Staff Accountant II

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION:

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) is a non-profit leader dedicated to advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. A key driver of SFI’s success is its ability to engage diverse communities to deliver across its 4 pillars: Standards, Conservation, Community, Education. At SFI, we aim to foster a culture where everyone feels valued, empowered, and supported in advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.

ABOUT THE FINANCE TEAM:

The Finance Department serves as the backbone of the organization’s fiscal integrity and operational efficiency. It is responsible for safeguarding the organization’s financial resources, ensuring compliance with all applicable regulations, and providing accurate, timely, and transparent financial information to leadership, governance, and external stakeholders.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Staff Accountant supports the accounting and operations functions of SFI and provides internal/external customer service by fielding accounting related questions as the first level of support in the US headquarters office in Washington, DC.  Reporting to and working closely with the Controller, the Staff Accountant also collaborates with Human Resources, IT, and the fractional Chief Financial Officer and Head of Finance.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Accounts Payable (A/P): (25%)
  • Process vendor invoices accurately and promptly, ensuring proper approvals and coding.
  • Verify that all expenditures are properly authorized and supported with appropriate documentation.

Process A/P funded by Federal Award Payments

• Monitor grant expenditures to confirm they are allowable, allocable, and reasonable under Uniform Guidance.
• Maintain detailed documentation and audit trails for all federal award transactions.

• Prepare and process electronic payments, ACH transfers, and check disbursements.
• Vendor File Maintenance:
  • Verify and collect required documentation from all vendors, including W-9 forms, executed contracts, and proof of insurance where applicable.
  • Review vendor information for accuracy before activation and regularly update vendor data (e.g., addresses, tax IDs, banking details).
  • Ensure vendor setup complies with internal control policies, procurement standards, and federal grant regulations under OMB Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
• Accounts Receivable (A/R): (25%)
  • Record and reconcile incoming payments, including grant reimbursements, donor contributions, and other receivables.
  • Prepare and submit invoices to funding agencies and clients in accordance with contract and grant requirements.
  • Track outstanding receivables and follow up on delayed payments or discrepancies.
  • Process and record all federal award drawdowns and reimbursements, ensuring compliance with award terms and federal cash management regulations.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (cont.):

• General Ledger and Reconciliations (25%)
  • Prepare journal entries, adjusting entries, and closing entries as needed.
  • Support month-end and year-end closing processes.
  • Perform regular bank reconciliations and ensure all transactions are accurately reflected in accounting records.
  • Reconcile credit card and balance sheet general ledger accounts monthly.
  • Identify, investigate, and correct discrepancies promptly.
• Compliance (25%)
  • 1099 Reporting:
    • Prepare and issue annual Form 1099-NEC/MISC to vendors in compliance with IRS regulations.
    • Maintain accurate vendor records to ensure timely and accurate year-end reporting.
  • Audit and Reporting Support:
    • Provide accurate schedules and reconciliations to auditors and management as requested.
    • Assist with annual audits, single audits (if applicable), and other financial reviews.
    • Support the Finance Department in preparing accurate schedules, reports, and grant-related reconciliations.
  • Regulatory and Standards Compliance:
    • Ensure all accounting activities and records comply with S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
    • Adhere to all applicable rules and regulations set forth by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), S. Department of Labor (DOL), Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and other relevant state and federal authorities.
    • Maintain awareness of changes in accounting standards, tax laws, and grant compliance requirements to ensure continued compliance and accuracy in reporting.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position will not initially have direct employee supervisory responsibilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS / TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Physical requirements include ability to work from a desk at a computer for prolonged periods of time.

This position requires occasional travel to the US and Canada, up to 5% of time.

WORK LOCATION

This is a hybrid role based in Washington, DC. This role, along with all other employees located within commuting distance of Washington, DC, will be required to work from the office two days per week, with Tuesdays and Wednesdays as designated in-office days. For the remaining days of the week, you may choose to either work from the office or remotely from your home. Additional in-person days may be required for special events or busy periods. SFI reserves the right to increase in-person days to three or more days per week in the future.

WHAT YOU BRING:

Education / Experience / Skills

• A./B.S. degree in Accounting or Finance from an accredited college or university required.
• A minimum of 120 credit hours is required, including coursework that meets the eligibility requirements for professional accounting certification.
• Minimum 2 to 3 years of progressive accounting experience required, preferably in a nonprofit, or public accounting environment.
• Demonstrated experience in general ledger maintenance, account reconciliations, and supporting audits required.
• Familiarity with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and standard financial practices required. Thorough understanding of GAAP, with the ability to independently apply them to journal entries, reconciliations, and compliance activities preferred.
• Experience working with federally funded programs or grants required, including:
  • Ensuring expenditures comply with federal cost principles and funding restrictions.
  • Processing federal award payments, including drawdowns, reimbursements, and cash management transactions in compliance with federal regulations and grant terms.
• Understanding of federal grant management requirements preferred, including compliance with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Guidance (2 CFR Part 200).
  • Knowledge of allowable and unallowable costs, time and effort reporting, cost allocation principles, and subrecipient monitoring.
  • Ability to research, interpret and apply federal regulations and funding terms to ensure compliance and proper documentation.
• Actively working toward obtaining a professional accounting credential required, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), or another recognized licensure in the field of accounting.
• Commitment to ongoing professional education and adherence to the ethical standards of the accounting profession required.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English
• Proficiency in accounting software (e.g., Sage Intacct, NetSuite, or similar ERP systems) preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, including the use of formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis tools preferred.
• Strong comprehension skills for interpreting accounting standards and organizational policies preferred.
• Understanding of internal controls and their application across all accounting and financial processes preferred.
• Interest or background in nonprofit management, forestry, forest products, natural resources, sustainability, or environmental education a plus.
• French, Spanish, or other language proficiency a plus.

Key Competencies

• High degree of integrity, professional ethics, and confidentiality.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Analytical thinker capable of identifying issues and implementing sound financial solutions.
• Adaptable to evolving workflows and systems, technologies, and organizational changes.
• Proactive in identifying process improvements and strengthening internal controls.
• Serves as a “utility” player – is able and willing to provide support across the organization, and is seen as accommodating and service-oriented.
• Shows a hunger for learning and the ability to “ramp-up” quickly on new projects/tasks.
• Continuously seeks opportunities to grow professionally and contribute to the organization at a higher level.
• Manages multiple projects and seeks guidance from supervisor to prioritize effectively, as needed.
• Ensures work is done by deadline requested or requests adjustments to deadline if needed.
• Demonstrates professionalism and service-orientation with internal staff and external parties.
• Consistently models behavior in support of a positive, collaborative, and respectful culture.
• Takes initiative to identify what needs to get done even if not asked to do so, seeking guidance before moving forward.
• Is inquisitive and responsive to questions; contributes to an environment where curiosity and asking questions are rewarded.
• Confidently and respectfully communicates with colleagues at all levels of SFI, ensuring that interactions are consistently viewed as positive, professional and meaningful exchanges.
• Proactively communicates status/keeps stakeholders apprised of key information.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

We are committed to equity in our salary practices. The salary range for this position is $60,000 to $72,000; the successful candidate’s actual salary will depend on a number of factors, including geography, education/training, experience, time-in-role, management qualifications (as applicable), and skillset.

We are proud to provide our employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. Our benefits include (but are not limited to):

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family.
• Retirement plan with generous employer contribution and additional matching contribution up to 11% of your salary, provided you also contribute 4%.
• Paid Time Off – generous vacation policy ranging from 2 weeks to 5 weeks, increasing with experience, all federal holidays, plus 4 floating holidays annually that may be used to observe additional religious, cultural, or traditional occasions that are meaningful to you, and 12 sick days annually.
• Educational assistance and investment in professional development.

APPLY:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate. If you’re interested, apply promptly—early applicants will be prioritized.

We value authenticity and transparency in our recruitment. SFI does not use AI for résumé screening, candidate scoring, or hiring decisions. Every applicant receives individualized consideration from our HR team.

OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:

SFI is proud to provide our employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and being an equal opportunity employer. Our team represents a broad range of cultures, education, disciplines, and work and life experiences, and we strive to leverage these differences in our daily work. We will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected characteristic. We believe in creating an empowered and supportive team that is committed to advancing sustainability through forest-focused collaborations.

Learn more about SFI Staff Culture, read our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Policy, and review our Indigenous Relations Commitment.