Client Service Manager Nonprofit Accounting
Location: Los Angeles, CA Hybrid
Compensation: $150,000$180,000 Base Salary
Schedule: Standard 35-hour workweek
Industry: Outsourced Accounting / Nonprofit Services
The Opportunity
Alliance Resource Group is partnering with a nationally recognized, rapidly growing accounting services organization to hire a
Client Service Manager for its Los Angeles market.
This is a unique opportunity for an experienced accounting leader who enjoys
leading people, managing client relationships, and overseeing high-quality accounting work without needing to personally own every journal entry, reconciliation, or month-end task.
The organization provides outsourced accounting and financial management services to nonprofit organizations, typically serving clients in the
$2M$10M revenue range.
The Client Service Manager will oversee a portfolio of client engagements and the accounting professionals supporting those clients. The position sits at the intersection of
technical accounting, people leadership, client service, and engagement management.
This is not a traditional hands-on Accounting Manager position. The successful candidate must have strong accounting fundamentals and prior hands-on experience, but their primary responsibility will be ensuring that their teams are producing accurate work, clients are receiving exceptional service, and engagements are appropriately staffed and managed.
What You'll Be Doing
Lead Client Relationships
Serve as a trusted advisor and escalation point for nonprofit clients while ensuring that accounting engagements are being delivered effectively.
Responsibilities will include:
Build strong relationships with Executive Directors, Finance Leaders, Board Members and other client stakeholders.
Oversee financial reporting and ensure timely, accurate deliverables.
Lead and support new-client onboarding and transitions.
Participate in finance committee and board meetings when appropriate.
Identify client concerns early and help resolve challenging situations.
Review client needs, scope of work and overall engagement health.
Identify opportunities for process improvements, stronger reporting and additional value-added services.
Serve as the connection between clients, accounting staff and firm leadership.
Lead and Develop Accounting Teams
People leadership is a significant component of this position.
The Manager will:
Coach and develop accounting professionals supporting the client portfolio.
Review work and provide technical accounting guidance.
Conduct regular employee check-ins and performance discussions.
Help resolve performance or client-service issues.
Manage staff utilization, workload and engagement coverage.
Identify when additional resources are needed on an engagement.
Provide training and professional development support.
Help create an environment where employees can grow professionally while maintaining strong client service.
Provide Technical Accounting Oversight
While this Manager will
not spend the majority of their time preparing accounting work, they need enough technical depth to recognize when something is wrong and guide the team toward the correct solution.
Candidates should have firsthand experience with:
General ledger accounting
Journal entries
Bank and balance sheet reconciliations
Month-end close
Financial statement preparation and review
Audit preparation
Internal accounting processes and controls
Excel
Multiple accounting systems
The Manager will also be expected to remain current on accounting standards and regulations affecting nonprofit organizations.
Business Development
This is
not primarily a sales position.
The immediate focus is on successfully leading employees and managing existing client relationships. Over time, the Manager will have opportunities to become more active in the Los Angeles nonprofit and business community.
This may include:
Participating in prospective client conversations.
Assessing potential client needs.
Attending relevant industry and networking events.
Developing relationships within the local nonprofit community.
Helping identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable developing a network and contributing to growth over time without needing to come into the position as an established salesperson.
What We're Looking For
Required
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
7+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
Nonprofit accounting experience.
Strong hands-on accounting foundation.
Experience reviewing financial statements and accounting work.
Proven experience leading and developing accounting professionals.
Strong client or stakeholder management skills.
Ability to communicate effectively with both accounting professionals and non-accounting executives.
Strong Excel skills and willingness to work across multiple accounting platforms.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, client relationships and team members simultaneously.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to professionally navigate conflict and challenging client situations.
Preferred
Previous Controller or CFO-level experience.
Public accounting experience.
Experience overseeing multiple clients, entities or business units.
Outsourced accounting / Client Accounting Services experience.
Experience presenting financial information to executives, Finance Committees or Boards.
Experience working in a consulting, fractional accounting or professional-services environment.
Who Will Be Most Successful
We believe the strongest candidate will be someone who
started their career doing the accounting themselves and subsequently grew into a leadership role.
You should still be comfortable getting into the details of a reconciliation, journal entry or financial statement when necessary, but you no longer need to be the person performing every transaction.
Instead, you enjoy:
Developing people.
Reviewing work.
Solving problems.
Helping clients navigate difficult situations.
Managing multiple relationships.
Creating accountability.
Improving processes.
Making sure the right people and resources are assigned to the right work.
Strong client-facing skills are essential. This individual will regularly interact with nonprofit executives and other senior stakeholders and must be able to establish credibility quickly.
Why Consider This Opportunity?
The organization offers a differentiated alternative to the traditional public accounting or corporate accounting environment.
Highlights include:
$150,000$180,000 base salary
Standard 35-hour full-time workweek
Hybrid work environment
Four weeks of paid time off
Nine paid holidays
Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
Generous employer contributions toward medical premiums
401(k) with employer match
Professional development reimbursement
Company-provided laptop
Technology stipend
Significant professional growth opportunities
Mission-driven work supporting nonprofit organizations
The organization has also received national workplace recognition and is among the growing firms in the outsourced accounting space.
Work Environment
This is a
hybrid Los Angeles position, but hybrid does not simply mean a prescribed number of office days.
The Manager will need to be available for in-person client meetings, staff meetings, annual reviews and other business needs throughout the Los Angeles market. Occasional travel may also be required for strategic events and initiatives.
Interview Process
Candidates should expect a thorough process designed to evaluate both technical accounting ability and leadership/client-facing skills.
The process includes:
Timed accounting, general ledger and Excel assessment.
Interview focused on accounting fundamentals, Excel and financial statement knowledge.
Leadership/culture interview, including a writing exercise.
Evaluation of nonprofit accounting knowledge.
Final interview with senior regional leadership.
Alliance Resource Group is representing our client exclusively as a recruiting partner for this opportunity. Qualified candidates interested in learning more are encouraged to apply for a confidential conversation.