Finance Operations Associate

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

 Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

OFFICE OF FINANCIAL OPERATIONS 

The mission of the Office of Financial Operations (OFO) is to deliver timely and accurate financial reporting, analysis, and guidance that allows the Institute to pursue its programmatic goals and provide financial confidence in the organization. The OFO principally assists the organization's various programs and departments and its Board of Trustees by planning, organizing, and directing financial activities in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws as well as the standards set forth by the Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). OFO promotes sound fiscal management through leadership, policy, and oversight. The OFO does this via its Guiding Principles:

Accountability and Integrity – We take responsibility for our actions and work to leverage limited resources to deliver the greatest value possible. As stewards of the Institute’s finances, we are committed to developing and managing a system of internal controls that provides confidence in the Institute’s finances to both internal and external audiences.

Excellence – We strive to be an initiative-taking group that establishes and achieves meaningful goals, measures performance, and communicates results. We value individual excellence and collective success. We serve as the focal point for the Institute’s fiscal management, embracing opportunities for change and improvement while being accurate and timely with our work.

Stakeholder Focus – We value and maintain strong partnerships in achieving our goals. We reach out and listen to our stakeholders to ensure that we are informed about their unique requirements, and they are informed about our capabilities as service providers. We are an organization-focused team, actively developing and providing new tools and support to meet the requirements of the organization.

Workforce – We respect and value a highly skilled, enthusiastic, motivated, service-oriented, and diverse workforce. We encourage innovation and thoughtful problem solving. We invest in continuing professional development for all employees to ensure a technically competent and knowledgeable workforce.

ABOUT THIS ROLE 

We are seeking a meticulous and dependable Accounting Operations Associate to support our financial operations through account reconciliation, data entry, and transaction processing. This role plays a key part in maintaining the integrity of financial records by ensuring accurate reconciliation of various accounts, supporting donor and constituent setup processes, and serving as backup for essential financial entry tasks. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, comfortable with accounting systems, and capable of handling a wide range of routine accounting functions with precision and consistency.

This role reports directly to the Senior Staff Accountant. The salary range for this role is $62,000 - $68,000. The expectation is for this role to be in our Washington D.C. office a minimum of 2x a week to collaborate with colleagues.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Reconcile Balance Sheet Accounts including, but not limited to:

  • Petty Cash

  • Employee Receivables

  • Cash and Gift Suspense Accounts

  • State payroll liability accounts

  •  AR Miscellaneous

• Enter new gift designation account in Salesforce.

• Set up new Constituent records in NetSuite and new donor records in Salesforce.

• Serve as back-up for eCommerce entries, cash receipts, and remote check deposits.

• Prepare and process check logs for DC and Aspen Words.

• Support general accounting functions and contribute to timely financial reporting.

• Ensure all entries and reconciliations are in compliance with internal controls and policies.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field.

• 1-3 years of accounting experience, preferably in a nonprofit environment.

• Experience with accounting systems (NetSuite and Salesforce preferred)

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including advanced functions for data analysis and reconciliation.

• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet critical deadlines.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.

HOW TO APPLY 

To be considered please complete an application, provide a resume and a cover letter.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation regarding the accessibility of our website, a modification or adjustment of the job application or interview process due to a disability, contact HRSupport@aspeninstitute.org or call (202) 736-5800.