Accounting Manager
Austin, TX • Full Time
Posted on Wed, May 13, 2026
APA! BACKGROUND: Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and beloved nonprofits. The organization leads the No Kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare. APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a No Kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals. The organization is distinguished by its large volunteer workforce and the scrappiness of its grassroots and its non-traditional, community-based animal rescue work.
The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and spreads its impact by offering resources and mentorship related to its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division. In 2020, American Pets Alive! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) - an innovative initiative aimed at rethinking the traditional model of animal sheltering. It focuses on supporting both people and pets in the community to reduce the number of animals entering shelters and improve outcomes for both. The project encourages collaboration between animal welfare organizations and community-based services, with a goal of providing personalized, proactive support that positions animal welfare as a social service.
POSITION SUMMARY
Austin Pets Alive! is seeking a highly capable, detail-oriented, and mission-driven Accounting Manager to lead the daily operational engine of the accounting function in one of Austin’s most dynamic nonprofit environments.
This role is responsible for overseeing accounting operations, supervising Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, owning month-end close coordination, strengthening internal controls, improving systems and processes, and helping transform financial operations from reactive burden into sustainable infrastructure.
The Accounting Manager plays a critical role in protecting financial integrity while creating consistency, accountability, and operational stability across the fast-paced, high-volume operation that is APA!.
The ideal candidate combines technical accounting expertise with systems thinking, sound judgment under pressure, and the ability to create structure and stability in a complex environment where mission urgency, organizational unpredictability, and financial discipline must successfully coexist.
Every individual at APA! is responsible for working in collaboration with volunteers; making sure volunteers are recruited, trained and feel impactful through their efforts at APA!. A core part of this role is creating a welcoming and empowering experience for volunteers, including assisting with onboarding, training, and volunteer engagement as part of the day-to-day workflow.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
General Accounting Operations:
- Oversee daily accounting operations across accounts receivable, accounts payable, cash, reconciliations, and general ledger functions
- Review and approve journal entries, reconciliations, account coding, and accounting workflows
- Maintain integrity of the chart of accounts
- Monitor account balances and financial activity for accuracy and completeness
- Ensure accurate classification of restricted and unrestricted funds
- Manage accruals, prepaids, deferred revenue, allocations, and other month-end adjustments
- Prepare and maintain rollforward schedules of net assets with donor restrictions
- Ensure payroll and benefits expenses are accurately recorded in the general ledger
- Maintain depreciation schedules for capital expenditures
- Support grant and program expense tracking
- Perform other related accounting and operational duties as assigned
Month-End Close:
- Own and coordinate the monthly close calendar and close process
- Lead timely completion of bank reconciliations, credit card reconciliations, and balance sheet reconciliations
- Coordinate revenue reconciliation across donations, grants, earned revenue, and receivables
- Review expense activity and coding accuracy
- Prepare financial statements and supporting schedules for Controller review
- Identify and resolve close bottlenecks, delays, and documentation gaps
- Improve close process efficiency while maintaining accuracy and internal controls
Annual Accounting & Compliance:
- Support annual financial audit preparation, schedules, and documentation
- Support Form 990 preparation
- Oversee preparation and distribution of 1099s
- Ensure audit readiness through organized documentation and compliance practices
- Support nonprofit-specific accounting requirements, including donor restrictions, grant compliance, and related reporting
Team Leadership & Staff Development:
- Supervise, support, and evaluate Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Associates
- Build team accountability while maintaining positive morale
- Improve workflow efficiency across AP/AR functions
- Develop and document SOPs and process improvements
- Cross-train team members to strengthen continuity and operational resilience
- Coach staff with varying experience levels while maintaining quality control
- Resolve process bottlenecks and operational inefficiencies
- Maintain open, clear, and consistent communication across finance and other departments
- Serve as a reliable and proactive solutions-oriented leader in a high-volume, fast-paced, mission-driven environment
Accounts Receivable Oversight:
- Supervise donation, grant, and receivable tracking processes
- Oversee invoicing, revenue posting, cash receipts, payment applications, and aging reports
- Ensure timely and accurate follow-up on outstanding receivables
- Partner with development and relevant departments to ensure revenue accuracy
- Verify completeness of revenue recognition
- Ensure grants and contracts are invoiced accurately and timely
- Monitor AR processes for cash flow impact and operational efficiency
Accounts Payable Oversight:
- Review and approve weekly payables
- Supervise vendor setup, invoice processing, coding accuracy, and payment workflows
- Oversee expense reimbursements, check runs, ACH, and credit card processes
- Ensure timely payment while maintaining strong fraud prevention controls
- Maintain segregation of duties and approval structures
- Review unusual expenses and identify duplicate or improper payments
- Oversee 1099 compliance processes
Internal Controls, Compliance & Process Improvement:
- Recommend, implement, and enforce internal controls, policies, and accounting procedures
- Maintain approval workflows, documentation standards, and fraud prevention measures
- Strengthen accountability across departments whose delays impact accounting operations
- Support audit readiness and GAAP/nonprofit accounting compliance
- Improve donor/grant reconciliation, invoice/payment cycles, and accounting operational processes
- Assist with accounting systems improvements, software implementations, and future ERP transitions (including Blackbaud optimization and potential system migration support)
- Identify opportunities for automation, scalability, and improved reporting
Budgeting & Financial Analysis Support:
- Support Controller with departmental reporting and variance analysis
- Assist with annual budget preparation as assigned
- Track spending trends and identify anomalies
- Support cash flow visibility and operational financial insights as needed
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher
- Understanding of GAAP and accounting operations
- Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Experience with reconciliations, month-end close, and general ledger management
- High attention to detail and superb organizational skill
- Strong Excel and spreadsheet proficiency
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to lead with both accountability and support
- Ability to navigate complex circumstances and crises
- Strong problem-solving and systems-thinking ability
Preferred:
- Nonprofit accounting experience
- Grant accounting and donor restriction experience
- Audit support experience
- Experience with financial and operational systems such as Blackbaud, AvidXchange, Virtuous, Bill Spend & Expense, Google Workspace, or similar platforms
- ERP/system migration or implementation experience (such as NetSuite)
- CPA or advanced accounting credential a plus
CULTURE & MISSION FIT
- Love of animals and commitment to Austin Pets Alive!’s lifesaving mission
- Commitment to the No Kill movement
- Embodiment of APA!’s Core Values of Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion
- Ability to work collaboratively with staff, volunteers, leadership, and departments across the organization
- Resilient, adaptable, and steady in a high-demand mission environment
OTHER FUNCTIONS:
- Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
- Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
- Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
- Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and manage volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
- Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
- Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
- Foster and model a volunteer-powered culture across the team by ensuring that every staff member is partnered with volunteers on every shift, with the goal of empowering volunteers to lead and grow within the program.
- Serve as a facilitator and coach to staff and volunteers, ensuring the work is shared, not siloed, and that volunteers are supported in completing daily tasks.
- Ensure active recruitment, onboarding, and engagement of volunteers using volunteer engagement tools and resources
- Support retention by matching volunteers to appropriate tasks, offering guidance, and providing regular check-ins and staff mentorship.
- Identify strong volunteers for deeper roles and seek out customer-to-volunteer conversion opportunities.
- Recognize volunteer contributions through consistent appreciation and shoutouts.
- Provide clear expectations, hands-on training, and in-the-moment coaching to set volunteers up for success.
- Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, & EXPECTATIONS:
- Committed to embodying APA!’s Core Values: Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion and cultural values: Humble, Hungry, Smart
- Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations
- Passion for working well with staff, volunteers, and customers—helping all individuals feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!’s mission
- Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support; dedicated to working well with volunteers across all roles
- Comfortable working cross-functionally and serving as a liaison between volunteers, customers, and team members
- Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to interpret rules, procedures, and instructional materials
- Self-starter with strong time management; able to work independently and collaboratively
- Excellent interpersonal skills; maintains a calm and professional presence in all situations
- Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality
- Adaptable to change and able to perform related duties as needed
- Dedicated to delivering an exceptional and inclusive customer experience
PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, chlorine or other chemicals, and inclement weather
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times
- If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Work is normally performed inside the APA! offices, with potential exposure to environmental conditions that include working with and near animals when at the APA! shelter
- Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs
- Some hybrid work available
- Uses own transportation to travel between locations
TIME COMMITMENT:
- This is a full-time, exempt position with an average of 40 hours per week.
- Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
- Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: This position reports directly to the Controller. It supervises the Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Associates.
LOCATIONS:
- APA! Tarrytown Administrative Offices (primary work location for this position)
2414 Exposition Blvd, Suite B-100 Austin, TX 78703 - APA! Main - Town Lake Animal Center
1156 West Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX 78703 - APA! Medical Triage and Wellness Clinic
4942 W US Highway 290 Austin, TX 78735 - Hybrid schedule available
- May travel to other APA! locations or offsite as needed
SALARY: Starting at $65,000 / Year (commensurate with experience and qualifications)
BENEFITS
Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life saving work.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Austin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.
Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.
APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at job@austinpetsalive.org at least one week in advance of your interview.