Staff Accountant

The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens seeks a detail-oriented and experienced Staff Accountant to support the Museum’s daily financial operations and reporting.

Reporting to the Controller, this position performs a broad range of accounting functions, including general ledger maintenance, account reconciliations, journal entries, revenue and restricted fund accounting, grant accounting, and month-end and year-end close activities.

The Staff Accountant works collaboratively across the Museum to help ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, strong internal controls, and responsible stewardship of the Museum’s financial resources. This role also supports financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, audit preparation, and tax and regulatory reporting, making it an integral part of the Museum’s day-to-day financial operations.

Essential Functions:

• Support the Museum’s mission, vision, and values by exhibiting the following behaviors: excellence and competence, collaboration, innovation, respect of individual, commitment to our community, and accountability and ownership.
• Maintain the General Ledger in accordance with GAAP through accurate recording of transactions, journal entries, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
• Perform monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, balance sheet accounts, credit card accounts, and other assigned general ledger accounts, researching and resolving discrepancies in a timely manner.
• Reconcile daily and monthly revenue from admissions, memberships, retail operations, facility rentals, donations, grants, sponsorships, and other earned and contributed revenue sources to supporting systems and bank deposits.
• Maintain accounting for donor-restricted and unrestricted contributions and net assets, including tracking restrictions, preparing releases from restriction, reconciling restricted fund balances, and maintaining appropriate supporting documentation.
• Record and reconcile deferred revenue related to memberships, rentals, sponsorships, and other advance payments.
• Assist in preparing monthly financial statements, departmental reports, budget-to-actual reports, variance analyses, and other financial reporting for management and the Board.
• Prepare recurring financial reports, schedules, and analyses to support management reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and organizational decision making.
• Complete assigned month-end and year-end closing activities, including journal entries, account reconciliations, accruals, depreciation, prepaid and deferred revenue schedules, releases from restriction, and supporting workpapers to ensure the timely and accurate completion of the financial close process.
• Maintain the Museum's fixed asset records by recording asset acquisitions, disposals, transfers, and retirements; preparing depreciation entries and schedules; reconciling the fixed asset subsidiary ledger to the general ledger; and maintaining supporting documentation in accordance with the Museum's capitalization policy.
• Prepare and maintain functional expense allocations and other cost allocation schedules, ensuring expenses are appropriately classified among program services, management and general, and fundraising activities.
• Reconcile retail inventory and cost of goods sold accounts to supporting systems and assist with periodic physical inventory counts and related adjustments.
• Prepare and process bi-weekly payroll employee reimbursements, reconcile payroll accounts, and prepare supporting payroll reports.
• Assist with accounts payable processing, cash receipts, accounts receivable, and other accounting functions as assigned to ensure efficient financial operations and appropriate segregation of duties.
• Maintain grant accounting records by tracking grant revenue and expenditures, preparing grant reimbursement requests and financial reports, reconciling grant activity to the general ledger, monitoring applicable restrictions, and compiling supporting documentation to ensure compliance with grant agreements and reporting requirements.
• Assist with the appropriate allocation of direct and indirect costs to grants and restricted programs in accordance with applicable funding requirements and organizational policies.
• Prepare audit schedules, reconciliations, supporting documentation, and other workpapers required for the annual financial audit and external reporting requirements.
• Assist with annual Form 990 preparation, Form 1099 reporting, sales tax filings, and other tax and regulatory reporting requirements, including preparation and maintenance of supporting schedules and documentation.
• Prepare historical financial analyses, departmental schedules, trend reports, budget-to-actual analyses, and supporting documentation for the annual operating budget and periodic forecasts.
• Maintain organized accounting records and supporting documentation in accordance with the Museum's record retention policies and established internal control procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, documentation, systems, and workflows while maintaining strong internal controls and operational efficiency.
• Assist in documenting and maintaining accounting policies, procedures, and recurring financial processes to promote consistency, internal controls and business continuity.
• Protect confidential financial, payroll, donor, employee, and organizational information.
• Cross-train in key accounting functions to provide operational support, appropriate backup coverage, and business continuity.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree with a major in accounting or finance required. CPA or CMA certification is preferred but not required.
• Two to four years of progressively responsible accounting experience, preferably in a nonprofit organization or public accounting environment.
• Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Knowledge of nonprofit accounting principles, including restricted contributions, net asset classifications, and functional expense reporting is preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritize multiple assignments, meet recurring deadlines, and manage workload with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with employees, auditors, grantors, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including formulas, pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis functions.
• Experience with accounting software required; experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge and related applications preferred.
• Experience supporting grant accounting, nonprofit financial reporting, or restricted fund accounting is preferred.
• Ability to understand financial information and investigate and resolve accounting discrepancies independently.
• Ability to maintain confidential and sensitive financial, payroll, donor and employee information.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and providing excellent internal customer service.
• Ability to meet critical accounting deadlines, including occasional additional hours during month-end and year-end close, the annual audit, budget preparation, and other peak periods.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

• This position operates primarily in a professional office environment and requires extended periods of sitting and computer use.
• Ability to routinely use standard office equipment and communicate effectively in person, by phone, and electronically.
• Ability to stand and walk periodically throughout the Museum campus, including movement between buildings and work areas.
• Ability to occasionally lift, carry, or move materials weighing up to 10 pounds.
• Ability to work indoors and, on a limited basis, outdoors in varying weather conditions when moving throughout the Museum campus or supporting Museum activities and events.

Note

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

We offer great benefits, but we also offer something you can’t put a price on: the chance to spend your workdays in a Museum and historically significant gardens, surrounded by beauty, history, and creativity.

As part of the team, you will enjoy:

• Comprehensive coverage - medical, dental, vision, life insurance, telemedicine, short & long-term disability coverage.
• Planning for your future - 403(b) retirement plan with up to 5% employer match.
• Plenty of time to recharge - Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.
• Insider perks - Early access to exhibitions before they open to the public.
• Explore for free - Reciprocal membership and admission to more than 2,000 gardens and cultural institutions through: AHS (American Horticultural Society) NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum Association) ROAM (Reciprocal Organization of Associated Museums) SERM (Southeastern Reciprocal Museums)
• Everyday discounts - Employee discounts in our café and Museum shop.
• Room to grow - Competitive compensation and opportunities for professional growth.

Remote work

Potential for one remote workday per week following successful onboarding, subject to departmental needs, performance, and management approval.

Direct Reports

None

Typical Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Our Mission

To create art, garden, and learning experiences that spark discovery and well-being.

Recruiting Timeline (Subject to Change)

Position Posted: October 20th–30th, 2026 Application Review: November 2nd–4th, 2026 First-Round Interviews (Virtual): November 5th–11th, 2026 Second-Round Interviews (On-Site): November 12th–18th, 2026 Candidate Selection: November 19th–20th, 2026 Anticipated Start Date: December 7th or December 14th, 2026, pending candidate suitability and availability.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

POLICY

The Cummer Museum provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, genetic information, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances.

Equal employment opportunity applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leave of absence, compensation, and training.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

The Museum is committed to creating and maintaining a workplace in which all employees have an opportunity to participate and contribute to the success of the business and are valued for their skills, experience, and unique perspectives. Our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team.

This commitment to diversity is embodied in company policy as well as the way business is conducted and the way we celebrate one another at the Museum.

Pay: $65,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Work from home

Application Question(s):

• Do you have experience maintaining general ledgers, preparing journal entries, and performing account reconciliations?
• Do you have advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, formulas, and lookup functions?
• Which accounting software programs have you used professionally?
• Do you have experience with nonprofit accounting, including restricted funds, grant accounting, or nonprofit financial reporting?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Accounting: 3 years (Required)
• Non-profit accounting: 2 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• CPA (Preferred)

Work Location: In person