Skip to content

Bookkeeper

Status: Draft, pre-formation. The Year-1 budget plans for a part-time Bookkeeper engaged as a 1099 contractor. The role is intentionally narrow: the Bookkeeper executes transactional accounting and prepares financial reports. Approval, audit, and tax filing authority sit with the Treasurer and the engaged tax/audit firm.

Purpose

Maintain the Guild's books with accuracy, timeliness, and an unbroken audit trail. Produce monthly financials the Treasurer can rely on for board reporting, and clean working papers the audit/review firm can use for the annual engagement.

Reports to

The Treasurer for substantive matters; coordinates day-to-day with the Administrator.

Supervises

No one.

Specific duties

Daily and weekly

  • Categorize and record all transactions in the general ledger
  • Record member dues, sponsor receipts, and event revenues against the correct fund and tier
  • Process AP within the approved approval workflow (the Bookkeeper records and prepares; the Administrator initiates payment; the Treasurer approves above the threshold)
  • Record receipts from Stripe with the matching Stripe payout fee posting
  • Reconcile bank, Stripe, and any payment-processor activity weekly

Monthly

  • Close the month within 10 business days
  • Prepare the monthly financial package: balance sheet, statement of activities (budget vs. actual), cash flow, AR aging, deferred revenue schedule
  • Reconcile the member roster with dues collections; produce the dues-revenue exception report
  • Prepare a monthly variance commentary with the Administrator

Annually

  • Prepare year-end working papers for the audit/review firm
  • Provide source documentation for Form 990 preparation
  • Run the 1099 process end-to-end in QuickBooks Online: vendor onboarding (W-9 collection), quarterly hygiene, year-end batch preparation, e-filing after Treasurer sign-off, and reconciliation
  • Prepare schedules supporting §6033(e) lobbying-allocation calculations under the Treasurer's direction
  • Support insurance audits (workers' comp, D&O, GL) where applicable

Records and controls

  • Maintain the chart of accounts; propose changes for Treasurer approval
  • Preserve source documents (invoices, receipts, contracts) per document retention policy
  • Operate the Guild's accounting software with role-based access; never share credentials
  • Flag any unusual transaction or pattern to the Treasurer within 24 hours

Authority and limits

May May not
Record, categorize, and reconcile Approve payments
Prepare and send AR invoices Write off receivables — Treasurer approval required
Recommend chart-of-accounts changes Implement them unilaterally
Communicate with vendors on invoice and payment status Negotiate vendor terms
Communicate with the audit firm on document requests Speak for the Guild on accounting policy positions
Issue 1099 forms after Treasurer review Sign tax returns
Hold view-only access to bank and Stripe portals Hold transaction-initiation credentials without dual-control with the Administrator

Prerequisites

  • Two or more years of bookkeeping experience for nonprofits or associations preferred
  • Comfort with cloud accounting platforms (e.g., QuickBooks Online or Xero) and Stripe
  • Comfort with fund/class accounting for restricted vs. unrestricted activity
  • High-trust handling of confidential financial information
  • No undisclosed material conflicts with member companies, sponsors, or vendors

Time and compensation (Year 1)

Aspect Plan
Engagement 1099 contractor
Hours Estimated 8–12 hours/month in early months; 12–18 hours/month near close, audit, and 990 windows
Rate TBD; set in engagement letter and Year-1 budget adopted by founding board
Term 12-month renewable agreement
Termination Either party with 14 days' written notice; immediate for material breach

Performance and review

  • Treasurer signs off on the monthly close within five business days of delivery
  • Treasurer conducts a written annual review and shares with the Audit & Finance committee
  • Audit/review firm's findings inform the next-year scope

Conflicts and confidentiality

Insurance and indemnification

  • Covered by the Guild's cyber-liability and crime/fidelity-bond coverage where applicable
  • Indemnified per the bylaws to the extent permitted by law for actions taken in good faith within scope

Linked documents