Description

Aspire Public Schools NorCal — Lead GL Accountant

Job Description 

About Aspire NorCal 

Founded in 1998, Aspire Public Schools has served scholars and communities across California for nearly three decades. With Aspire Los Angeles transitioning into an independent organization, the Bay Area and Central Valley regions are coming together to form Aspire NorCal, operating 22 schools serving approximately 10,000 scholars across Northern California (Oakland, Richmond, East Palo Alto, Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, and Ceres). 

This evolution comes at an important moment for Aspire. Changes in California’s funding, policy, enrollment, and operating environment have created an opportunity to rethink how the organization supports its schools and scholars in its next chapter. The formation of Aspire NorCal creates an opportunity to strengthen support for schools across teams previously organized by geography, improve the consistency and effectiveness of school support, and create clear accountability systems for organizational and scholar outcomes. The new model will require the organization to balance greater coherence across Aspire NorCal with responsiveness to the different communities and contexts of its schools. 

Aspire NorCal enters this transition with a long-standing mission focused on post-secondary success and a deep commitment to educational equity, along with decades of institutional knowledge across its schools and teams. Preserving those strengths while building Aspire NorCal as a unified region will be central to the work ahead. 

About the role 

Reporting to the Controller, the Lead General Ledger (GL) Accountant plays an integral role in the accounting period close process. The Lead GL Accountant owns end-to-end responsibility for investments, bonds, fixed assets, work-in-process (WIP), prepaid expenses, leases, and accounts payable (AP) accruals.

In collaboration with the AP Manager and the Controller, the Lead GL Accountant is a key partner in ensuring compliance with fiscal policies, partners with the CFO, Controller, and directors of key home office functions on finance initiatives, and provides leadership to accounting staff and school team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform a full suite of accounting responsibilities for functional areas, including reviewing transactions, recording journal entries, reconciling accounts, resolving discrepancies, managing related inquiries, and preparing schedules for year-end audits.

• Implement and carry out accounting procedures according to GAAP and in compliance with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and best practices.

• Manage and implement existing processes for monitoring bond and banking covenant compliance, reporting to agencies and banking partners as required.

• Assist in maintaining accounting policies, internal controls, and safeguards of assets.

• Assist in coordinating the annual financial audit, including work paper preparation and liaison with auditors.

• Direct and prepare filings for government regulatory agencies, including property tax exemption and sales and use filings.

• Partner with Accounting and Finance leadership to improve existing processes and systems.

• Prepare and review journal entries as needed.

• Improve and simplify Aspire's accounting approach with sustainable, scalable solutions, using technology to eliminate inefficiencies while maintaining extremely high accuracy.

• Demonstrate knowledge of, and support, the Aspire Public Schools mission, vision, and values, including antiracism, and uphold confidentiality standards and the code of ethical behavior.

• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

• Support the new Service Level Agreement (SLA) under which Aspire NorCal will provide finance, accounting, and payroll services to Aspire LA.

Qualifications 

Education

• Undergraduate degree in Accounting or Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting required.

Experience

• A minimum of 5 years of accounting experience as a Staff or Senior Accountant.

• Non-profit accounting experience preferred.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with multiple accounting software systems.

Skills and competencies

• Excellent financial analytical skills and thorough knowledge of accounting; solid experience with financial statement reporting.

• Strong knowledge of GAAP and procedures used in a nonprofit environment is preferred.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills to collaborate with others, resolve discrepancies, and communicate fiscal policies.

• Strong problem-solving, analytical, time management, and organizational skills; exceptional attention to detail.

• Ability to research complex problems and provide cost-effective, time-efficient solutions.

• Ability to work independently and know when to escalate in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment; excellent judgment with confidential information.

• Flexibility to learn new technology and applications.

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this role is $91,232 to $117,116 annually in accordance with our salary schedule policy, commensurate with experience. This full-time, exempt position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Eligible for Aspire health benefits

• Retirement through CalSTRS or CalPERS, depending on the role's credential requirements, with a 403(b) option

• Paid time off and additional teammate benefits to be determined in accordance with updated employee value proposition to be shared prior to offer.  

Aspire NorCal is conducting a comprehensive study of our employee value proposition, which could lead to material changes in July 2027.

Location and work arrangement

• Work location and in-person expectations for this role are being finalized as part of our broader NorCal planning. We will share clarity with candidates in the coming weeks

Aspire NorCal expects to provide Finance, Accounting, Payroll, and Retirement services to Aspire LA under a multi-year service agreement, and part of this department’s budget is expected to depend on that agreement.  If the agreement is not finalized, is not renewed, or ends early, Aspire NorCal may reduce the department’s size accordingly, and any position in the departments listed above may be impacted.  Employment with Aspire is at-will

Application Deadline: November 20, 2026.

Equal opportunity 

Aspire Public Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Aspire Public Schools provides reasonable accommodations during the application and interview process.

Disclaimer

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.