Description

Company Overview

Schemata Workshop is an architecture and urban design practice located in Seattle, WA. Our projects positively impact our community and shape the region’s growth. They tend to fall into the categories of affordable housing, community services, transit, recreation and aquatics and all incorporate an aspect of social equity and sustainability. Our clients are public and non-profit, with the occasional private clients that are community minded. Our projects are also innovative and first of its kind – whether it be a pool barge on Seattle’s waterfront, cohousing communities, or projects incorporating modular construction or the single stair provision of the building code. 

We are a woman and minority owned business and we prioritize BIPOC and women in our hiring, consultant and vendor selection processes. We are a small firm of 14, but we practice like a larger firm, expecting a level of professionalism and offering competitive benefits. And most importantly we are an inclusive community of people who like to share food and eat together. We take afternoon bubble tea breaks and principals do weekly coaching walks around the block with staff. We enjoy working together on really important projects.

Job Overview

The bookkeeper is a professional responsible for updating the company’s financial accounts and records. They work with project teams to prepare and send invoices to our clients.  Women and people of color are highly encouraged to apply.

Primary Responsibilities

•         Record Financial Transactions: Maintain accurate records of purchases, sales, receipts, and payments.
•         Manage Accounts: Oversee accounts payable and receivable, ensuring timely processing of invoices and payments.
•         Reconcile Accounts: Regularly reconcile bank statements and financial records to ensure accuracy.
•         Prepare Financial Statements: Generate monthly income statements, balance sheets, and other financial reports for management review. 
•         Annual budget: Develop annual budget for principal input, input in to accounting software, monitor on a quarterly basis to adjust as needed for positive results by year end.
•         Collect Payments: working with principals and project managers to collect payment in a timely fashion (often being the first point of contact in this regard).
•         Monitor cash flow and financial performance, identifying trends and variances.
•         Strategic Financial Support: Oversee the annual budgeting and semi-annual budget update process, forecast income projects
•         Ensure Compliance: Adhere to legal and regulatory requirements related to financial reporting and tax obligations.
•         Coordinate Tax prep and Audits: Prepare documentation and support the accounting team during audits and financial reviews.
•         Manage online subscriptions/payments: managing/paying for medical and disability insurance, software subscriptions, professional organizations/licenses, reference library subscriptions.
•         Coordination with vendors: manage relationship with our bank (Columbia Bank), accountant (tax preparer), our external bookkeeper (IV3), payroll service (ADP), and HR consultant (Jane/Fit HR). There may be other vendors to coordinate with from time to time.

Secondary Responsibilities

•         Insurance renewals: annually for professional/commercial liability insurance.
•         Work with Principals/Project teams to execute project/consultant contracts using AIA Contract software (on-the-job training provided.)

Requirements

Required Skills and Qualifications

•         Degree in business administration, accounting, or finance OR minimum 3 years directly related work experience as a bookkeeper.
•         Demonstrated Proficiency in Deltek Ajera accounting software - minimum 1-year professional experience using software.
•         Attention to detail: minimize errors in our financial records.
•         Strong analytical abilities and organizational skills are essential. You will need to foresee the demands that a company will face and help the Principals navigate. 
•         Equally important are people skills - you are the first point of contact for employee and client questions about invoices, project performance and payroll,. You should be able to work with a variety of personalities.

Desired Qualities:

•         Genuine interest in racial equity and dismantling racism.
•         Initiative: we expect all employees to identify opportunities to improve the company and themselves. 
•         Leadership: we offer leadership opportunities within the office and encourage employees to be leaders in their communities.
•         Volunteerism is looked at favorably. The office offers 8 hours of paid time annually, but we hope that our staff have a strong interest in volunteering in their own time – whether it is in their child’s classroom, at the local food bank, neighborhood committee, mountaineering club, or professional organization. We encourage people to be involved in their communities.

While we would prefer this position to be hybrid (in-office Tues-Thurs) like the rest of our staff, we would entertain a fully remote position if necessary.