds tied to the accounting close

• Provide proactive analysis to improve financial decision-making and accounting operations

Team & Process Leadership

• Advise the Senior Executive Director, Finance and Chief Financial Officer on the accounting, compliance, and reporting implications of new initiatives, partnerships, and funding structures to inform organizational strategy

• Provide training and guidance to Finance team members and other New Leaders staff on accounting procedures, district and higher education partnership accounting, and applicable systems

• Serve as the organization’s primary technical accounting resource

• Identify opportunities to streamline accounting processes and strengthen financial controls, and collaborate on implementing such improvements

• Communicate effectively with the Senior Executive Director, Finance and Chief Financial Officer on the status of accounting operations, audit readiness, and higher education partnership accounting

• Serve as a strategic partner across departments and with external stakeholders, fostering cross-functional collaboration to ensure timely, accurate, and aligned work products that support the organization’s mission and operational goals

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Mission Alignment: Passionate belief in academic excellence for every student, aligned with New Leaders' mission

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree required; degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field strongly preferred

• CPA certification or progress toward certification required

• Professional Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of professional experience required, including a minimum of 5 years of experience in nonprofit accounting, audit management, or controllership

• General Qualifications:

  • Experience managing or directly supporting Form 990 preparation and annual external audits required

  • Extensive knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, with an emphasis on Not-for-Profit revenue recognition

  • Experience with higher education, grant, or revenue-share accounting strongly preferred

  • Working knowledge of fund accounting principles

  • Proficiency with accounting/ERP software required; NetSuite experience strongly preferred

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills

  • Strong understanding of internal controls, compliance, and risk management

  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills

  • Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion

  • Demonstrated ability to achieve high-performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

  • Travel may be required on occasion aligned to New Leaders’ Travel and In-Person Activities policy

• Role-Specific Competencies:

  • Team-Driven: Proven ability to collaborate effectively with individuals across a variety of backgrounds and experiences; must be results-driven while maintaining a collaborative and inclusive leadership style.

  • In-depth expertise in finance and accounting principles

  • Ability to lead team initiatives

  • Demonstrated ability collaborating with senior leadership providing in depth research and opportunities that drive strategic direction.

What We Offer

• Salaries vary based on geographical location. Successful candidates are offered a non-negotiable salary based on their geographical location.

• Employees may be eligible for merit awards and/or bonuses depending on their role, organizational guidelines, and individual performance.

• Employees regularly scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week may be eligible to participate in New Leaders’ benefits, including:

• New Leaders Wellness Program

• Medical plan options, dental care, and vision

• 401K plan

• Generous paid-time-off (PTO) benefits

Application Deadline

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

New Leaders is an equal opportunity employer. New Leaders evaluates applicants for employment on the basis of qualifications, merit and work-related criteria and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental or physical disability, handicap, pregnancy, childbirth, medical condition, marital or familial status, family responsibilities, veteran status, personal appearance, political affiliation, matriculation, or any other characteristic protected by law in administration and operation of its Programs and activities, including admission or access thereto, or treatment or employment therein. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of such status and will not be discriminated against based on such status.