Accountant

Organization Overview

The San Francisco Community Land Trust (SFCLT) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create permanently affordable housing for low-to-moderate-income people through community ownership of the land. Guided by the principles of anti-displacement and racial justice, SFCLT stabilizes neighborhoods, and creates greater access to housing and homeownership opportunities with a focus on BIPOC communities previously excluded from access to wealth, and in particular, access to homeownership opportunities.

SFCLT currently owns and operates 15 permanently affordable properties for those of low and moderate income spread throughout San Francisco, including Chinatown,the Mission, the Tenderloin, the Richmond, South of Market, and soon Russian Hill. 73% of our residents are below 80% AMI and 50% below 60% AMI. The 250 residents living currently in our 151 units of housing represent a diversity of races and ethnicities with 70% of our residents identifying as BIPOC.

Position Overview

The Accountant will ensure the regularity of accounting and fiscal procedures for our growing portfolio (15 properties, 151 units) as well as the core organizational finances. We are looking for someone with real estate accounting experience who has the ability to independently create accurate financial statements in accordance with commonly used accounting standards. 

The Accountant will report directly to the Housing Director or Asset Manager, and will work closely with the Executive Leadership Team as well as the rest of the staff. They must have extensive hands-on accounting experience & be excited at the idea of joining a growing organization that values horizontal leadership.

Core Competencies

  1. Time Management: ability to effectively prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and manage all of the accounting & bookkeeping activities this role entails, with ability to support other departments when needed

  2. Financial Communication: prepare clear, accurate, well-organized written and financial reports and ability to verbally communicate in an effective and concise manner to support higher-level decision making & analysis in the organization

  3. Attention to Detail: a meticulous focus on accuracy when recording financial transactions, maintaining ledgers, and preparing reports, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and preventing errors. Resulting in organized financial reports that are mistake-free

  4. Technical Proficiency: ability to navigate through softwares (i.e., Quickbooks, ADP, Bill.com, Microsoft Excel) independently in order to complete work. While experience in all of these softwares is not required, experience with Quickbooks is strongly preferred.

  5. Process Improvement: ability to provide recommendations to further optimize internal accounting systems & process throughout the organization


Core Duties 

  • Financial Statements: prepares statement of cash flow, profit & loss, and balance sheets on a monthly/quarterly basis for the entire portfolio as well as the core organization

  • Monthly Reconciliation: performs monthly reconciliation of all core & property bank accounts

  • Other Financial Reports: creates additional timely financial reports on an as needed basis (e.g., grant reporting, historical property financials)

  • Accounts Payable and Receivable: process invoices, employee reimbursements, other payments, and receipts to all internal staff & external vendors

  • Payroll: processes payroll on a bi-weekly basis in coordination with Deputy Director

  • Annual Budgets: works directly with Housing Director/Asset Manager & Executive Director to create annual property budgets & a core organizational budget; creates financial reports that analyze actual performance to budget

  • Annual Audit: manages and supports the preparation of the annual audit as well as taking the lead on the internal audit committee

  • Taxes: prepares organizational and property tax filings

  • Financial Presentations: collaborates with the Finance Director & Housing Director to present key financial information to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors.

  • External Reporting: responsible for compliance and regular required (1099) and optional reports (updates on our current financial prospectus) to investors (individual loan providers and crowdfunding investors)

  • Compliance: ensure compliance with local, state, and federal financial regulations and nonprofit reporting requirements, as well as documents and recommends improvements to internal financial policies and procedures


Qualifications, Skills, Experience

The ideal candidate will have experience working with people from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, will be passionate about the organization’s mission, and be experienced in working independently with accountability to a team. We hope to hear from candidates who have:/

  • Deep alignment with & enthusiasm for SFCLT’s mission

  • At least 5 years of demonstrated relevant finance and accounting experience, with both technical and management proficiency in operations of a real estate development organization

  • Knowledge and experience with real estate accounting and finance, preferably in affordable multi-family housing

  • Commitment to community development, helping low income communities and strong work ethic and understanding of nonprofit business models

  • Demonstrated experience with design and implementation of enhanced financial systems and procedures

  • Demonstrated ability to prepare clear, accurate, well-organized written and financial reports and to communicate verbally in an effective and concise manner

  • Proficient in Excel and the rest of the Microsoft Office Suite, Quickbooks, and Google Suite

  • Commitment to open communication and intentional information-sharing

  • Extremely organized and detail-oriented work style

  • Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills


While not required, skills or experience in any of the following areas/activities are desirable:

  • Rooted in local communities marginalized by gentrification and displacement, including communities of color, low-income, queer, and immigrant residents of San Francisco

  • Leadership skills

  • BA or MBA in Finance or Accounting preferred, other additional relevant advanced degree and/or certification, such as a CFA or CPA CFA, CPA preferred

  • Master’s degree

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary: $100,000 - 130,000 depending on experience 

  • Hybrid: expectation for all staff members to be in the office 2 days per week (Mondays required)

  • Healthcare: medical reimbursement plan for employee and family

  • PTO: 31 Days of PTO (including sick pay), and 13 paid holidays (including floating holiday)

  • Retirement: 401k with 2% match

  • Mental Health: $2,000 annual stipend & Impact Suite App

  • Training: $3,000 annual stipend for training & professional development

  • Sabbatical policy: 11 weeks after 4 years of service

Application Process

Our goal is to fill this position ASAP but for the right candidate, the start date is negotiable.

Please send your resume and cover letter demonstrating your interest and fit for the position to hiring@sfclt.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a goal to fill this position as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!

SFCLT is an equal opportunity employer and encourages diversity in its applicants. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, ancestry, national origin, military or veteran status, or mental or physical disability.  BIPOC, queer and trans people, women, and nonbinary and gender non-conforming applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records to apply for any open position in which they feel qualified.