Finance Assistant

PEN America, a nonprofit organization that stands at the intersection of literature and human rights, seeks a skilled, efficient, and detail-oriented finance assistant to support our finance operations. This is a full-time position based in New York.

Reporting to the chief financial and administrative officer, the assistant will engage in a wide range of activities to support the finance operations of our growing nonprofit organization. The assistant will perform finance functions, including maintaining accurate finance recordkeeping with regard to donations, memberships, grants, and other organizational revenues; handling check requests, invoices, deposits, and other bookkeeping activities; as well as assisting with financial reporting and preparing journal entries.

The successful candidate will be part of a dedicated and mission-driven staff at a fast-paced organization with an ambitious growth agenda. For a high-capacity individual with a willingness to take on new challenges, the position offers opportunity for professional advancement within nonprofit finance.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support preparation of finance information for grant proposals and reporting for funders
• Liaise with other departments to track funding, grants, and other payments for accounts receivable
• Conduct or support bookkeeping functions, including bill payments, bank deposits, credit card and other expense transactions, e-commerce, bank reconciliation, etc.
• Process monthly payroll
• Record banking and investment account entries
• Provide administrative support during budget preparation
• Support preparation for annual audit and required government filings
• Provide guidance to finance department interns
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably with a focus on accounting or bookkeeping
• Meticulous attention to detail and focus on precision in all aspects of work
• Demonstrated interest in acquiring new skills, and ability to do so quickly
• Ability to both follow and improve accounting processes in a fast-paced environment with multiple and varied assignments
• Nonprofit experience strongly preferred
• Experience in QuickBooks and Fund EZ strongly preferred
• Knowledge of Excel (required) and Microsoft Office Suite
• Exceptional problem-solving skills, and the ability to follow through from the identification of a challenge to its solution
• Excellent interpersonal and written/oral communications skills
• Formidable work ethic and high energy level, with ability to multitask effectively and willingness to do what it takes to get the job done
• Exemplary team player with professional demeanor and ability to work independently and collaboratively

Salary and Benefits: PEN America offers competitive compensation and benefits, commensurate with experience.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a cover letter directly addressing specific requirements for the position as outlined above, resume, and the contact information for three references. Please submit the entire application to jobs@pen.org. One PDF is preferred. Please use “Finance Assistant” with your name as the subject of your email (for example, “Finance Assistant – Jane Doe”). Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

PEN America is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices, and in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

No phone calls, please.

ABOUT PEN AMERICA:

PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.