Staff Accountant

Department: Finance | Reports To: Senior Director of Finance | Classification: Exempt | Status: Regular, Full time

About the role

The Staff Accountant supports the organization’s daily accounting operations, with a primary emphasis on accounts payable. This role is responsible for ensuring timely and accurate vendor payments, managing general ledger entries, performing reconciliations, and assisting with financial report preparation within a collaborative finance team.

About The Minnesota Orchestra

The Minnesota Orchestra is a Grammy Award-winning orchestra known for acclaimed performances in Minnesota and around the world, a storied history of recordings and radio broadcasts, innovative educational engagement programs and a commitment to new orchestral music. Founded by Emil Oberhoffer in 1903 as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the organization was the eighth major orchestra established in the United States. In 1911, it began a series of children's concerts under the sponsorship of the Young People's Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA), which continues to this day. Early in the 1920s, the orchestra was one of the first to be heard on recordings and on the radio, playing a nationally broadcast concert with guest conductor Bruno Walter in 1923. In 1968, the orchestra changed its name to the Minnesota Orchestra (or Minnesota Orchestral Association). Today the Orchestra performs a wide variety of music including nearly 175 concerts in a typical year, primarily at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, the organization’s home since 1974. The Orchestra is led by Music Director Thomas Søndergård and has historically toured regularly throughout Minnesota, nationally and abroad. The Minnesota Orchestra has an annual budget of $42.6M and ended FY2024 with net assets of $185.5M. The organization employs over 150 FT employees and over 100 PT staff and is supported and governed by an 80+ member Board of Directors. In 2024-25, 237,875 guests attended in-person concerts; with audio streaming, digital concerts, TV and radio broadcasts included that number reached more than 2.5 million people.

Minnesota Orchestra Values

We believe every employee is essential to the success of the organization and critical to accomplishing our mission to enrich, inspire and serve our community. Our working relationships are based on respect for each other as individuals, confidence in one another, and a genuine desire to actively listen and collaborate with each other. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization that honors and reflects the community we serve, welcomes, and instills diversity across our organization, and nurtures an equitable and inclusive culture.

Responsibilities

• Process accounts payable invoices, ensure accurate coding, and execute timely vendor payments
• Maintain vendor records, support 1099 reporting and year end processes
• Post journal entries, assist with monthly close procedures, and perform account reconciliations
• Support preparation of financial statements and internal reports
• Work cross departmentally to verify proper documentation for expenditures
• Assist with audit preparation and respond to internal and external audit requests
• Provide backup support across finance functions as needed
• Identify and implement process improvements in AP and accounting workflows

Leadership Expectations

• Demonstrate integrity in actions and words
• Uphold Minnesota Orchestra values in all interactions
• Meet deadlines and maintain high accuracy in all deliverables
• Support a collaborative and inclusive team culture
• Take initiative in identifying and solving challenges
• Provide excellent service to internal and external stakeholders

Work Environment and Physical and Mental Demands

The Minnesota Orchestra is primarily a place-based organization, offering hybrid schedules that require some consistent in-person, on-site work. While working on site at Orchestra Hall or the administrative offices, work is performed in an open office environment with moderate noise levels in a cubical desk configuration and in a performing art building on stage, in a lobby or other location within the facility, and occasionally in an outdoor environment for outdoor concerts, or other activities. While performing the duties of this position, incumbents may be required to do all or some of the following, with or without accommodation:

• Sit or stand at a desk, counter, or other work surface
• Talk and/or hear spoken words, music, or other sounds
• Use hands or fingers to handle or touch objects around them
• Review documents, monitors, or displays with potentially small print
• Operate a computer, phone and other common office tools or controls
• Mentally focus on tasks and apply sound reasoning and judgement
• Work in or attend meetings or other events in any of the Orchestra locations or other sites as necessary
• Lift/move objects (such as files, packages, props, or office equipment) or ensure objects are lifted/moved that may weigh up to 15 lbs.

The typical workdays and hours for the organization are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. In this exempt position, work is expected to be delivered within established deadlines and quality standards without regard to the typical working days or hours as noted above with some autonomy to determine attendance at a performance or other events.

Benefits

Health Benefits Offerings

• Medical Plans, PPO and HSA
• Dental and Vision Plans
• Health Savings Account (HSA) funding each pay period
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life and AD&D
• Short- and Long-Term Disability

Time Off Benefits

• Generous PTO accrual
• Generous sick leave accrual
• Volunteering Time Off
• 13 organizational holidays

Financial

• 401(k) Plan with two ways to earn organizational contributions

Perks

• MetroPass
• Parking Garage Discounts
• Complimentary and Discounted Tickets

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field required
• 3–5 years of general accounting experience. Some experience in accounts payable required.
• Nonprofit accounting experience preferred
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meeting deadlines
• Must be a strong communicator with a collaborative mindset

Skills

• Proficiency in financial accounting systems. Experience with Activity HD or Concur would be a plus but is not required.
• Intermediate Excel skills (e.g., VLOOKUP, pivot tables)
• Experience with CRM and payroll system integration is a plus

Pay

Salary Range: $55,000 – $65,000 annually