Staff Accountant

Part-Time, Approximately 25 Hours per Week | Hybrid | North Chicago, IL

• $34–$40 per hour, commensurate with experience and qualifications
• Hybrid schedule, approximately 25 hours per week
• Reports to the Senior Director of Finance
• Play a hands-on role strengthening accounting operations, grant reporting, and audit readiness for a mission-driven youth development organization

YouthBuild Lake County (YBLC) provides underserved young adults with the education, training, and life skills necessary to become gainfully employed and build a better future. Through a comprehensive high school diploma attainment program, career readiness training, and hands-on construction and vocational pathways, YBLC serves opportunity youth ages 17 to 24 across Lake County. Members complete their education, earn industry-recognized credentials, and give back to their community through construction and service projects that rehabilitate affordable housing. Since opening its doors, YBLC has served over 1,000 youth and provided well over 100,000 hours of community service.

The Part-Time Nonprofit Accountant maintains complete, accurate, and timely financial records for YBLC. This role manages day-to-day general ledger accounting, reconciliations, payroll and benefits accounting, month-end close, and financial reporting. The Accountant works closely with the Senior Director of Finance and the finance team to strengthen accounting processes, support grant reporting, and ensure records are audit-ready.

• Accounting Operations. Maintain the general ledger in QuickBooks Online, manage bank and credit card feeds, and record revenue, expenses, transfers, and journal entries with appropriate documentation and coding.
• Month-End Close and Financial Reporting. Lead the month-end close process, prepare monthly organizational and program-level financial statements including budget-to-actual reports, and identify and explain variances and unusual balances.
• Reconciliations and Balance Sheet Management. Reconcile bank and credit card accounts, maintain schedules for receivables, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, and accrued or deferred revenue, and record monthly amortization and depreciation entries.
• Payroll and Benefits Accounting. Review approved payroll reports, record payroll journal entries, and reconcile wages, taxes, deductions, and benefits activity to the general ledger.
• Grant, Audit, and Compliance Support. Generate grant-related general ledger reports, support grant reporting and closeouts, prepare year-end closing entries and audit schedules, and maintain audit-ready records.
• Mission Alignment. Build relationships with participants, value youth voice, and demonstrate mutual respect as a reflection of YBLC's mission.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; equivalent directly relevant experience may be considered.
• Experience: Minimum of three years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including general ledger accounting, reconciliations, journal entries, and month-end close. Nonprofit, grant, payroll and benefits reconciliation, or audit experience strongly preferred.
• Systems: Proficiency in QuickBooks Online is essential. Experience with Insperity, Divvy, and Bill.com is a plus.
• Skills: Demonstrated ability to prepare accruals, balance-sheet schedules, and financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, along with proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Attributes: Strong attention to detail, analytical judgment, organization, follow-through, communication, discretion, and the ability to meet recurring deadlines.

This is a part-time, hybrid position of approximately 25 hours per week, offering $34 to $40 per hour commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Please submit your resume through the NextGroup website. The NextGroup search team will contact you regarding next steps.

NextGroup is Chicagoland's leading executive search firm and nonprofit talent network connecting mission-driven organizations with exceptional leaders who drive impact. We customize talent solutions with our nonprofit partners, recruiting permanent, fractional, and interim professionals across executive leadership, finance, development, and operations.

We have a network of 11,000+ mission-driven professionals in Chicagoland and beyond. We reject cookie-cutter approaches and instead partner with you to build human capital strategies that match your unique growth and capacity-building needs. NextGroup also provides career coaching and transition services to professionals advancing in the social impact sector.