Purpose

The Financial Accounting Officer ensures accurate reporting of the Foundation’s general accounting and financial reporting functions including budget analysis and financial reporting. Functional work areas include fixed asset record keeping, impact investments accounting and reporting, general ledger account reconciliations, monitoring and documentation of internal and external reporting requirements and accounting procedures. The Financial Accounting Officer collaborates with department managers and leadership to develop key elements of the Foundation’s budget, monitors actual activity, evaluates forecast spending and provides accurate financial reporting. The officer also ensures compliance with policies, and collaborates to improve practices, policies and systems, and performs ongoing analysis and consultation as needed for AVP, CFO and various stakeholders.     

Responsibilities

• Advances Lumina’s commitment to ending systemic racism and barriers to learning beyond high school for Black, Latino and Native American individuals.  Officers will further Lumina’s specific practices that promote racial and ethnic diversity in hiring, contracting, grantmaking, inclusive decision making, and achieving fair and just outcomes arising from the department’s exercise of its duties and responsibilities and effectively communicate Lumina’s commitment to internal and external partners.
• General Accounting:
  • Leads the review and discussions of the monthly close process. Collaborates with colleagues in the timely completion of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closing procedures.
  • Prepares, reviews and posts required journal entries to account for fiscal activity in the organization.  Maintains clear and accurate documentation of monthly close and accounting activities for leadership review and financial reporting completeness. Performs general ledger and sub-ledger account reconciliations of multiple levels of complexity and completes requested financial analysis.
  • Contributes to the accounting practices of the organization in accordance with the Foundation’s strategic vision.
• Budgets and Reporting: Analyzes and advises leadership on trends related to the corporate operating forecasts and budgets. Identifies areas of budget redeployment to meet and be used for mission driven Foundation work. Assists in compiling materials for quarterly meetings of the Board of Directors and Audit & Finance Committee. Ensures the timely distribution of designated reports to organizational leaders.
• Impact Investing Accounting: Primarily responsible for complex accounting for Lumina impact investment assets. Works with outside consultants to record monthly/quarterly activity. Designs systems to track debt investee activities and record on the general ledger.
• Treasury Functions: Monitors bank activity and forecasts organization’s cash. Works with management to ensure cash needs are met. Monitors utilization of line of credit and ensures compliance with bank covenants. Initiates and/or approves ACHs and acts as a backup for monitoring bank activity and bank reconciliation process. Initiates or approves ACH and wire transfers following internal controls policies.
• Other: Organizes, guides and directs effectiveness of assigned special projects and teams as needed. Completes multiple surveys that contribute to mission of the Foundation. Promotes self-growth by remaining current on pertinent systems and accounting and tax standards.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of GAAP.
• General knowledge of tax regulations or ability to research tax concepts. 
• Understanding or direct knowledge of auditing practices and principles. 
• Ability to utilize general ledger system or related Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and financial/budgeting software packages.
• Ability to effectively and productively utilize Microsoft Office suite of tools, especially Excel.  
• Ability to present issues and solutions clearly and concisely and effectively to Foundation’s varied stakeholders.
• Strong ability to multitask, set priorities, triage work and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently and manage projects while delivering timely results.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with people.
• Ability to be a contributing part of an organizational culture that embraces teamwork.
• Written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate concepts and activities accurately, effectively, and in ways that are suited to the Foundation’s varied stakeholders. 

Work Environment and Physical Demands

• Work is performed in an office environment, mostly sedentary.
• Visual and auditory acuity for extensive use of various forms of technology.
• Travel is infrequent but may include overnight stays for conferences and events.

About Lumina Foundation

Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. Lumina envisions a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. The Foundation’s goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy. Lumina is collaborating with partners to design a learning system that gives every person—regardless of race and ethnicity, income, or other socioeconomic factors—the opportunities that only education and training after high school can provide. The Foundation works with governmental, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations to achieve its mission. Lumina’s work relies on strategic communication, empowering leaders who can bring about change, policy outreach to state and federal officials, investments in proven and promising practices, and targeted efforts to measure and evaluate progress.

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