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Montessori education at East Bay Montessori School offers a child-centered education for students from TK–Grade 8, fostering independent thinking, creativity, and a love of learning.

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East Bay Montessori, formerly Montessori Family School, is a non-profit school located in El Cerrito, CA, offering programs for students aged KB-8th grade. Montessori education fosters curiosity, independence, compassion, collaboration, and critical thinking, while also emphasizing strong academic skills.

With a focus on individualized learning, our curriculum is designed to present skills to children at the time when they are most ready to learn. We believe in cultivating a love of learning in every child and recognize the unique needs of each student.

Our programs include Kindergarten Bridge (4.5 - 6 years), Elementary (Grades 1 - 6), Middle School (Grades 7 - 8), and Resource Classes. We also offer afterschool programs and Montessori Model United Nations to provide a well-rounded educational experience.

We invite you to schedule a tour, submit an application, and join our community to experience the benefits of a Montessori education first-hand. With a focus on school and family partnership, we aim to provide an engaging and enriching educational environment for all students.

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East Bay Montessori is a vibrant Montessori school in El Cerrito serving students from Kindergarten Bridge through Middle School, with classrooms rooted in independence, collaboration, and meaningful learning. We are a small, thoughtful, and mission-driven school community where work has a direct and meaningful impact. East Bay Montessori admits students of any race, religion, color, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, sex, and gender to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The school prohibits discrimination in the administration of its educational and employment policies, financial aid programs, and other school-administered programs.

Position Summary
----------------

Working at East Bay Montessori means being part of a small, thoughtful, and mission-driven school community where your work has a direct and meaningful impact.

We are seeking a **Senior Accountant / Fractional Controller** for a focused, project-based engagement of about 2-3 months, 20 hrs a week, to ensure fiscal year-end readiness and strengthen our QuickBooks Online environment.

This is a **hands-on, senior-level role with immediate impact**. The ideal candidate brings experience with QuickBooks cleanups and year-end close preparation, works independently, and adds clarity, structure, and sound accounting judgment to our financial operations.

Core Responsibilities
---------------------

**Financial Review & Cleanup**

*   Review QuickBooks Online records for accuracy, completeness, and consistency
*   Identify inconsistencies, duplicate entries, coding issues, and reconciliation gaps
*   Review bank, credit card, liability, revenue, and expense accounts
*   Ensure the general ledger is reliable and ready for year-end review

**Reconciliations & Year-End Readiness**

*   Perform or review bank and credit card reconciliations
*   Support month-end and fiscal year-end close preparation
*   Prepare clean, organized financial records for CPA/tax review
*   Identify items requiring adjustment and documentation

**Accounting Structure & Accuracy**

*   Review chart of accounts, class/project usage, and coding practices
*   Ensure proper treatment of deferred revenue, prepaids, accruals, and fixed assets
*   Recommend improvements to workflows and documentation
*   Establish consistency in recurring accounting processes

**Reporting & Financial Planning Support**

*   Support development of FY25–26 year-end projections
*   Assist with baseline financial data for FY26–27 budgeting
*   Identify key assumptions, one-time items, and recurring expenses
*   Support development of financial reporting for leadership and Board use

**Optional Ongoing Support**

*   Monthly close support
*   Periodic financial review
*   Budgeting and forecasting support
*   KPI and dashboard development

Qualifications
--------------

The ideal candidate will bring:

*   **7–10+ years of hands-on accounting experience**, with strong ownership of the general ledger
*   Deep expertise in **QuickBooks Online**, including cleanup and system improvement work
*   Demonstrated experience preparing books for **month-end and year-end close**, including tax and audit readiness
*   Strong understanding of **accrual accounting**, including deferred revenue, prepaids, and balance sheet integrity
*   Proven ability to **identify issues, reconcile discrepancies, and bring clarity to incomplete or inconsistent records**
*   Ability to work **independently**, prioritize effectively, and deliver defined outcomes
*   Strong attention to detail paired with **sound professional judgment**
*   Clear and professional communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting matters to non-accountants

Preferred
---------

*   Background in **nonprofit, independent school, or small-organization environments**
*   Experience with **QuickBooks cleanup or catch-up projects**
*   Familiarity with **Bill.com, ADP, and Clarity** or similar systems
*   Exposure to **CPA review, audit, or Form 990 preparation**
*   Ability to improve accounting workflows, documentation, and internal processes

Compensation & Work Arrangement
-------------------------------

*   **Pay:** $75 - $110 an hour
*   **Duration:** Temporary, Part-time, Contract (approximately 2-3 months, 20 hours per week)
*   **Location:** Hybrid remote in El Cerrito, CA 94530

Success in This Engagement Looks Like
-------------------------------------

*   QuickBooks Online records are clean, consistent, and reliable
*   Bank, credit card, and key balance sheet accounts are fully reconciled and supported
*   Year-end close items are clearly identified, documented, and ready for CPA review
*   Accounting practices and workflows are structured, consistent, and sustainable
*   Leadership has clear visibility into financial position and year-end outlook
*   The school feels more at ease and confident in its financial foundation

Founder at Straight Talk Business Solutions

Peggy Wolff

Business and Operations Manager

Senior Accountant / Fractional Controller - Project-Based

Controller

Senior Accountant

Montessori Family School is a private, independent school serving 155 students ages 3 to 14 on two campuses in Berkeley and El Cerrito, CA. Founded 1981 to provide an authentic Montessori education for East Bay families, MFS seeks to nurture each child’s individual learning style while maintaining standards of academic excellence. A full member of the American Montessori Society, MFS has adhered strongly to its original mission for more than 30 years: Preparation for Life, Education for Peace, and a Community for Children.

Montessori Family School

**Position Summary**

Working at East Bay Montessori means being part of a small, thoughtful, and mission-driven school community where your work has a direct and meaningful impact.

We are a vibrant Montessori school in El Cerrito serving students from Kindergarten Bridge through Middle School, with classrooms rooted in independence, collaboration, and meaningful learning.

We are seeking a **Senior Accountant / Fractional Controller** for a focused, project-based engagement to ensure fiscal year-end readiness and strengthen our QuickBooks Online environment.

This is a **hands-on, senior-level role with immediate impact**. The ideal candidate brings experience with QuickBooks cleanups and year-end close preparation, works independently, and adds clarity, structure, and sound accounting judgment to our financial operations.

We would love to work with someone who enjoys bringing order to complexity and supporting a small school community through thoughtful, high-quality work.

If you enjoy bringing clarity to complexity, creating order where it is needed most, and value supporting a small, mission-driven organization, we would very much welcome your application.

**Core Responsibilities**

**Financial Review & Cleanup**

- Review QuickBooks Online records for accuracy, completeness, and consistency
- Identify inconsistencies, duplicate entries, coding issues, and reconciliation gaps
- Review bank, credit card, liability, revenue, and expense accounts
- Ensure the general ledger is reliable and ready for year-end review

**Reconciliations & Year-End Readiness**

- Perform or review bank and credit card reconciliations
- Support month-end and fiscal year-end close preparation
- Prepare clean, organized financial records for CPA/tax review
- Identify items requiring adjustment and documentation

**Accounting Structure & Accuracy**

- Review chart of accounts, class/project usage, and coding practices
- Ensure proper treatment of deferred revenue, prepaids, accruals, and fixed assets
- Recommend improvements to workflows and documentation
- Establish consistency in recurring accounting processes

**Reporting & Financial Planning Support**

- Support development of FY25–26 year-end projections
- Assist with baseline financial data for FY26–27 budgeting
- Identify key assumptions, one-time items, and recurring expenses
- Support development of financial reporting for leadership and Board use

**Optional Ongoing Support**

- Monthly close support
- Periodic financial review
- Budgeting and forecasting support
- KPI and dashboard development

**Qualifications**  
The ideal candidate will bring:

- **7–10+ years of hands-on accounting experience**, with strong ownership of the general ledger
- Deep expertise in **QuickBooks Online**, including cleanup and system improvement work
- Demonstrated experience preparing books for **month-end and year-end close**, including tax and audit readiness
- Strong understanding of **accrual accounting**, including deferred revenue, prepaids, and balance sheet integrity
- Proven ability to **identify issues, reconcile discrepancies, and bring clarity to incomplete or inconsistent records**
- Ability to work **independently**, prioritize effectively, and deliver defined outcomes
- Strong attention to detail paired with **sound professional judgment**
- Clear and professional communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting matters to non-accountants

**Preferred**

- Background in **nonprofit, independent school, or small-organization environments**
- Experience with **QuickBooks cleanup or catch-up projects**
- Familiarity with **Bill.com, ADP, and Clarity** or similar systems
- Exposure to **CPA review, audit, or Form 990 preparation**
- Ability to improve accounting workflows, documentation, and internal processes

**Success in This Engagment Looks Like**

- QuickBooks Online records are clean, consistent, and reliable
- Bank, credit card, and key balance sheet accounts are fully reconciled and supported
- Year-end close items are clearly identified, documented, and ready for CPA review
- Accounting practices and workflows are structured, consistent, and sustainable
- Leadership has clear visibility into financial position and year-end outlook
- The school feels more at ease and confident in its financial foundation

**Why This Role Matters**

This role supports the school’s ability to make thoughtful financial decisions and ensures a strong, reliable foundation for year-end close, tax preparation, and future planning.

**To Apply**

Must be eligible to work in the United States. Please send your resume and a brief cover letter by May 15, 2026 to: Peggy Wolff, Business and Operations Manager, jobs@eastbaymontessori.org

**Equal Employment Opportunity Policy**

East Bay Montessori School admits students of any race, religion, color, citizenship, national or ethnic origin, sex, and gender to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. East Bay Montessori prohibits discrimination in the administration of its educational and employment policies, financial aid programs, and other school-administered programs.

Pay: $75.00 - $110.00 per hour

Work Location: Hybrid remote in El Cerrito, CA 94530

El Cerrito

Seeking a Senior Accountant/Fractional Controller for a project-based engagement at East Bay Montessori. The role involves QuickBooks cleanup, year-end close preparation, and financial operations improvement. It's a temporary, part-time contract for 2-3 months, 20 hours per week, with a pay range of $75-$110 per hour.

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