Senior Accountant (25-26)

Started by Families, Focused on Students

Developing Scholars in East San José

We were founded by families in East San José who wanted stronger academics and more support for their children. Alpha is a free, TK-12 public charter school system on a mission to prepare the next generation of leaders in East San José.

Alpha Public Schools is a network of four public charter schools committed to providing access to an outstanding education. Join us as we prepare students in TK-12th grade for success in college and career.

Who we are:

Alpha Public Schools is a public charter school network of four schools educating approximately 1,900 scholars in east San Jose. Guided by the belief that our students belong in college, we ensure safe, inclusive, and student-centered learning environments to help our students thrive. What sets us apart is the very thing that makes us who we are– our community. Alpha was founded by a group of mothers on the eastside of San Jose who sought better educational opportunities for their students. We maintain a strong connection to our community and engage families in a collaborative approach to offer a holistic education to our students.

A successful Staff Accountant:

The Senior Staff Accountant at Alpha Public Schools is responsible for managing complex accounting tasks and supporting the financial operations of the organization and its schools. This role involves the preparation of financial statements, leading & managing audits, and overseeing the overall maintenance accounting systems and accounts. The Senior Staff Accountant will also manage accounting for restricted funding, conduct financial analyses, and ensure compliance with accounting standards and internal policies. The position provides valuable financial insights and supports the school's leadership team in making informed decisions.

The Staff Accountant is responsible for:

General Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Oversee the month-end closing procedures, including maintenance of the general ledger, lease schedules, capital outlay & depreciation schedules.


• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.


• Utilize accounting software and financial management systems to record transactions, generate reports, and maintain financial records.


• Oversee and review accounts payable transactions, including invoice coding, data entry, and payment processing.


• Reconcile balance sheet accounts, including bank accounts, prepaid expenses, and accruals.


• Conduct financial analyses to support decision-making by school leadership, department heads, and the Alpha board.

Financial Systems and Process Ownership

• Ensure accurate and timely recording of financial transactions in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the CA School Accounting Manual and internal policies.


• Implement and maintain internal controls and procedures to ensure the integrity of financial data and compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements.


• Own the maintenance and optimization of financial systems, software, and technology infrastructure to support efficient and effective financial operations.


• Identify and manage opportunities for process improvement and automation in financial workflows to increase efficiency, accuracy, and compliance.

Audit and Compliance Support

• Coordinate Year-end close for the Finance Team and pro-actively communicate with auditors as needed.


• Support other audits by providing documentation, explanations, and assistance as needed.


• Ensure compliance with state and federal regulations, tax filings, and reporting requirements.

What we offer:

At Alpha we care deeply about our scholars and staff. To support our team (and hopefully you!) we offer:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience. The starting salary for this role is $93,288 and goes up based on years of experience.


• Health benefits plans for medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage for staff and their families


• Retirement matching options


• Paid time off for holidays and breaks (6 weeks throughout the school year)


• Generous paternity/maternity leave benefits including 4 weeks of paid parental leave in addition to the state and federal leave allowances


• Employee Assistance Program that provides access to professional services for workplace, life, and wellbeing support and services


• Relocation assistance for teammates moving from 250+ miles away

You Possess…

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting or related field


• Proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets


• Excellent written communication skills


• Minimum 4 years of accounting experience


• Familiarity with Accounting platforms such as Tipalti or Netsuite, a plus


• Experience with CALSTRS or other public retirement systems, a plus


• Experience with Payroll systems such as Paylocity, a plus

Join our team…

To apply for this position, please submit a resume and cover letter online.

Alpha Public Schools is a network of four high-performing public charter schools founded by a group of East San José mothers dedicated to helping transform their community. We have a strong growth mindset – as individuals, as an organization, and on behalf of our students and families. We want to be better tomorrow than we are today.

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status or disability. We are strongly committed to hiring a diverse and multicultural staff and encourage applications from traditionally under-represented backgrounds.

Salary is competitive and compensation includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]