Accountant, Public Grants

Summary 

At Goodwill Mission Services of Silicon Valley, our purpose is simple and powerful: to help people build skills, find meaningful work, and thrive in our community. For nearly 100 years, we have been a trusted partner in connecting opportunity with people's potential. By working hand in hand with local experts, employers, and community members, we create pathways to education, employment, and lasting economic mobility. 

As a team, we are committed to: 

• Empowering one another to do our best work and grow together. 

• Building strong partnerships and serving as a driving force for economic opportunity in Silicon Valley. 

• Modeling teamwork, integrity, and cultural intelligence in everything we do. 

• Acting with mutual respect for each other, our community, and the environment we share. 

Goodwill Mission Services runs about $8 to $9 million a year across seven government grants that span federal, state, county, and city funders. The Accountant, Public Grants records grant activity to the general ledger, reconciles accounts, and owns the reconciliation that ties grant billing to program reporting. It maintains the audit file for each award. 

On a grant, no single person should carry a transaction from start to finish. The work splits three ways on purpose. You record the activity and reconcile the accounts. The Grants Financial Analyst prepares the invoices and watches the budgets. The Director, Finance and Operations approves. Each hand keeps the others honest, so a mistake or a bad entry gets caught before it reaches a funder.  

This role reports to the Director, Finance and Operations. 

Job Responsibilities 

Grant Accounting and Recording (35%) 

• Record grant transactions to the general ledger accurately and on time. 

• Prepare journal entries, accruals, and cost allocations across funding sources. 

• Support month-end and year-end closeout for grant-funded programs. 

• Record grant activity in line with 2 CFR 200 cost principles, which set what federal grants allow. 

Reconciliation (30%) 

• Own the invoice-to-report reconciliation for each billing cycle. This confirms grant billing matches what programs report. 

• Receive discrepancies flagged by the Compliance Analyst and resolve them. 

• Reconcile cash received to invoices submitted, and both to the general ledger. 

• Reconcile grant accounts each month and resolve differences. 

• Escalate any difference the numbers do not explain to the Director for review and approval. 

Records and Audit Files (20%) 

• Maintain a complete audit file for each of the seven awards. 

• Apply the records and retention standards set by the Director, and hold them as enrollment scales. 

• Prepare documentation and schedules for the single audit run by the parent organization. 

• Support the response to audit findings by pulling records and correcting entries. 

Drawdown and Cash Support (15%) 

• Record drawdowns and reconcile them to grant billing. 

• Support the handoff to Goodwill of Silicon Valley for accounts receivable processing. 

• Keep grant cash records current across the portfolio

• Responsibilities may be added, deleted or changed at any time at the discretion of management, formally or informally either orally or in writing. 

Required Qualifications/Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. 

• Three or more years of accounting experience, ideally in a grant-funded nonprofit. 

• Fund accounting experience, including cost allocation across funding sources. 

• Familiarity with federal grant cost principles under 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance). 

• General ledger reconciliation experience, including month-end and year-end close. 

• Experience preparing journal entries, accruals, and audit schedules. 

• Experience supporting a single audit from the organization side. 

• Intermediate to advanced Excel. 

• Experience with an ERP or financial management system. 

Preferred Qualifications/Experience 

• Grant or public-grants accounting experience. 

• Familiarity with NetSuite. 

• Experience with Department of Labor or Veterans Affairs grants. Our portfolio includes HVRP and SSVF. 

• Experience with California state and county workforce or reentry funding. 

• Familiarity with a client data or case management system such as CaseWorthy. 

Aptitudes/skills/temperament 

• Records and reconciles with accuracy.  

• Works independent of the person who prepares the invoice. 

• Explains a difference in the numbers in plain terms. 

• Strong attention to detail and organization. 

• Clear written and oral communication with program and finance staff. 

Key Performance Indicators 

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to: 

• Record grant transactions accurately and on time across all seven awards. 

• Own and complete the invoice-to-report reconciliation for each billing cycle. 

• Keep grant account reconciliations current each month. 

• Keep a complete, audit-ready file for every award. 

Job Requirements 

• Onsite at Goodwill of Silicon Valley headquarters in San Jose. 

• Computer literate. Knowledge of MS Office required, with intermediate to advanced Excel preferred. 

• Must pass a criminal background check. 

Working and Physical Conditions 

• Location: Goodwill of Silicon Valley headquarters in San Jose. Regular in-person contact with staff, partners, and funders. 

• Onsite role. 

• Sedentary work, frequently sitting for extended periods in front of a computer monitor. 

• May occasionally require lifting objects up to 20 lbs.