Accounting Manager - Hybrid Office

Company: U of C NORC
Location: Chicago
Posted on: June 26, 2025

Job Description:

JOB SUMMARY: Are you a detail-driven accounting professional with a passion for precision and compliance? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where your work directly supports impactful research and national policy? NORC at the University of Chicago is seeking an experienced Accounting Manager to lead critical financial operations, including General Ledger reconciliations, lease accounting, payroll accounting, and Service Contract Act (SCA) compliance. DEPARTMENT: Accounting Accounting is the backbone of NORC’s financial health and strategy, helping to transform numbers into insights and opportunities. NORC’s accounting team is committed to ongoing process improvement and smart internal controls, as well as productive and collaborative relationships with teams across NORC to ensure that the organization thrives. What You'll Do: Complete monthly General Ledger reconciliations and journal entries Manage SCA and payroll-related accounting Rotate through the monthly close and standard billing functions Collaborate with HR, IT, and project teams to resolve SCA-related inquiries Ensure compliance with ASC 842 lease accounting standards Support the annual financial audit and prepare financial schedules Continuously improve processes and contribute to special projects What You Bring: At least 5 years directly related general accounting work experience, with 3 years of audit experience Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation required Must have experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) issues Must have previous supervisory or lead role experience Public accounting experience strongly preferred Payroll experience a plus Proficiency with accounting systems (Deltek CostPoint, SSRS, Concur a plus Strong Excel and analytical skills Excellent attention to detail, time management, and communication abilities Strong written and verbal communication skills Experience working with government contracts and Big 4 experience preferred. SALARY AND BENEFITS: The pay range for this position is $104,000 - $156,000. Hybrid work model in the heart of Chicago. This position is classified as regular. Regular staff are eligible for NORC’s comprehensive benefits program. Benefits include, but are not limited to: Generously subsidized health insurance, effective on the first day of employment Dental and vision insurance A defined contribution retirement program, along with a separate voluntary 403(b) retirement program Group life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance Benefits that promote work/life balance, including generous paid time off, holidays; paid parental leave, bereavement leave, tuition assistance, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). NORC’s Approach to Equity and Transparency Pay and benefits transparency helps to reduce wage gaps. As part of our commitment to pay equity and salary transparency, NORC includes a salary range for each job opening along with information about eligible benefit offerings. At NORC, we take a comprehensive approach to setting salary ranges and reviewing raises and promotions, which is overseen by a formal Salary Review Committee (SRC). WHAT WE DO: NORC at the University of Chicago is an objective, non-partisan research institution that delivers reliable data and rigorous analysis to guide critical programmatic, business, and policy decisions. Since 1941, our teams have conducted groundbreaking studies, created and applied innovative methods and tools, and advanced principles of scientific integrity and collaboration. Today, government, corporate, and nonprofit clients around the world partner with us to transform increasingly complex information into useful knowledge. WHO WE ARE: For over 80 years, NORC has evolved in many ways, moving the needle with research methods, technical applications and groundbreaking research findings. But our tradition of excellence, passion for innovation, and commitment to collegiality have remained constant components of who we are as a brand, and who each of us is as a member of the NORC team. With world-class benefits, a business casual environment, and an emphasis on continuous learning, NORC is a place where people join for the stellar research and analysis work for which we’re known, and stay for the relationships they form with their colleagues who take pride in the impact their work is making on a global scale. EEO STATEMENT: NORC is an equal opportunity employer. NORC evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, sexual orientation, and other legally protected characteristics. LI-MS1

Keywords: U of C NORC, Mount Prospect , Accounting Manager - Hybrid Office, Accounting, Auditing , Chicago, Illinois