Job Title:  Grant Accounting Manager

Job Status:  Full time/Exempt

Reports to:  Director of Contracts

Location: Hybrid/Flexible - CASA of Los Angeles, Edelman Children’s Court, Monterey Park, CA

Status/Schedule: Full-time/Exempt, Mon – Fri 8AM-5PM, required in office/field based on organization needs. 

Salary Range: $101,250.00 annually

VISION STATEMENT

CASA/LA’s vision is a Los Angeles in which all children and families impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems have equitable access to the resources and support they need to thrive. 

ORGANIZATON MISSION

CASA of Los Angeles organizes the community to show up for children and families in LA County’s overburdened child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Through an intentional, restorative and culturally responsive lens, we train committed, consistent and caring adults who take action by providing strengths-based advocacy and equitable access to resources and life-affirming connections. CASA/LA strengthens our community, ensuring that children and families have what they need to thrive.

Organization Overview

CASA of Los Angeles mobilizes community volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse and neglect. The organization envisions a Los Angeles in which every child in the child welfare system has an advocate and the opportunity to thrive. CASA of Los Angeles is on a path over the next five years to expand services to children in LA County’s child welfare system so that it provides services to a meaningful number of the 30,000 children in the dependency court system every year. Key to these efforts is growth in the number of volunteers trained each year, the number who stay active in a year, and in revenue raised from community partners and other donors.

The Finance Department at CASA/LA aims to equip the organization with the tools needed to serve systems-impacted youth and further its organizational mission. Through fiscal management, analysis, budgeting, and forecasting, the growing finance administration team plays a pivotal role in aiding key staff and the leadership team with the information needed to make the best programmatic and operational decisions. 

As part of its strategic vision, CASA/LA is applying a new focus on the procurement of additional government grant funding to further the impact of its mission. The organization is thus seeking a Grant Accounting Manager to support this focus and assist in expanding the grant management infrastructure for both government awards and private foundation grants. 

Position Overview

This new position within CASA/LA will require an expertise in the following areas: GAAP, and the Federal uniform guidance on cost principles and audit requirements ( 2 CFR Title II Part 200). Candidate must be willing to develop and implement new grant accounting protocols and procedures to ensure compliance with Federal and local regulations, and must be willing to take the lead in strengthening the organization’s grant accounting procedures. 

The Grant Accounting Manager reports to the Director of Contracts and provides administrative and accounting support to the Finance and Administration teams at CASA/LA. The Grant Accounting Manager maintains fiscal contractual compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations of government grants and private foundation grants. 

The Grant Accounting Manager will be the primary position responsible for the grant accounting, grant fiscal monitoring, and the submission of all financial reporting for all grants from start to close-out of the grant term cycle. 

The position must have and maintain expertise with the OMB Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title II, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 200 (Office of Management and Budget Guidance for Grants and Agreements) and be able to effectively articulate recommendations that follow the cost principles of the aforementioned CFR guidance to be implemented to improve day-to-day workflow procedures and agency’s internal controls for grant accounting. 

The ideal candidate will work in conjunction with the CFO and Director of Contracts in the development, written procedure, implementation, and revisions (as necessary) to the cost allocation methodologies for new and/or existing awards. 

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. Individuals who both meet or exceed the minimum qualifications for the position and have lived experience in the child welfare or juvenile justice systems are highly encouraged to apply. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Cost Allocation Management

· Lead in the development of written cost allocation plans and recommend the implementation of plan(s) to Director of Contracts and leadership. 

· Create an updated version of the functional timesheet template that staff will use to capture actual level of effort and time on various activities, including new awards. Work in conjunction with leadership in implementing an automated timekeeping system with the functionality to capture all required information.

· Work in conjunction with Accounting Specialist, CFO, Development Department, and program leadership to ensure the accuracy of costs charged to various grants and the proper personnel allocations to various projects agency-wide, 

· Take the lead in fund reconciliation and in monitoring charges against the proposed budget, cost allocation plan, timekeeping reports, and latest service delivery/caseload data. 

· Manage the position control report for each payroll cycle, ensuring the accuracy of salary allocations across the various grants and restricted use donor funds based on actuals and the latest data.

Government Grant Financial Management

· Review, verify, and reconcile accounts for the portfolio of government grants assigned and maintain the accuracy of the General Ledger for each account. 

· Prepare and submit invoicing/billing for each assigned account in accordance to all pertinent regulations and compliance measures, including the contractual agreement CASA/LA holds with the government funder.

· Create and manage monthly financial reports for each of the assigned accounts to provide insight in spending trends and monitor optimal versus actual “burn rates” (the rate at which funding is being spent) for the grant account.

· Coordinate with Director of Contracts and CFO to identify budgeted categories of the grant which are under or over the optimal burn rate of the award and pinpoint areas for improvement, revising program grant budgets to ensure the maximum utilization of awards. 

· Create and submit program budgets and budget modifications in accordance to programmatic needs and following the guidance of the funder. 

· Coordinate with Director of Contracts, CFO, and other administrative staff on grant accounting and budgeting matters, including the addition or removal of personnel on a grant-sponsored program budget. 

· Communicate with Administration to maintain knowledge of any changes to grant-sponsored time and effort levels for staff and coordinate with Finance administration to ensure such changes are properly reflected and accounted for. 

· Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive employee data, only sharing with authorized personnel and required funders as needed.

Foundation Grant Funds Management

· Review, verify, and reconcile accounts for the portfolio of foundation grants and maintain the accuracy of the General Ledger for each account. 

· Create foundation grant budgets as needed. 

· Coordinate with Accounting Specialist to update salary allocations and position control log. 

· Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of sensitive employee data, only sharing with authorized personnel and required funders as needed.

Setting up New Awards/Grants

· Create, monitor, and maintain project fund codes in the accounting system for new grant awards. 

· Create, monitor, and/or update cost allocation plan for the grant.

· Communicate accounting codes to all relevant staff and supervisors as needed.

· Coordinate with Director of Contracts, CFO, and/or assigned contract manager to review and calendar all grant financial reporting deadlines and establish procedures to ensure timely and accurate submission of all reports. 

Maintenance of Awards

· Review the position control report in coordination with supervisory staff and relevant administration to ensure accuracy and confirm changes as appropriate based on actual level of effort.

·  Maintain A/R for all assigned accounts and communicate the status of government grant A/R on a monthly basis to CFO, Director of Contracts, and any other personnel as needed.

· Post journal entries as needed for the accounts assigned, including monthly accruals.

· Reconcile grant expenses and resolve any accounting issues, and monitor costs for the accounts ensuring allowable use of grant funds. 

Close-Out of Awards 

· Reconcile expenses and revenues received to prepare and submit all grant close-out (year-end) fiscal reporting. 

· Communicate the status of all financial grant close-out activities to administration and leadership. 

Grant Proposal Budgets

· Assist the Director of Contracts with gathering, compiling, and analyzing data required in preparation for the submission of grant proposal budgets. 

· Attend and actively participate in grant proposal development meetings. 

Audit Support

· Provide all grant account data and schedules, including billing and payment information, at the request of the auditor.

·  Act as the assigned main contact for all grant accounting matters for the organization’s annual audit. 

· Assist administrative staff with generating financial reports, including grant fund general ledgers, as required for grant program audits. 

Other Duties:

· Exercise leadership, independent decision making and professional judgement in day-to-day problem solving with team members and CASA staff. 

· Attend and actively participate in staff team meetings and one-on-one supervisory meetings.

· Exercise sound and professional judgement in communicating sensitive employee or financial data.

· Travel required on an as-needed basis, including occasional evening and weekend work.

· Attend and actively participate in all required trainings.

· Participate in a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education per year. 

· Other projects as assigned.

Required Qualifications

· Bachelor’s degree; preferably in the areas of Finance, Accounting, or Business; or equivalent work experience.

· 8 or more years of professional experience in a nonprofit or government setting, preferably in a similar position. 

· Expert knowledge in cost allocation principles for nonprofit organizations. 

· Advanced in Microsoft Excel, including formulas such as ‘vlookup’, pivot tables, and preferably macros. 

· Highly proficient in MS Office, and ability to work with new systems.

· Detail-oriented and adheres to clear deadlines.

· Excellent organizational skills and ability to multi-task.

· Ability to work within a multicultural environment serving children and families of diverse backgrounds.

· Exceptional oral and written communication skills.

· Ability to pass a Live Scan background check.

· Behave in accordance with all competencies required of a leader that demonstrate the following:

o Actively listens to concerns and exhibits patience even if in disagreement

o Responds and communicates constructively and positively to others and their opinions with a collaborative and non-judgmental approach

o Conveys the point of the discussion clearly, providing supporting information 

o Effectively cascades information to the team and actively inquires their opinions and input 

o Exhibit emotional control during all encounters whether in agreement or not and while taking difficult stands

o Proactively takes responsibility for self and team.

o Builds professional, positive, and respectful relationships

o Adapts leadership style to build engagement based on individual needs of team rather than using a ‘one style fits all’ approach

o Exemplifies leadership skills that proactively address and exceed internal and external needs/expectations

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

· The CASA office is an open office layout. Candidates will be working in a shared space with varying levels of noise and foot traffic. 

· Lifting can be up to 20 lbs.

· This position is both flexible hybrid environment between remote and office. May include work in the field as needed, and could involve intermittent physical activities, including standing, bending, reaching, sitting, speaking, and walking.

CASA of Los Angeles is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion.

CASA of Los Angeles promotes equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. In doing so, we comply with local, state, and federal laws and regulations to ensure an equal employment opportunity for everyone. We don’t discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, ancestry, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, military service obligation, veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. Our policies and personnel practices are intended to ensure that all of us are treated equally with regard to recruiting, hiring, and advancement, and our decisions on employment are made to further the principle of equal employment opportunities for employees.