Senior Finance Associate

Senior Finance Associate

Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF)

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota | Hybrid
Reports To: Director of Finance and Accounting
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $90,000–$121,000

 

About the Northwest Area Foundation

 

The Northwest Area Foundation (NWAF)’s mission is to stand alongside changemakers in its region of eight states and 76 Native nations and fund work that leads to racial, social, and economic justice. The eight states include Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

 

The Foundation’s driving vision is that the people of its priority communities—including Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and people in rural areas—thrive on their own terms. Our key motivation is to support grantee partners that change unjust systems to serve, support, and heal their communities.

 

NWAF is a private foundation established in 1934 by Louis W. Hill, son of railroad entrepreneur James J. Hill, whose Great Northern Railway linked the Twin Cities of Minnesota to the emerging cities of the Pacific Northwest: Seattle and Portland.

 

Currently, the Foundation has assets of more than $500 million, an annual budget of approximately $25 million, and a staff of more than 20 people.

 

NWAF’s values represent not just who it is, but who it aspires to be in decisions both big and small. Its six organizational values are: 1) social justice; 2) grantees come first; 3) trust; 4) listen and learn for change; 5) heart; and 6) courage.

 

The Foundation is committed to hiring individuals who contribute to a richly diverse workplace. Hiring decisions are guided by the Foundation’s commitment to support grantees that work to build power, strong community ties, and untapped potential for Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and people in rural areas, all of which experience systemic barriers to thriving on their own terms.

 

About the Position

 

The Senior Finance Associate is a full-time member of the finance and accounting team within the broader Finance and Administration Department. The position reports to the Director of Finance and Accounting and is responsible for carrying out the Foundation’s day-to-day finance operations accurately and in accordance with internal policies.

 

Responsibilities include executing key workflows across accounts payable, journal entries, reconciliations, payroll administration, and financial reporting. Other responsibilities include supporting audit and tax readiness, monthly investment reconciliations, and the integrity of the Foundation’s finance systems.

 

This position is intended for someone with a strong accounting and/or tax foundation who is comfortable working across multiple systems; handling detailed financial data; supporting financial reporting and analysis used by management, committees, and the Board; and helping ensure audit and tax deliverables are accurate, complete, and well-supported.

 

Our Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI)

 

Central to our mission is the concept of justice, which means we support change that repairs centuries of harm to Native Americans, communities of color, immigrants, refugees, and people in rural areas so they can thrive on their own terms.

 

To do so, we’re committed to deepening our understanding of the values and lived experience of the changemakers we support through the practice of JEDI.

 

We think of this practice as a journey to walk alongside changemakers by changing ourselves and helping drive change in the world.

 

Job Responsibilities

 

Finance Operations & Close Support — 20%

 

• Own execution of accounts payable, disbursements, and related workflows, ensuring transactions are complete, accurate, and timely.

• Prepare and post journal entries with clear and well-documented support.

• Perform assigned reconciliations and maintain fully supported account balances.

• Support month-end and quarter-end close processes, including preparation of supporting schedules and variance follow-up.

 

Accounts Payable & Disbursements — 20%

 

• Process invoices, contract payments, and grant/program-related investment (PRI) payments in accordance with established workflows.

• Ensure all transactions are properly coded, approved, and supported by appropriate documentation.

• Process employee reimbursements and credit card transactions.

• Maintain organized and auditable vendor and payment records.

 

Audit, Tax & Compliance Support — 15%

 

• Assist in preparing schedules and supporting documentation for the annual audit.

• Support tax preparation processes, including aggregation and organization of partnership K-1 data and other supporting schedules for Form 990-PF and related filings.

• Maintain documentation in a format that supports audit readiness and traceability.

• Follow established internal control procedures and identify exceptions or inconsistencies.

 

Payroll Administration & Reconciliation — 10%

 

• Process payroll and review supporting records for accuracy and completeness.

• Ensure benefit deductions are accurate and properly reflected in payroll and accounting records, including 403(b) retirement plan and pension contributions, health savings account (HSA) contributions, and other benefit elections.

• Reconcile payroll activity to the general ledger.

• Maintain documentation supporting payroll and benefit transactions.

 

Financial Reporting & Analysis — 10%

 

• Assist in preparing financial reports, Board and committee materials, investment reporting, and management dashboards.

• Prepare supporting schedules and workpapers.

• Support budget-to-actual analysis, variance review, and ad hoc financial analysis.

 

Investment & Capital Activity Support — 10%

 

• Support monthly investment reconciliations between custodian reports and the general ledger, ensuring balances are complete and properly supported.

• Maintain documentation and tracking for capital calls, distributions, and related activity.

• Assist in organizing data used for internal and external reporting and surveys.

 

Finance Systems & Process Improvement — 5%

 

• Operate across the Foundation’s finance systems, including accounting Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central transitioning to Campfire, Ramp for accounts payable and spend management, Fluxx for grants management, and Paylocity for payroll and benefits.

• Ensure consistency between system outputs and the general ledger.

• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, reduce manual steps, and enhance documentation.

• Contribute to the development and maintenance of standard operating procedures.

 

Internal Controls — 5%

 

• Maintain awareness of internal control expectations and ensure daily activities are performed in accordance with established procedures.

• Follow and reinforce segregation of duties across transaction processing, approvals, and reconciliation.

• Identify unusual transactions, inconsistencies, or process gaps and escalate as appropriate.

• Support maintenance of documentation that ensures audit readiness and traceability.

 

Support & Other Projects — 5%

 

• Provide backup support across finance and accounting functions as needed to ensure continuity of operations.

• Assist with special projects, surveys, process improvement initiatives, and other departmental priorities.

 

Required Education and Experience

 

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, or related field and 4–7 years of progressive responsibility in finance, accounting, or tax experience; or 7–10 years of equivalent professional experience.

• Strong foundation in accounting principles, including general ledger accounting, journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, and financial reporting.

• Experience supporting finance and accounting operations, including accounts payable, payroll processing, month-end close activities, and financial recordkeeping.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate, complete, and well-supported financial records with a high degree of attention to detail.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and/or Google Sheets, including complex formulas, pivot tables, lookups, financial analysis, and data reconciliation.

• Ability to independently manage recurring processes and deadlines while maintaining accuracy, consistency, and strong internal controls.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain financial information to a non-financial audience.

• Strong organizational, prioritization, and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously.

• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders across the organization, with an orientation toward JEDI.

 

Preferred Experience

 

• Background or coursework in tax, such as partnership taxation, K-1s, or nonprofit tax concepts.

• Experience supporting audit or tax preparation processes.

• Familiarity with investment-related transactions, reconciliations, or reporting.

• Experience with financial systems such as Campfire, Ramp, Fluxx, Paylocity, or similar platforms.

• Experience using technology to improve workflows, reduce manual steps, and strengthen documentation and reporting.

• Interest in and familiarity with management information systems and other tools that support reporting, analysis, and process automation.

 

Compensation, Location, and Benefits

 

The Senior Finance Associate is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Director of Finance and Accounting.

 

The anticipated starting salary for this position is $90,000–$121,000. The actual starting salary will be commensurate with the years, breadth, and depth of relevant experience, education, certifications, credentials, special skills, accomplishments, and other factors relevant to the position.

 

The Foundation operates in a hybrid work environment. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, staff are required to work in the Foundation’s office located near downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, staff have the option to work remotely.

 

The Foundation’s benefits are generous and include:

 

• Competitive compensation.

• Strong medical, dental, and life insurance benefits for staff and their dependents with competitive monthly premiums and flexible spending accounts.

• Minimum of four weeks of paid time off (PTO) and 12 floating holidays.

• Retirement programs, including 403(b) matching at 50% of deferrals up to an annual maximum of $5,000, with access to financial planning resources.

• Money purchase pension plan after one year of service, in which the Foundation makes a generous contribution that vests over a four-year period.

• Matching gift program for charitable donations, with a one-to-one match up to $2,000.

• Additional benefits such as an employee assistance plan, paid parental leave, and tuition reimbursement.

 

How to Apply

 

Recruiting is being conducted internally. Candidates may submit a cover letter outlining their interest and qualifications, along with their resume, via email to:

peopleandculture@nwaf.org

 

Application Deadline: Friday, September 4, 2026.

 

Equal Opportunity Employer

 

The Foundation is an equal opportunity employer, and all employees and applicants for employment are afforded equal opportunity in every area of hiring and employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender identity, age, disability, mental illness, sexual harassment, sexual orientation, genetics, military/veteran status, citizenship, arrest record, and any other legally protected characteristic.