About the California Academy of Sciences

Founded in 1853, the California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned, AZA-accredited non-profit scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, research institute, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our living collection reflects Earth’s vast biodiversity, consisting of nearly 60,000 animals representing over 800 species. Our research collections are the largest west of the Mississippi, spanning nearly 46 million plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. Our diverse team includes leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who are passionate about advancing knowledge and catalyzing action through science and storytelling.

Whether you're conducting research behind the scenes or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

Reporting to the Assistant Controller, the Associate Manager, Financial Accounting supervises staff and oversees key financial accounting activities to ensure accurate, timely, and complete financial reporting in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and Academy policies. This hands-on supervisory role coordinates assigned period-end close activities, reviews complex accounting transactions and reconciliations, provides technical guidance, supports external audits and financial statement preparation, and partners with departments across the Academy to strengthen accounting processes and internal controls.

Organizational Culture

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation, and celebrates its accomplishments together. Staff share a commitment to executing a new strategic plan that will strengthen the organization's financial foundations, cultivate a vibrant internal culture, and foster smart growth to secure the Academy’s future.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are motivated to contribute to our mission. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. The specific onsite/hybrid schedule for this position is listed below.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development: Supervise, train, and mentor Financial Accounting staff; assign and prioritize workloads, review performance, provide technical guidance, and ensure timely completion of deliverables.
Period-End Close Management: Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, including managing the close calendar, coordinating Accounting deliverables, and facilitating close meetings with Accounting and FP&A to ensure timely and accurate financial reporting.
Financial Accounting & Technical Guidance: Oversee the accounting treatment of complex transactions, including revenue recognition, investments, fixed assets and capitalization, consolidations, and intercompany activity; research technical accounting matters and ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP and Academy policies.
Journal Entry Review: Review journal entries and supporting schedules prepared by staff, prepare complex entries as needed, and ensure transactions are accurately recorded and adequately supported.
Account Reconciliation Oversight: Oversee the account reconciliation process, ensuring timely preparation, standardized documentation, compliance with U.S. GAAP, and resolution of reconciling items.
Financial Analysis: Review period-end financial results, investigate significant variances against budget and prior periods, and communicate findings and recommendations to management.