Finance & Compliance Specialist; Chicago

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Full Time The Academy Group, Inc., Chicago, IL, US

30+ days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $75,000.00 To $85,000.00 Annually

Who we are

The Academy Group (AG) is a unique social enterprise that leverages earned revenue from financial investments to create world‑class opportunities for young people from the nation’s most resilient communities. The Academy Group demonstrates the promise of a new model for identifying, developing, and sustaining a diverse national pipeline of future leaders, employers, and change agents. We were founded based on a unique model.

One that creates pathways for young people from resilient communities, if they demonstrate relentless pertinacity, to build wealth and become socially just change agents, ideally through careers and leadership positions in our portfolio companies. No other organization in the world is built to do this.

The Role

The Finance Specialist plays a key role in maintaining the accuracy, efficiency, and integrity of AG’s financial systems. This position manages accounts payable and receivable, vendor and contract documentation, and supports reconciliations, audits, and systems integration across AG’s nonprofit and investment‑related entities. The ideal candidate is a detail‑oriented finance professional who thrives in both the day‑to‑day execution of accounting operations and the continuous improvement of financial systems and processes.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Personal Characteristics

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage vendor setup, invoice processing, and payment workflows using , Ramp, and Sage Intacct.
• Review coding and approvals to ensure alignment with AG’s chart of accounts, policies, and budget structure.
• Track and reconcile accounts receivable across multiple funding sources and entities.
• Maintain complete and compliant vendor documentation (W-9s, ACH forms, contracts, insurance certificates).

• Serve as the primary contact for routing, review, and execution of contracts and Memoriam of Understanding (MOUs).
• Maintain a centralized, audit‑ready contract database in Salesforce.
• Collaborate with internal teams to verify contract terms, deliverables, and payment schedules.
• Prepare reports summarizing active contracts, renewals, and expirations for leadership review.

• Partner with external accountants and internal finance team on reconciliations, accruals, and prepaids.
• Maintain schedules and documentation to support accurate monthly and annual reporting.
• Identify, research, and elevate discrepancies or compliance issues as needed.

• Support annual audit preparation, data requests, and document organization.
• Ensure adherence to internal controls, authorization thresholds, and documentation standards.
• Monitor compliance with IRS, GAAP, and AG’s internal financial policies.
• Collaborate on developing new procedures to improve efficiency and ensure audit readiness.

• Support integration and data consistency across , Ramp, Salesforce, and Sage Intacct.
• Contribute to the implementation of new financial tools (e.g., FP&A) that improve reporting and forecasting.
• Help document and improve workflows that strengthen coordination between finance, operations, and program teams.
• Participate in process improvement initiatives to enhance scalability and transparency.

• Work closely with HR, Operations, and Program teams to ensure alignment between contracts, payments, and compliance.
• Provide excellent internal service and clear communication to staff, vendors, and partners.
• Model AG’s values of integrity, collaboration, and accountability in every aspect of financial operations.

Minimum Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 3–5 years of experience in accounting, financial operations, or compliance.
• Proficiency with financial and workflow tools such as , Ramp,…