About Project Guaridanship:
Project Guardianship acts as court-appointed guardian for a growing population of poor, older, and disabled New Yorkers who have no family or friends who are able provide the support they need. We employ a multi-disciplinary approach providing legal services, finance and asset management, property management, and care coordination for our clients. Guardianship practice covers a wide range of issues, including but not limited to foreclosures, public benefits, landlord/tenant law, real estate management and transactions, estate planning, medical decision-making, financial exploitation, elder abuse, and crisis management.
Position Summary:
As a member of the client finance team the Client Finance Associate will collaborate closely with other PG staff and financial and other institutions to manage clients' money, many of whom are on fixed incomes and depedant on benefit programs, but also clients who have significant assets. Client Finance Associates work with case managers and attorneys in preparing a wide range of client financial reports including mandatory annual and final financial accountings, as well as preparing all necessary paperwork and follow-up tasks to take control of client funds (as ordered by the courts) in a timely manner and will support the development and management of finance internal controls, policies, and procedures in order to promote and achieve best practices.
Primary Responsibilities:
1. Client Budgeting/Forecasting & Financial Reporting & Controls
- Create and update Client Budgets.
- Update Net Available Monthly Income (NAMI) when income changes
- Monitor clients' resource levels to help maintain benefits eligibility for Social Security Income and Medicaid
- Complete montly client bank reconciliations
- Prepare initial, annual, and final accounting reports due to the courts
- Prepare and scan clients' tax documents and work with tax accountant to ensure timely filings
- Scan, download, and file clients' bank and investment statements
2. Accounts Payable
- Submit utility bills for approval and processing
- Submit transfer requests for funds into supplemental needs trusts
- Monitor client expenses submitted by other departments for payment
- Support other departments in processing client payment requests
3. Marshaling (investigate and take control of clients' income and assets)
- Request Internal Revenue Service (IRS) transcripts
- Complete representative payee applications
- Obtain credit reports
- Send marshaling letters to banks
- Review bank statements
- Inventory safe deposit boxes
- Process unclaimed funds requests
- Collect and deposit client income
4. Benefits and Other Administrative Duties
- Assist Benefits Coordinator with benefits application back up documentation gathering
- Establish supplemental needs trusts when applicable
5. Accounts Receivable
- Scan income checks as needed as backup
6. Other duties as assigned
Education and Experience
- Two years of relevant experience required
- Bachelor's degree preferred
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of financial internal controls
- Understand financial statements and financial investment products
- Ability to sort, filter, and manipulate data on excel
- Sound judgement and excellent problem-solving ability and analytical skills, including ability to reconcile complex and conflicting reports
- Outstanding written and oral communication skills
- Working knowledge of tax filings and auditing practices
- Strong multi-tasking skills, attention to detail and ability to perform well under pressure
- Interest in social justice for underserved populations required, demostrated interest and experience working with older adults and people with disabilities a plus
Salary
Salary will be commensurate with experience and includes excellent benefits. Please indicate your salary requirement in your cover letter.
Project Guardianship is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, citizenship status, current employment status, or caregiver status.
Project Guardianship works to advance justice, particularly racial justice, in an increasingly multicultural country and globally connected world. We value diverse experiences, including with regard to educational background and justice system contact, and depend on a diverse staff to carry out our mission
For more information about Project Guardianship’s work, please visit www.projectguardianship.org.