New Search! Finance Associate, Federation for Children with Special Needs

Job Summary:

Federation for Children with Special Needs, Inc. (“the Federation”) has partnered with Pillar Search & HR Consulting on the search for its new Finance Associate. Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce, Founder/Executive Search Consultant, Pillar Search & HR Consulting, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.

This is an ideal and exciting role for a mission-driven accounting professional who brings experience with general ledger, A/P A/R, reconciliations, cash receipts/credit card processing, and the ability to assist with payroll and employee benefits as well as monthly grant maintenance and billing. This position reports to the Director of Finance.

Mission:

Based in Boston, the Federation’s vision is that of an inclusive society where every family, child, and young adult has equitable access to education, health and community supports. They are one of the largest parent centers in the country, serving tens of thousands of parents and professionals each year.

The Federation provides information, support, and assistance to all families, especially those with children with disabilities, their professional partners, and their communities.  The organization is committed to listening to and learning from families and encouraging full participation in community life by all people, especially those with disabilities.

Learn more here.

Job Details:

  • This is a hybrid role. Currently, employees of the Federation work in the office one day per week; this will eventually increase to two days per week. Employees who wish to work in the office more frequently are welcome to do so.
  • The Finance Associate is a full-time, exempt role.

Essential Job Functions:

  • Assist Director of Finance and serve as backup for maintenance of multiple federal, state, and private grants. Serve as backup for payroll processing and in the absence of the Director of Finance.
  • Accounts payable. Review for accuracy, proper documentation, code, post, and proactively identify missing or duplicate invoices. Reconcile accounts payable monthly.
  • Process account receivable invoices. Process receipts including electronic and credit card transactions.
  • Manage general ledger, account reconciliation, and monthly bank reconciliation. Prepare month-end close journal entries. Reconcile liabilities for benefit withholding accounts.
  • Assist with; developing new or updated financial policies and procedures, annual audit, annual preparation of federal indirect rate proposal, and financial statement review.
  • Coordinate with Human Resources to pay employee benefit invoices and ensure employee reimbursements are accurate.
  • Meet regularly with supervisor/team and work collaboratively with all staff.  Participates in Federation staff meetings and Visions of Community Conference (VOC).
  • Perform other tasks and assume other responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting.
  • Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in accounting, preferrably in a nonprofit setting.
  • Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
  • Proficient with QuickBooks and Microsoft Office.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required.
  • Flexible, adaptable to change, and takes initiative.
  • Able to work remotely or in the office.

Benefits:

  • The Federation offers a very competitive benefits package.
  • The office is located in The Schrafft Center and offers easy access to public transportation (the Orange Line on the MBTA) as well as parking at no cost to the employee.

Commitment to Diversity:

The Federation recognizes that the high-quality services they offer results from the individual and collective efforts of their caring and exceptional staff.

The Federation team is diverse, talented, hardworking, and enthusiastic! They value the work their employees do to impact thousands of people each year. Their stories, skills, experiences, passion, and dedication are rich and add tremendous value to the Federation’s work. They are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment, filled with creativity and innovation.

The Federation for Children with Special Needs (FCSN) embraces the diversity of our staff and is committed to increasing the diversity of our organization.  As an EEO employer, FCSN is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and candidates for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected status or designation.   Also, we welcome parents of children with special needs or those with a disability to apply!

Please learn more about the Federation’s commitment to diversity here.

To Apply:

  • Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit their cover letter and resume to Cindy Joyce, Founder/Executive Search Consultant, Pillar Search & HR Consulting, at cindy@pillarsearch.com.
  • Note: Resumes submitted without a cover letter will not be considered.

Stuart Siegel Joins Schooner Adventure as Executive Director!

Schooner Adventure and Pillar Search & HR Consulting are proud to announce the appointment of Stuart B. Siegel to the position of Executive Director. Stuart joined Schooner Adventure on April 4, 2022.  

As Executive Director, Stuart will be responsible for the overall management of Schooner Adventure, working together with the Board of Directors to further their mission. He is charged with leading efforts to position Adventure as a focal point for education focused on themes of fisheries, maritime history, and the ocean environment. Building off of Schooner Adventure’s successes, he will drive program development and growth, enhance community awareness of Adventure’s programs, and activities, and develop diversified revenue streams.  

Stuart remarks, “When my wife and I decided to settle our family in Gloucester, I was determined to find work that connected me deeply to the city, in which I could promote Gloucester’s unique history and appeal. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t imagine a more exciting and compelling opportunity than with Schooner Adventure. Like the city she represents, she stands tall, resilient and beautiful. I am eager to see how we can work with local organizations and individuals to tell the story of Gloucester and ensure a bright future for our harbor.”

A new resident of Gloucester, MA, Stuart brings significant experience to the Executive Director role. Most recently, Stuart and his wife Emily wereirectors of the Sonoran Desert Inn & Conference Center in Ajo, Arizona. There, Stuart managed all aspects of this education-focused non-profit inn and event space including marketing, staff development, event/educational program planning and implementation, fiscal oversight, community partnerships and daily operations. Stuart was instrumental in the development and implementation of high-quality education programs, retreats, and cultural experiences.

Prior, Stuart was the Director of New Initiatives with the Brandeis University Office of High School Programs, where he designed and directed nine residential summer education programs serving hundreds of teens from across the U.S. and around the world. Stuart guided university professors and experiential educators in the development and implementation of program curriculum and service learning.

Stuart earned his Master of Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion and bachelor’s degree in Film and Television from Boston University’s School of Communications. He lives in Gloucester with his wife Emily, the E.D. of the Gloucester Education Foundation, and their children Jonah and Bayla.

About Schooner Adventure: Schooner Adventure (d.b.a. The Gloucester Adventure) is a 501(c)(3) maritime historic preservation and educational organization. They are the proud stewards of the 1926 Schooner Adventure, one of the last surviving Grand Banks dory-fishing schooners. When Adventure was built in 1926 in the salt marshes of Essex, MA, no one thought that she would survive into the next century. Indeed, only a handful of the more than 4,000 wooden schooners built in Essex exist today.

Adventure is a national treasure that has, following an extensive, two decade-long, nearly $6 million restoration to ensure her preservation, resumed active sailing as an icon of the American fisheries and as a floating classroom for maritime history and environmental education programs. Adventure is operated at sea, primarily along the New England coast, as a living monument to Massachusetts’ fishing heritage. As such, Adventure is important not only to Gloucester, but also to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and all of America. In 1994 Adventure was awarded National Historic Landmark status in recognition of the significant role of the vessel in the nation’s history.

The mission of Schooner Adventure/The Gloucester Adventure, Inc. is to:

  • Restore and preserve the Schooner Adventure for the enrichment of future generations and their love of the sea
  • Enable the Schooner Adventure to serve as a community resource for educational programming focusing on maritime, cultural, and environmental issues
  • Operate the Schooner Adventure at sea as a living symbol of America’s maritime heritage

This is an exciting new chapter for Schooner Adventure. With an extensive historic restoration of the vessel now complete, the organization is poised to launch its next chapter, focused on a robust offering of programs and educational opportunities.

Learn and see more about Schooner Adventure here.  

About Pillar Search & HR Consulting: A woman-owned business based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides executive search/recruiting and human resources consulting expertise to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations, working with senior leaders and the boards of directors to hire and develop the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please visit www.pillarsearch.com.

Announcing Harvard Extension School’s First-Ever Nonprofit Human Resource Management Course

I am excited to announce that I am creating and will be teaching Harvard Extension School‘s first-ever Nonprofit Human Resource Management course this fall.  This course will provide an introduction to the practices, policies, and theories related to nonprofit human resource management. Designed for those who are now or will be an HR practitioner or executive for a nonprofit organization, museum, school, or foundation, this course will prepare students with the knowledge and skills needed to manage human capital in a nonprofit setting.

Classes begin on Monday, September 9th.  This is a live, web-based course running through mid-December, and will include several nonprofit executive guest speakers.  Registration opens on Monday, July 29th.  Learn more here!  

A woman-owned company based in Boston, Pillar Search & HR Consulting provides nonprofit executive search and human resources expertise, working with senior leaders and boards of directors to find the very best talent across all functional areas of the organization. For more information, please contact Pillar’s CEO, Cindy Joyce at cindy@pillarsearch.com.