The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland

The National School Public Relations Association is in search of a staff accountant, whose role in the Office of Finance and Operations is to support, coordinate and carry out various functions such as accounting and finance, customer service, and office administration. The ideal candidate for the role of staff accountant is a self-starter and a results-oriented individual who works well in a team setting and independently; possesses strong accounting, administrative, and customer service skills; has a working knowledge of accounting and office administration systems; and can easily adapt to learning and using new technology tools.

Reports to: Director of Finance and Operations

Position Overview

• Customer Service (External/Internal):
  1. Oversee and use the association management system (AMS, currently Clear Vantage) for various finance functions, including troubleshooting issues with the platform provider and/or in-house IT support as needed.
  2. Oversee and coordinate the association’s annual conference registration process via the AMS and the event management platform for the conference, including the setup and testing of sales items, discount codes, and miscellaneous online registration communications.
  3. Provide support as needed for escalated issues related to memberships, registrations for the conference and other events, product orders, and other business services or office administration matters.
  4. Monitor, respond and/or route as appropriate emails sent to designated general association email boxes and to Finance Office email boxes.
  5. Prepare periodic reports for various Finance Office functions such as memberships, event registrations, and product sales.
  6. Collaborate with association staff and contribute on projects in need of Finance Office support.

• Accounting and Finance
  1. Billing:
     1. Invoicing for memberships, products, event registrations, sponsorships and other revenue streams as needed
  2. Accounts receivable:
     1. Manage collections of accounts receivables – membership dues, various event registration fees, product orders, and other receivables as assigned
  3. Accounts payable:
     1. Process vendor invoices for approval by department heads
     2. Process payment checks for approved vendor invoices

• Maintain payment documents (vendor invoices, credit card receipts, check copies, etc.)

1. Banking:
   1. Process and deposit incoming checks through the self-service deposit system
   2. Log payments in the association’s AMS (Clear Vantage), accounting software (QuickBooks) and other platforms (e.g., Open Water awards submission system)

• Review and post credit card expenses into QuickBooks

1. General Ledger Reconciliations:
   1. Accounts Receivable
   2. Other Balance Sheet accounts
2. Assist with Monthly Close

• Office Administration:
  1. Maintain procedures manual for the Finance and Operations Office
  2. Maintain organization files – legal, accounting, contracts, other confidential files

• Other Duties as Assigned

Benefits

• Strong collaborative and collegial work environment
• 90% NSPRA-funded health insurance program
• Three weeks of vacation
• 11 paid holidays plus 5 days off during winter break
• Up to 12 sick days
• 401(k) program with matching contributions up to 4%
• NSPRA-funded disability and life insurance
• Free onsite parking
• Flexible hybrid work schedule 
• Optional annual bonus (at discretion of the board)
  
  

Annual Salary Range: $85,000 - $95,000

Deadline to Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to jobopp@nspra.org preferably by May 15, 2026.

NSPRA is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. 

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. NSPRA makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. 

Position Qualifications (minimum requirements)

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, along with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail, are crucial.
• Experience with general ledger functions and the month-end/year-end close process is a plus.
• Strong administrative, accounting, and customer service skills.
• Working knowledge of accounting and office administration systems and processes.
• Proficient in the use of productivity tools, including:
  • Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
  • QuickBooks accounting program, including setup and maintenance
  • Virtual meeting tools such as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams
• Able to easily adapt to learning and using new technology such as the association’s AMS, event registration platform customized to the association’s needs (experience with Clear Vantage, Open Water and Asana a plus)
• Self-starter and results-oriented individual who works well alone and in a team setting

Education and Experience

• Minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
• At least five years of experience in an administrative, customer service and accounting support position required.

About National School Public Relations Association

As the leader in school communication, https://www.nspra.org/ serves more than 2,000 members, who work primarily as communication directors in public school districts and education organizations throughout the United States and Canada. NSPRA provides high quality professional development programming through on-demand learning, an annual National Seminar, webinars, online forums and resources.

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