Production Cost Accountant

Production Cost Accountant

About Us:

Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a global Jewish human rights organization that confronts antisemitism and hate, defends the safety of Israel and Jews worldwide, and teaches the lessons of the Holocaust through awareness, advocacy, justice, education, and its Museums of Tolerance. With a constituency of over 400,000 member families since its founding in 1977, the SWC has an international footprint through its Museums of Tolerance, Moriah Films, and the Digital Terrorism + Hate Project.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, it maintains operations in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Paris, Berlin, Jerusalem, and Buenos Aires. It is an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations, UNESCO, the Organization of American States, the Latin American Parliament, and the Council of Europe and maintains relationships with the highest levels of governments throughout the world.

In 1993, the Center opened the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles to worldwide acclaim. The Museum has served as the Center’s flagship educational arm, challenging visitors to confront bigotry and racism, and to understand the Holocaust in both historical and contemporary contexts. In addition, the Center developed Moriah Media to produce theatrical documentaries to educate global audiences. Moriah has produced 17 documentaries to date, two of which have received the Academy Award for best feature documentary, The Long Way Home and Genocide.

Position Summary

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, is seeking a Production Cost Accountant to manage the accounting and financial tracking of multiple Cost and capital improvement projects. This key role ensures financial transparency, cost control, and compliance with grant and donor funding requirements. Reporting directly to the Vice President/Controller, this position is ideal for a detail-oriented accounting professional with experience in nonprofit or construction project environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, compile, and reconcile detailed project costs for capital construction projects on an ongoing basis, as well as Moriah Media productions.
• Analyze period and inception-to-date project costs against total approved budgets and funding sources on a bi-weekly basis.
• Prepare and deliver regular reports to management detailing financial progress, highlighting any cost overruns, risks, or funding gaps.
• Monitor vendor invoices, change orders, and lien releases to ensure accuracy and appropriate allocation of expenses.
• Oversee all financial aspects of construction-related grants and productions, including reporting requirements, spending compliance, and reimbursement tracking.
• Maintain construction project financial files and supporting documentation for audits and board reporting.
• Work closely with project managers, facilities staff, and external contractors to ensure alignment between accounting records and project timelines.
• Support the year-end close process by preparing construction-related journal entries, schedules, and reconciliations.
• Assist with capital asset tracking and project capitalization processes in compliance with GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or progress toward CPA certification is a plus.
• 3–5 years of professional experience in construction accounting, project accounting, or nonprofit finance.
• Experience working with capital projects, grant compliance, and project-based budgeting.
• Strong working knowledge of Excel, including pivot tables and VLOOKUPs; experience with ERP systems such as NetSuite, Sage, or similar platforms preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple deadlines, prioritize tasks, and maintain a high level of accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial data clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
• Familiarity with fund accounting and financial reporting standards in nonprofit organizations is highly desirable.
Commitment to the mission and values of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Our Benefits:

We value our people and offer a collaborative and engaging culture. As a SWC employee, you will enjoy work/life balance, generous time off and comprehensive benefits and programs. The Simon Wiesenthal Center embraces inclusivity and values our diverse community. We are committed to building a team based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.