Bookkeeper

Bookkeeper Work with a purpose as part of a team empowering people to change their lives.
Join a team dedicated to helping every person—participants, volunteers, donors, and staff—realize the fullness of who it is God created us to be as we fight poverty with dignity.
About Salt & Light (S&L) We are a non-denominational, Christian nonprofit not affiliated with any one church, rather, working with many different individuals, churches, businesses, and organizations in fulfilling our mission and vision.
Our doors first opened January 2004 in Champaign, IL as we began handing out food and clothing to local families.
Very quickly we became the largest “emergency food program” in Champaign County, and a leader in the community for providing access to basic resources.
In addition to the weekly assistance provided through the food pantry and clothing closet, we partnered with area churches and businesses in large events designed to help families with school supplies in the fall, meals at Thanksgiving, and gifts at Christmas.
We later added financial education classes and a computer lab, both of which represented not just the addition of new programs but signaled a desire to move away from just providing things, to offering opportunities for people to grow.
After wrestling with the theologies and ideologies found in the book When Helping Hurts, we felt led to design a more developmental approach to meeting basic needs.
Our new model created opportunities for individuals to acquire the resources they needed through use of the skills, gifts, and abilities God had given them.
Instead of being handed a preselected bag of groceries, our participants now shopped with store credit earned through volunteering.
The stores we now operate in Urbana and Champaign are open to the entire community and generate revenue to support the store credit participants earn in addition to our other programs and services.
About the Position Reporting to the Executive Director, the bookkeeper helps to fulfill our mission by overseeing all finance, accounting, and reporting activities.
The bookkeeper will be involved in supporting presentations to the board and will work closely with the senior leadership team.
The bookkeeper will lead all day-to-day finance operations of a budget of $3.
5 million, establishing and executing an integrated strategy for the accounting operations of the organization, to include the production of periodic financial reports, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records, and a comprehensive set of controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk, enhance the accuracy of the company's reported financial results, and ensure that reported results comply with generally accepted accounting principles.
We are looking for someone who is a highly motivated self-starter comfortable being part of a team.
The ideal candidate would be able to think strategically across multiple priorities and initiatives, is a resourceful problem-solver, and detail oriented.
Alignment with Salt & Light’s Statement of Beliefs and a pastoral reference are required for consideration.
Responsibilities Prepare and maintain accurate financial records in compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
Process accounts payable and receivable in a timely manner.
Add all donations to donor CRM software (Salesforce).
Daily cash deposits of sales.
Respond to all vendor inquiries regarding invoices and check requests; resolve invoice discrepancies.
Prepare and file monthly sales tax.
Reconcile bank statements and credit card accounts monthly.
Prepare month-end reconciliations and journal entries.
Prepare monthly financial reports for management, including profit and loss statements and balance sheets.
Develop and maintain budgeting and forecasting models.
Assist with annual budgeting process.
Work with external accounting firm on annual audit and 990 preparation and filing.
Continuously look for opportunities to improve efficiencies and increase the effectiveness of financial operations.
Other general accounting duties as assigned.
Preferred Skills & Experience Minimum 2-year associate degree in accounting and/or 3 years of work experience in an accounting role.
Experience in accounts payable, accounts receivable, account and bank reconciliations, and journal entries.
Financial statement preparation.
Sales and use tax reporting Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to work well with a diverse group of staff and volunteers.
Proficiency with or the ability to quickly learn the organization’s accounting management systems.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite.
Wages & Benefits Starting Salary of $40,000 – $50,000 Health Insurance (S&L covers 75% of cost on average) 18 days of paid time off and 9 paid holidays the first year Pre-tax supplemental insurance options 401k options Why You Should Apply You want to be a part of something bigger than yourself.
You want to make a difference in the lives of others and the community you are a part of.
Significant opportunities for both personal and professional growth.
Healthy, flexible, and relationally focused work environment.
Statement of Beliefs The Bible: We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and stands as the central authority over our lives, our faith, and the direction of our ministry.
(2 Timothy 3:16; Matthew 5:18) God: We believe in one God, the Father, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Three persons eternally share the Divine Nature.
God is both self-existent and personal.
(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; John 14:10, 26; 15:26) Jesus Christ: Jesus Christ, the Son, is fully God and fully human.
He was born of the Virgin Mary.
He lived a sinless life, died for the sins of humanity, was resurrected bodily on the third day, ascended into heaven, and is coming again as King and Judge.
Jesus Christ is the only provision that God has given for people to be reconciled to Him.
Jesus’ life on earth also serves as the model for the Christian life.
(John 14:6; Acts 4:12; I Corinthians 15:1-8; Isaiah 7:14; Romans 8:34; Acts 1:10) Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit is God.
He came forth from the Father and Son to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to regenerate, sanctify, and empower all who believe in Jesus Christ.
He indwells us the moment we place our faith in Christ and enables us to live a life that is pleasing to God.
The Holy Spirit also endows each believer with a unique spiritual ability to serve the church and the world.
(John 14:16, 15:26-27, 16:9-14; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:22-26; Ephesians 1:13-14) Salvation: Salvation is reconciliation with God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ.
God offers us salvation by His grace alone and we receive it as a gift through personal faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
This right standing before God must be received.
It cannot be earned.
God freely offers salvation to all people, and our salvation is secure when personally appropriated through repentance and faith in Christ.
Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior should be obedient to Him by repentance, confession, baptism, and lifetime faithfulness to Him.
(John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 8:38-39; Ephesians 1:13; 2:4-5; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10; Romans 6:1-4; Revelation 2:10) Human Condition: We believe that every person has worth as a creation of God, but that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
According to Genesis, human beings are created in the image of God.
As such, we are unique among all of God’s creation.
Through Adam’s sin and the abuse of our God-given free will, we have turned against God, and this has resulted in spiritual death for all humankind.
Humanity lives in a state of alienation and profound need, which can only be satisfied by reconciliation with God through Christ.
Without this reconciliation, all people stand under God’s righteous judgment.
Humanity, although fallen, maintains the image of God and is, therefore, still dignified, and unique.
God continues to love us and reach out to us, even though we are hostile to Him.
Believers in Jesus Christ receive a new nature that becomes the foundation for a process of transformation.
(John 3:16; Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17) Any questions related to our Statement of Beliefs should be directed to the executive Director, Nathan Montgomery (nathan@saltandlightministry.
org)