Senior Accountant Tax and Pension Benefits

ABOUT THE JOB The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of  S enior  Accountant,  Tax and Pension Benefit in the Administration & Finance Department of the ACLU’s National office in New York, NY . This is a  hybrid role  that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight  (8) days per month.   Responsible for safeguarding the financial resources of the organization, the Finance  T eam manages the financial activities of the National ACLU. From paying vendors ,  forecasting budgets, and everything  in between , we take pride in providing the resources and the platform for informed financial decision-making.   This position is part of a collective bargaining unit. It is represented by ACLU Staff United (ASU). WHAT YOU'LL DO   Reporting to the  Deputy CFO , the  S enior  Accountant ,  Tax and Pension Benefit will be responsible for significant functional areas within the ACLU’s accounting   and   will  play a critical role in the successful operations of the Finance Team at the ACLU.   O ur ideal candidate will  have strong  accounting  knowledge, analytical and functional  experience , possess  an exceptional attention to detail,  an orientation towards being of service ,   and a passion for the work of the ACLU.   YOUR DAY TO DAY The following overview of responsibilities is intended to describe the type of work assigned to this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all specific duties required by the employee:   General Accounting Operations: Set the bar for customer service excellence by providing timely, thorough, and friendly responses to internal and external stakeholder inquiries   Perform account reconciliations relevant to functional areas, ensuring their accuracy and proper documentation for internal and external reporting purposes   Assist with relevant audits, preparing audit schedules and materials and managing deliverable deadlines   Complete ad hoc reports and projects as requested by Finance Leadership   Suggest accounting policies and procedures based on GAAP and industry best practices relevant to functional areas     Functional Area :  Tax: Coordinate with the Assistant Controller, Revenue and Investments on the preparation and review of all federal, state, and local income tax returns   Assist with the preparation of required tax filings and government reporting (local, state, federal), including preparing schedules and/or draft filings for review    Manage all federal/state and local tax correspondence and audits   Prepare year-end estimated tax payments for all federal, state, and local agencies   Prepare ad hoc tax reports for internal and external stakeholders   Prepare and review tax provisions for the annual financial statements   Develop processes and controls to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local agencies   Advise and interpret for the Finance team the impact of new laws, decisions, regulations, rulings, and proposed tax legislation   Review annual K-1s to determine the federal and state annual unrelated business income/loss generated   Maintain organized and up-to-date recording system for electronic files; utilizing established internal best practices for record retention   Review the annual returns prepared by the external auditors before filing   Prepare the monthly filings for NYS sales and use tax and any additional states   Apply for and maintain all state sales tax exemptions for the ACLU   Coordinate with Avalara (tax consultants) on filing all sales taxes in relation to the ACLU store.   Functional Area:  Pension Benefits:  Communicate the progress of monthly/quarterly initiatives to internal and external stakeholders    Review the calculation of affiliates' invoices for late payments made to the ACLU retirement plans    Review the quarterly reconciliation of employee census data from Form 941, “Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return,” to the year-to-date payroll register to ensure the accuracy and completeness of employee data between the two sources   Review affiliates' reconciliation of their Form 941 to their payroll registers quarterly for accuracy    Review SOC-1 reports for National and all affiliates on an annual basis and document if any control issues exist.    Review monthly trust statements for both the pension and the contribution retirement plan for accuracy    Review, on an annual basis, the reconciliation between payroll registers and W-3 payroll forms     Review the completion of the timeliness schedule related to contribution submission for the pension plan   Review the reconciliation of National and affiliate contributions to payroll records to ensure that eligible participants are enrolled and their contributions are accurate.     Review notes receivable from participants annually to ensure they comply with the restrictions defined by the Plan document and under the Internal Revenue Code.    Review payments of benefits related to Defined Benefits, 457B, and 457F to verify that they are in accordance with the Plan provisions   FUTURE ACLU'ERS WILL  Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflicts MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Strong knowledge of GAAP and current accounting best practices, including upcoming regulatory changes to reporting requirements   Strong knowledge of pension benefits and tax laws that impact not-for-profit organizations   Strong interpersonal skills that contribute to a collegial working environment   Excellent organizational and planning skills    Demonstrated ability to speak and write in a succinct, informative, and friendly manner such that content, ex