Staff Accountant
The Niskanen Center is seeking a Staff Accountant to join our Operations team. The Staff Accountant will primarily manage accounts payable while supporting other accounting functions on an accrual basis as needed. The Staff Accountant will also help manage our outside accounting firm and auditors. Responsibilities include processing payments to suppliers and contractors, processing employee reimbursements, reconciling credit card expenses, and providing assistance in payroll and benefits operations. Proficiency in payroll processing, Expensify, Intacct, and Bill.com are highly desirable.
Description
Department: Operations
Location: Washington, D.C.
Schedule: Flexible hybri
Experience: 3+ years of accounting experience
Salary: $85,000 plus a generous benefits package
Reports to: Executive Vice President
Key Responsibilities
Accounts Payable (AP)
- Receive and record invoices, employee reimbursements, and credit card receipts with proper supervisor approval and backup documentation.
- Ensure all expenses are properly backed up in hard copy or electronically and appropriately coded before being paid out.
- Monitor use of restricted revenue grants, including up-to-date coding and semimonthly calculations of grant funds remaining.
- Properly allocate expenditures and revenue between general operating support and restricted department/project grants.
- Maintain vendor and contractor records, including W-9s and payment terms.
- Ensure accurate filing/recordkeeping for all AP payments and backup documentation. Whenever possible/practical, promote conversion to electronic format.
- Reconcile assigned general ledger balance sheet accounts quarterly to ensure accuracy and proper balances.
- Prepare and file annual Form 5500 for applicable retirement benefits vendor.
- Receive monthly credit card expense reports and follow up with staff on any missing receipts or descriptions. Process and finalize the monthly credit card expenses in Expensify.
Accounts Receivable (AR)
- Record cash-receipts activity to ensure proper coding and booking of all revenues and receivables in coordination with the Development office.
- Record pledges receivable and reconcile with outside accounting firm and in Salesforce.
- Reconcile bank and investment accounts monthly to the general ledger to ensure proper coding and documentation.
- Maintain orderly electronic and paper records of AR transactions, and work with the Development team for records organization, retention, and storage.
- Reconcile balance sheet accounts, including credit cards, for accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll accounts at least quarterly, and assist with other reconciliations as requested by the leadership team.
Other Responsibilities
- Assist in drafting organization’s annual budget, including semiregular review of line-item expenses and revenue cashflow projections.
- Assist with the annual audit and tax preparation, including compiling documents for review and responding to requests from auditors and tax preparers.
- Record accounting entries for, and maintain spreadsheet summaries of, fixed assets and depreciation annually
- Track state payroll tax payments and payments owed.
Skills and Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or associate degree in accounting preferred.
- CPA highly preferred.
- Minimum of 3+ years of accounting experience, preferably in the nonprofit sector.
- Ability to work with detailed information with a high degree of accuracy.
- Ability to be accurate and meet deadlines in a high-volume setting.
- Ability to learn and follow procedures quickly.
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and responsibilities can be expected to evolve over time to meet changing organizational needs. The employee may be required to perform other related duties to meet these needs. While Niskanen’s intent is always to be clear and transparent about the expectations of this role, this job description may be reviewed and updated accordingly with or without notice.
We will review applications only after the deadline. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 13, 2026. Please include a cover letter and resume. Be prepared to present additional materials during the interview process.
