Senior Payroll Accountant (Apply By: Friday, March 7, 2025)

About JFF 

Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives transformation of the U.S. education and workforce systems to achieve economic advancement for all. Seeing that millions of people are unfairly shut out of quality jobs and the chance for a better life, our goal is to align education, workforce, and employment changemakers toward a shared North Star: By 2033, 75 million people facing systemic barriers to advancement will work in quality jobs.  

To achieve that goal, we design solutions, scale best practices, influence policy and action, and invest in innovation. With a staff of more than 300 people across the country working remotely and in offices in Boston (headquarters), Washington, DC, and Oakland, California, we operate at the national, state, and local levels, forging deep partnerships with employers, investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and education and workforce development providers to break down barriers and reimagine what’s possible.   

We’re on a path of ongoing growth and expanding impact. We have an operating budget of $105 million, and we’re funded by dozens of leading government agencies, foundations, and corporations. Learn more about JFF and join us as we build a future that works—for everyone.  

Equal Employment Opportunity at JFF  

Inclusion, belonging, and well-being are core to JFF’s North Star and mission, and we seek to invest in and learn from those who represent the communities we serve as it is important to the success of our work and the engagement of our staff members. We aim to cultivate a culture that centers the overall care, well-being, and success of the employee through flexible work hours, balanced workloads, professional development, and career advancement opportunities for all. 

JFF is a fair chance employer and in alignment to our North Star, we strongly encourage individuals whose highest level of education attained is less than a 4-year degree; People of Color; and people with records to apply to our open roles. 

About the Position 

The Finance Team plays a critical role in ensuring JFF’s financial health and operational excellence. We provide accurate and timely financial reporting, maintain strong internal controls and support JFF’s mission-driven work through strategic financial management and accountability. 

The Senior Payroll Accountant is a new position that is situated within JFF’s growing Finance function. Reporting to the Director of Payroll Administration, the Senior Payroll Accountant is responsible for managing payroll processes and ensuring compliance with organizational policies and regulatory requirements. This role provides a unique opportunity to contribute to JFF’s financial operations by managing bi-weekly payroll, reconciling accounts, maintaining system data integrity and supporting tax filings and audits.  

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented professional who embraces change and has a strong customer service approach to their work. JFF recently transitioned work from working with an outsourced payroll vendor to bringing the work fully in house. Therefore, we are looking for someone in this role to not only bring technical expertise in payroll systems and strong analytical skills, but also a proactive and creative approach to building and improving our processes. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled payroll professional to contribute to, and have immediate impact on, a growing, mission-driven organization.    

What You'll Do  

Support the accounting function by leading key pieces of the monthly and annual close while meeting established timelines.  

• Assist with preparing and processing bi-weekly payroll in ADP Workforce Now, ensuring proper supporting documentation is correctly filed for each payroll 

• Perform post and after payroll processing audit, reconcile bi-weekly payroll, statistical summary and the GL interface to ensure accuracy 

• Reconcile quarterly 941 reports 

• Assist in the review and management of tax filings and related payments  

• Monitor internal financial and accounting controls over procurement, payroll, receipts, disbursements, and other processes 

• Prepare journal entries and collect, analyze and summarize account information for monthly and year-end closing on a timely basis 

• Review and post journal entries from other team members to the general ledger, such as payroll or accounts payable 

• Monitor compliance with organization policies and procedures 

• Analyze and reconcile specific general ledger account balance sheets and P&L accounts (accrued salaries, accrued taxes and other payroll liability accounts, etc.) 

• Assist and support payroll allocation process by ensure timely month end close 

• Monitor eligibility & execute state registrations to ensure compliance and registration in all the operating states and localities 

• Support data integrity between systems (ADP to NetSuite) on a weekly basis 

• Maintains employee records in NetSuite 

Drive innovation of the team's work by supporting the development and implementation of efficient procedures  

• Partner with the Director of Payroll Administration and other colleagues on updates to the team’s processes and policies 

• Support ongoing optimizations across multiple systems 

• Support maintenance and enhancements of integrated financial management system (NetSuite) 

Collaborate with the other Finance Team members to support overall department goals and objectives 

• Respond to inquiries across JFF regarding payroll issues such as timesheets, processed pay, payroll deduction and access to ADP 

• Assist with the preparation of financial reporting to donors and other statutory financial reports 

• Collaborate with People Ops and other departments to ensure successful payroll processing and compliance with company policies, tax regulations, and employee benefits administration  

• Support Finance Team with payroll inquiries relating to budget management 

• Assist with annual audit and preparation of PBC list, resource-gathering, and recommended follow-through 

• Assist and support 403b audit, workers compensation audit, and other payroll audits as needed

Who You Are   

The qualifications listed within the job description are intended as a guide and we do not expect candidates to bring all experiences and skills listed. Research supports that self-selecting out of potential professional opportunities is particularly common among individuals with identities that are marginalized in professional spaces. So, if you believe that you can meet the overall expectations of the position, we encourage you to apply so that we have an opportunity to learn more about you and the unique strengths you would bring to the work. 

• You have previously managed payroll processing, compliance, and maintaining standards around reporting, tax filings, and benefits within a multi-state, mid-size to large (300+ employees) nonprofit organization and/or within a public accounting firm working with nonprofit clients (New hires at the Senior Manager level at JFF typically bring 5-10 years of prior professional experience through a combination of full-time, part-time, internship, and/or freelance positions). 

• You can quickly learn and adopt new approaches, processes, and technology that support you and your team’s work; You have experience processing payroll using best in class tools such as ADP Workforce Now, Paylocity, or Workday as well as familiarity with NetSuite, or similar systems, and expertise using Microsoft Excel.  

• You possess a solid understanding of GAAP and ideally have exposure to grant/cost accounting for a nonprofit. 

• You are highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize your workload, multitask, and deliver quality work that supports you and your team’s ambitious goals.  

• You are someone who likes to think outside of the box and is excited to develop new, or optimize existing, processes and systems; You know how to collect relevant data, leverage feedback, develop skills, and acquire knowledge to better support your team and increase the value of your work.   

• You foster positive, effective, collaborative cultures and teams wherever you work, with a track record of success functioning both independently and in close partnership with colleagues on Finance and HR teams. 

• You bring effective communication skills and a customer service approach to working alongside internal stakeholders, especially when handling confidential matters.  

• You possess high energy and passion for JFF’s mission and North Star, and the ability to apply JFF’s core values to all areas of your work.    

• You are energized by stewarding JFF’s inclusion, belonging, and well-being values and practices within your day-to-day work, including embracing and celebrating the differences that each individual brings to JFF.  

What We Offer  

At JFF, we’re fueled by the desire to create a world where everyone has equal opportunity for economic advancement. Our team works hard to push the boundaries of what is possible, and in return, we provide a gratifying work experience, competitive salaries, and a comprehensive benefits program that includes flexibility and choice as core values in order to support people wherever they are in their lives and careers.  

JFF has offices in Boston, Oakland, and Washington, DC; employees are welcome to use JFF office space to work in-person or hybrid, or completely remote. To improve the employee experience and promote productivity while working remotely, JFF offers an annual home office stipend to all regular full-time and part-time employees. In addition, new employees receive office equipment as needed.  

The hiring range for this role is $80,000 – $120,000 annually, in alignment to JFF’s Senior Manager salary band and our compensation philosophy. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

To Apply  

As part of your application, please include your resume and a thoughtful cover letter, addressed to Kris Sampson, VP of Finance, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position.  

We are accepting applications through 5pmEST on Friday, March 7th. Applications submitted by that date will be reviewed and candidates will receive updates on their candidacy by the week of March 17th.

At JFF, we’re also committed to accessibility and want to ensure that everyone, including people with disabilities, can fully access and engage with our application and hiring process. If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability and/or have specific access/accommodation needs in order to fully participate in our hiring process, please contact us at hiringaccommodations@jff.org.

JFF offers a competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience and skills.