Jobs at Core Knowledge

About the Core Knowledge Foundation

The Core Knowledge Foundation (CKF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving excellence and equity in early childhood and K–12 education. CKF develops and freely distributes curriculum and instructional resources grounded in research on how children learn, with a particular focus on coherent, cumulative knowledge-building.

The Core Knowledge Foundation is seeking a detail-oriented and highly organized Staff Accountant to support the organization’s day-to-day accounting operations.

Staff Accountant

This position performs a broad range of accounting responsibilities, including accounts payable, inventory accounting, bank reconciliation, payroll administration, cash management, month-end close activities, and financial record maintenance.

The Staff Accountant serves as an important role ensuring accurate financial records, compliance with internal controls, and timely completion of accounting processes. This role will also support implementation of a new ERP system and assist with process improvements that enhance efficiency and effectiveness across the organization.

The Staff Accountant reports to the Senior Controller and works closely with Operations, Warehouse, and Fulfillment teams.

This is a full-time exempt position working remotely. Periodic travel may be required for team meetings, inventory counts, and company events.

Primary Responsibilities/General Duties (Including but not limited to):

Accounts Payable & Cash Management

• Process full-cycle accounts payable, including invoice coding, approval routing, data entry, and electronic payment processing (ACH, EFT, and wire transfers).
• Prepare and maintain vendor records and supporting documentation.
• Monitor cash balances and assist with cash management activities.
• If located in the Charlottesville area, retrieve mail, prepare bank deposits, and process incoming payments as needed.
• Maintain documentation supporting annual Form 1099 reporting.
• Ensure financial records are organized and maintained in accordance with record retention policies.

General Ledger & Month-End Close

• Prepare journal entries and maintain assigned general ledger accounts.
• Perform monthly account reconciliations, including bank reconciliation.
• Assist with monthly and year-end close processes.
• Investigate and resolve accounting discrepancies and transaction variances.
• Maintain accurate supporting documentation for financial transactions.

Payroll & Benefits Administration

• Process semi-monthly payroll through a third-party payroll provider and review payroll reports for accuracy.
• Process employer and employee 403(b) contributions and reconcile contribution reports.
• Assist with employee onboarding and offboarding activities related to payroll.
• Support year-end payroll activities, including W-2 processing and reconciliation.
• Maintain vacation and sick leave records and ensure payroll system accuracy.

Inventory Accounting

• Maintain inventory accounting records and reconciliations.
• Review inventory adjustments and investigate variances.
• Support SKU and kit setup, inventory costing updates, and COGS review activities.
• Participate in annual physical inventory counts at warehouse locations.

Audit, Compliance & Internal Controls

• Assist with annual financial audits and requests from external auditors.
• Support compliance with nonprofit accounting standards, internal policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain accounting documentation and schedules required for audits and financial reviews.
• Follow established internal controls and assist with process documentation updates.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Serve as a key user of the organization’s ERP system.
• Assist with testing, implementation, and training activities related to the ERP transition.
• Identify opportunities to improve accounting processes, workflows, and documentation.
• Support leadership with financial data requests and reporting needs.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice, at the manager’s discretion.

Contacts

• Core Knowledge Foundation staff members
• Outside Vendors, Partners, and Clients, such as bankers, payroll provider, ERP system hosting partner

Typical Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Works remotely or in office environment that may require a stationary position for more than 50% of an 8-hour work day
• Sit, stand, bend, reach, climb steps
• Communicate by phone, writing, and speaking

Travel

• If local to Charlottesville, regular travel to the PO Box, office, and warehouses
• 1 or 2 Core Knowledge Foundation staff summits per year
• Core Knowledge Conferences: all employees are needed for setting up, registration, participant flow and help desk. Next conference is June 2027 in Arizona.
• 2-6 In-person team meetings per year
• Annual inventory count at warehouse locations, Jan 2027

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field.
• Four plus years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
• Experience with accounts payable, account reconciliations, and general ledger activities.
• Experience with inventory accounting.
• Experience working with accounting software and Microsoft Excel.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.

Bonus Experience

• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains).
• Experience with Acumatica.
• Payroll processing and benefits administration experience.
• Experience supporting system implementations or process improvement initiatives.

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit a resume/CV and letter of interest. Candidate materials (resume/CV, letter of interest) will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting August 7, 2026, with initial phone screens beginning the following week. The interview process will include 2-4 remote rounds (30 minutes to 1 hour each), covering conversations with Sr. Controller, Director of Operations, COO, and staff. Interested candidates can apply by sending their resume and cover letter to humanresources@coreknowledge.org.

Compensation and Benefits

The hiring salary range for this role is $65,000-$75,000 and the role is eligible for annual bonus consideration based on organizational and individual performance.

CKF provides a robust benefits package including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, with 100% of the employee’s premium is currently covered by the organization. Additional costs for spouses and dependents.
• 8% 403b match
• Paid time off starting at: o Vacation leave at 15 days per year, accrued bi-monthly
• Sick and safe leave starting with a 5-day up front bank, and 10 additional days per year accrued bi-weekly
• 13 paid holidays
• 1 floating holiday
• Winter Break closure between December 26 and December 31 – often extended based on how the holidays land on the calendar each year
• Paid family leave
• Short and long-term disability insurance