Accounting Associate

Northwest Minnesota Foundation ‚Ä¢ Bemidji, Minnesota ‚Ä¢ Full Time

Posted on Tue, Jun 23, 2026

ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE JOB DETAILS Industry Community Foundation Employment Type Full-time Employment Status Exempt Job Functions Finance & Administration Direct Reports 0 Position Reports to Controller Career Pathway A200 Northwest Minnesota Foundation, Bemidji MN The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is one of the six Minnesota Initiative Foundations (MIFs) established by the McKnight Foundation in 1986 to assist Minnesota’s rural regions during the farm crisis in the 1980s. As the region’s MIF and the only community foundation in the region, NMF has been serving the vast nonprofit community in northwest Minnesota for more than 30 years. NMF provides grants and loans to organizations and small businesses and scholarships to individuals within the 12-county region and the two tribal nations. Since its founding, NMF has invested millions to help make the region a better place to live and work. Position Description The Accounting Associate position is accountable for recording accounting, grants, donor and lending transactions. Duties will also include accounts payable and some payroll functions. This role supports and reports directly to the Controller with transactional accounting activities. Key responsibilities include assisting with month-end close, performing bank reconciliations, and supporting year-end processes, including the annual audit, Form 990, and other reporting requirements. The Accounting Associate also provides support for administrative functions, including routine IT-related tasks and other admin duties. This position plays a key role in ensuring accurate financial records, responsive internal service, and smooth office operations. Duties & Responsibilities

You will work closely with the Controller as well as other members of the finance team on accounting, grants, donor and lending transaction management in addition to bank and other account reconciliations as needed to support the audit and other financial reporting needs. You will also assist with some payroll functions. You will report to the Controller.
You will reconcile all deposits to what has been received in the bank. You will assist in processing monthly journal entries such as prepaids, fixed assets, bank transactions, overhead, departmental allocations, vacation, sick and other benefit accruals, as well as other accrued liabilities. You will process all bills according to the proper coding and prepare the monthly bill report to present to the Board of Directors.
You will work with the Controller to assist with the month-end close process, including monthly bank account reconciliations. At year-end, you will assist with tasks supporting the annual audit and preparation of the Form 990 information return. You will also perform additional reporting reviews and compliance-related reporting as needed.
You will be responsible for accounts payable, including processing vendor invoices, ensuring proper coding and documentation, maintaining vendor records, and supporting timely payment processing.
You will assist the Staff Accountant and Controller with recurring financial reports, reconciliations, audits, and other accounting projects as assigned.
You will assist with payroll-related tasks, including tracking and reporting earned and used benefit hours, and verifying expense reports against supporting documentation and appropriate account and fund coding.
You will process ACH transactions and loan receipts, matching receipts to the proper loan and fund within our lending software. You will maintain lender bank account information for ease of processing ACH pulls and assist with reconciling loans receivable.
You will support the Director of Technology with light IT tasks, such as onboarding and offboarding tasks, equipment coordination, invoice processing, etc.
You will provide some administrative support for the Finance and HR departments.
You will maintain shared files, documentation, and accounting-related systems to support accurate recordkeeping and internal controls.
You will perform all other duties as assigned.

What success looks like:

You have a general understanding of cash and accounting transactions and reconciliations. You support the Controller in monitoring cash needs and cash availability, assisting with basic tracking and reporting as needed. You help maintain accurate records and provide information to support cash flow awareness for the organization. In collaboration with the Controller, you follow established internal controls designed to prevent or detect fraud or errors in a timely manner.
You will be a role model in the organization for strict adherence to internal controls and all policies and procedures. You will nurture a culture of high operational excellence and be an example to others in the organization through your courteousness, prompt resolutions, and answers to inquiries and requests from external and internal sources. You will be a person who demonstrates a high level of initiative and collaboration in working with the finance team and other staff members.
You will provide quality communication and collaboration in all interactions, including external individuals and internal staff. You excel at fielding multiple requests at once with efficiency, prioritization, clear communication, and accuracy. You seek to work with other staff in a team-first approach. You approach management of tasks from a people-centered perspective and seek to support staff with their requests.
Willingness to learn and grow in accounting systems, technology, and nonprofit operations.
You will identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information skillfully, develops alternative solutions, and works well the team and departments.
The Northwest Minnesota Foundation is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive workplace that reflects the communities we serve. You actively seek opportunities to grow your skills and strengthen our work across the region.

Obligations Ownership of:

Transactional accounting of gifts, grants, loans, bills and fund management with supporting documentation to support the integrity of reporting on financial conditions of the Foundation
Administrative support for the Foundation, especially in tracking cash-related transactions for any fraud, errors, or irregularities to protect the Foundation’s assets and confidential information.
Transactional support for periodic account reconciliations that support the financial statements.

Will collaborate in:

Finance and administrative process improvements.
Routine IT tasks and payroll related tasks
Ensuring compliance with all board and management established policies and procedures

Qualifications Required:

Two-year degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in accounting and administration.
Minimum of 2 years of experience with Accounting Software Systems.

Preferred:

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field
Communication skills consistent with reporting to senior and executive level management
Proficiency in technology, Microsoft Excel, accounting information systems and/or cloud-based computer systems
Bank reconciliation and reporting
Customer service skills for internal and external customers including but not limited to staff, fund advisors, donors, agency contacts, investment managers, etc.
Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
Passion for the mission of the Northwest Minnesota Foundation

Job Information The Northwest Minnesota Foundation follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel without regard to race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, physical or mental ability, pregnancy, veteran status, military obligations, and marital status. This policy applies to hiring, wages, internal promotions, training, opportunities for advancement, and terminations.

This position offers a competitive salary (minimum $47,926 to a maximum of $70,479), commensurate with experience and qualifications.
The primary location for this position may be a remote work location within the 2 tribal nations and 12-county region served by the Foundation or live outside the region and commute multiple days per week to the Foundation’s headquarters in Bemidji, Minnesota. Regardless of location, the individual must spend sufficient time at headquarters to ensure effective team and organizational collaboration.
This position will require travel locally, regionally, state-wide, and potentially nationally.
Deadline to apply is end of day on Sunday, July 12, 2026

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