Finance and Administrative Assistant

The Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) is a political subdivision of the State of Vermont dedicated to conserving natural resources and supporting resilient local communities. Established in 1940 in response to widespread soil erosion during the Dust Bowl era, PMNRCD was the first of Vermont’s fourteen Conservation Districts. The District works with farmers, landowners, municipalities, and community partners to protect healthy soil, clean water, and thriving ecosystems across the Poultney and Mettowee River watersheds. Our work is rooted in agricultural and forestry conservation, water quality improvement, habitat restoration, community outreach, and environmental monitoring. We collaborate closely with other local organizations, state and federal agencies, and the neighboring Rutland NRCD on a variety of watershed initiatives.

PMNRCD is a small, collaborative organization with a dynamic portfolio of projects. Staff work closely with a volunteer Board of Supervisors and a wide range of partners to implement conservation programs and grants that benefit the region. There are currently seven permanent staff and ten seasonal staff.

Position Summary:

This is a newly created position that will play a central role in supporting PMNRCD’s operations, including maintaining financial records, coordinating grant and project administration, and helping ensure the smooth day-to-day functioning of the District. The position reports directly to the District Manager, who provides day-to-day supervision. As with all district staff, the position ultimately serves under the authority of the District Board of Supervisors. The successful candidate will manage District bookkeeping and financial tracking, support grant and project management systems, assist with human resources programming and organizational administration, and manage general office coordination.

This is an excellent opportunity for a self-motivated and highly organized individual who is comfortable managing multiple responsibilities and adapting to changing priorities in a small, collaborative, mission-driven organization. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential. Candidates should demonstrate initiative, attention to detail, and the ability to take on leadership within their role. Preference will be given to applicants with experience managing budgets and grants and demonstrated leadership in previous positions. Knowledge of natural resources or conservation work is a plus but not required.

Primary Responsibilities:
Financial Management

· Maintain District financial records using accounting software (Intuit QuickBooks Online).

• Oversight, maintenance and strengthening of appropriate financial controls
• Assist with the monthly accounting close process, including bank reconciliations
• Assist the DM with proactively managing the annual audit process, serving as the point of contact for the external audit firm and coordinating the preparation of all requested documentation
• Process expenses (checks and debit cards) and income (invoices and payments received).
• Assist with payroll tracking, including coding staff hours and expenses, and ensuring all associated payroll expenses are correctly tracked in QuickBooks to the individual grant level.
• Track grant and project expenditures, including related document management (receipts and invoices to prove out expenditures), staff time allocation, travel and material expenses across multiple funding sources to ensure compliance with grant requirements.
• Review and record subgrantee, subcontractor and subrecipient invoices.
• Support the District Manager and staff with budget development, financial tracking, and preparation of financial reports.
• Assist with monthly and annual financial reports for the District Manager and the Board.
• Assist with grant reimbursement requests and financial documentation for funding agencies.
• Maintain accurate financial records to support internal and external audits.

Administrative and Office Support

• Provide HR role and oversee related resources for the staff, as appropriate for our small office
• Ensure compliance with current workplace laws
• Create and maintain organized grant, project and administrative files and tracking systems.
• Assist with the preparation and distribution of Board Meeting agendas and materials.
• Take minutes at Board Meetings and maintain official meeting records.
• Ensure that the District complies with Open Meeting Law requirements.
• Assist with Board appointments, elections, and official required documentation.
• Coordinate office operations including collecting staff hours for biweekly payroll.
• Support onboarding and administrative orientation for seasonal staff and new employees.
• Maintain employee records and assist with timekeeping documentation.
• Assist with development and implementation of new organizational procedures and recordkeeping systems to strengthen District internal operations.

Organizational and Program Support

• Work with the District Manager and other staff to identify, launch, and implement a new grant tracking system using specialized management software and other project management tools to improve and streamline workflow and ensure grant deliverables are submitted on time.
• Maintain grant tracking systems and work with staff to monitor project timelines, ensuring accountability for meeting grant submission deadlines, reporting requirements, deliverables, financial tracking, and related correspondence.
• Contribute to the effective operation of PMNRCD by assisting with organizational initiatives as needed.
• Support communications efforts including newsletters, outreach materials, and internal documentation.
• Assist staff with project coordination, grant proposals, or research tasks when needed.
• Stay up to date on local RFPs, communicating relevant opportunities to staff.
• Help identify opportunities to improve administrative systems and workflows.
• Assist with additional duties or special projects as assigned.

The PMNRCD team is small, dynamic and collaborative, with staff members regularly working across multiple projects and sharing different responsibilities. The successful candidate will be confident and comfortable in adapting to evolving needs and supporting a range of administrative, financial, and programmatic activities.

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in accounting, business administration, nonprofit administration, or a related field.
• Five or more years of experience in bookkeeping, financial administration, and project management.
• Accounting experience.
• Familiarity with grant administration and compliance requirements.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and prioritize tasks independently.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with QuickBooks Online or similar accounting software.
• Experience managing budgets, grants, or financial reporting in a non-profit organization or public sector setting.
• Familiarity with a variety of social media platforms.
• Experience working with conservation organizations, municipalities, or government programs.
• Interest in natural resource conservation, watershed protection, and environmental stewardship.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills
• Attention to detail and accuracy in financial and administrative work
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities with minimal supervision
• Proficiency working with budgets, invoices, and financial documentation
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and effectively for internal coordination, external partners, and public-facing communications
• Initiative, flexibility, and strong problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to listen and work well with others – customer service orientation and highly collaborative spirit.
• Confidence learning and implementing new systems and technology
• Ability to work collaboratively within a small team while also managing responsibilities independently
• Experience developing new systems and procedures and/or improving existing systems to increase efficiency

Working Conditions:

This role will be primarily based at the PMNRCD office in Poultney, Vermont. Work will primarily be conducted within an office environment using standard office equipment and laptop/computer systems. Some flexibility for limited remote working may be possible depending on job duties and candidate experience and requirements. A valid driver's license is required. The position can be part or full time, with ¾ to full time preferred.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary range: $23 – $28 per hour, depending on qualifications and experience. PMNRCD offers a generous benefits package that includes:

• Paid vacation and sick leave
• Paid holidays
• Health care stipend and/or individual insurance coverage
• Retirement savings options and match

Benefits are subject to change and may begin following an initial probationary period.

Supervision and Evaluation:

The Finance and Administrative Assistant position reports directly to the District Manager and works closely with the PMNRCD staff and Board of Supervisors. Performance evaluations will be conducted after the initial probationary period and annually thereafter.

Additional Information:

This job description does not constitute an employment agreement and may be modified as organizational needs evolve. PMNRCD is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply. This position is part-time to full-time depending on workload needs, skills and experience of the successful candidate, and available funding. Work hours may vary depending on workload and employee needs. It may be necessary to increase the hours of this position during times of increased workloads.

Application Instructions:

Questions may be directed to Hilary Solomon, District Manager. Please submit a letter of interest, resume, and three references to Hilary with Sadie Brown copied. When applying, include “Finance and Administrative Assistant Candidate” in the email subject line. Please do NOT use AI on your letter of interest; we prefer to hear your individual voice and read the words you intentionally chose to include.

Hilary Solomon, District Manager: hilary@pmnrcd.org / (802) 558-3515

Sadie Brown, Environmental Planner and Nursery Manager: sadie@pmnrcd.org / (802) 287-0710

Pay: $23.00 - $28.00 per hour

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person