Reports to:  Senior Accounting Manager

Department: Finance

Status:  Full-time, exempt

About Central Park and the Central Park Conservancy

Central Park is one of the most famous and beloved urban public spaces in the world. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1857, the 843-acre park was the first purpose-built public park in the country and is a National Historic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since that time, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of approximately $1 billion in the restoration of the Park, and now hosts over 40 million visitors a year. 

The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from the pace and pressures of city life, enhancing the enjoyment and wellbeing of all. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of the Park’s care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. Committed to sharing the best practices in urban park management, the Conservancy also serves as a resource for other NYC parks and for public-private partnerships around the world. The Conservancy employs 400 people and has an operating budget of $100 million.

Job Summary:

The Senior Accountant assumes a pivotal role within the Finance team, entrusted with the critical responsibility of ensuring the timely and accurate financial accounting, comprehensive account analyses, and financial reporting for the Central Park Conservancy. This position demands a high level of technical accounting expertise, offering essential support for audits, meticulous account analysis, preparation of reconciliations, and the proficient execution of various other accounting responsibilities. The Senior Accountant's contributions are integral to meeting the organization's internal and external reporting requirements.

Summary of Essential Job Functions

• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations for multiple bank accounts, ensuring precision and adherence to financial standards.
• Conduct monthly account analyses and reconciliations, encompassing a thorough examination of actual versus budget performance and year-over-year variances. Deliver comprehensive explanations for identified differences, fostering clarity and insight.
• Collaborate with the internal finance team to address discrepancies, employing critical thinking to identify solutions and fortify internal controls, thereby contributing to financial integrity.
• Ability to prepare adjusting journal entries for both monthly and year-end financial closes. This includes the formulation of allocation journal entries for payroll and benefits, tracking monthly credit card expenditures, and monitoring daily retail activity.
• Conduct monthly reviews of employee travel expenses and corporate card expense accounts. Promptly communicate any irregularities to relevant users and ensuring compliance with our policy.
• Provide assistance for both internal stakeholders' needs and external audits. Furnish essential documentation and support schedules as required. Demonstrate a deep understanding of working within a general ledger platform and offer ad hoc reporting as needed.
• Proactively evaluate current processes and systems, conducting in-depth analyses to identify areas of potential improvement. Develop and propose recommendations to enhance overall financial operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance
• Thorough knowledge of accounting policies, procedures, and processes to ensure accordance with US GAAP.
• Minimum of 3-5 years of related experience in a similar capacity (Not-for-Profit experience preferred).
• Experience with retirement plan reporting and compliance.
• Technical proficiency with various database systems and report writers (ADP, Microsoft Excel and Access, Financial Edge, etc.).
• Detail-oriented (with strong concern for data accuracy), self-motivated, highly organized, resourceful, and reliable.
• Ability to communicate effectively with management and staff in other organizational areas.
• Ability to effectively multi-task.
• Ability to work independently and meet project and monthly close deadlines.

Salary range:  $85K to $95K annually (based on level of experience)

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The Central Park Conservancy’s work is guided by the belief that Central Park, and all public parks, must be managed and actively protected as an inclusive and democratic space for all.

Working closely with our New York City partners, we will always strive towards creating and sustaining a sense of belonging for all visitors and advocating for equitable and accessible public use of the Park.

In service of this belief, we are committed to fostering a workforce and organizational culture that is as diverse as Central Park itself and the dynamic city it serves.

Safety Requirements

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of this organization and employees at every level. The Conservancy will make every effort to assure a safe environment and be in compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations.  Employees are expected to obey safety rules and to exercise caution in all their work activities.  Accordingly, employees should be aware of any hazards, which could cause an injury or accident (e.g., spills, obstacles in walkways, etc.).  If an employee discovers a potentially dangerous condition, he/she should alert other employees and notify his/her supervisor immediately.

Disclaimer

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.  All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.