Site Accountant

Introduction

The Wisconsin Historical Society, considered one of the nation's finest historical institutions, is a State of Wisconsin government agency as well as a mission-driven entrepreneurial organization. The Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS), founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories. At its core, WHS believes that increasing the public's knowledge of history has profound societal, cultural, and economic benefit. Its library, archives and collections, historic sites and museums, historic preservation office, and extensive educational programs and community outreach are focused on our vision to enrich and transform lives through unparalleled access to history. Click here for more information about WHS’ mission, vision, and core values.

WHS is committed to being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization because we truly believe this is the most effective way to attract, engage, and retain the best talent and the most meaningful way to support our mission.

Click here for more information about working for WHS.

Position Summary

This position will be located at Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, Wisconsin, or WHS headquarters at 816 State Street, Madison, Wisconsin.

Under the general supervision of the Deputy Controller, the Site Accountant oversees all accounting and financial processes for Old World Wisconsin within the Division of Museums and Historic Sites of the Wisconsin Historical Society; performs accounting duties for central Society functions; and provides accounting support and oversight to the Division of Museums and Historic Sites. The incumbent is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining procedures for a wide variety of fiscal activities. The primary function of this position is financial oversight and processing using the State of Wisconsin's STAR (financial) system, the Historical Society's point of sale system, CounterPoint, Shopify and the ticketing system, ACME. The Site Accountant will handle such things as cash handling, revenue processing and reconciliation, payment processing and tracking, revenue tracking, purchasing, and budgeting and forecasting. This position will monitor all revenue and expenditures at Old World Wisconsin in compliance with State of Wisconsin statutes, rules, policies and procedures, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), and operating budgets.

Salary Information

The salary will be between $29.00 - $36.00 per hour plus excellent benefits. Pay on appointment for current or former state employees may vary according to the applicable pay provisions found in the Wisconsin State Compensation Plan. This position is in pay schedule 07, range 03. The classification for this position is Accountant-Journey. A 12-month probationary period will be required.

Visit this link for a calculator of State of Wisconsin benefits: https://dpm.wi.gov/Pages/Employees/RewardsCalculator.aspx

Job Details

A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of employment to determine if the circumstances of any conviction may be related to the job.

Interested permanent classified state employees should complete this application process to apply.

WHS does not sponsor work visas. Any appointment made will be contingent on the applicant being able to prove valid status to work in the United States.

Certain positions within WHS may allow remote/work from home flexibility for a portion of their work schedule, depending on the needs of the position and the work unit. This topic and any remote work flexibility that may be available will be discussed in more detail in the interview process.

Some travel to assigned historic sites will be required.

Qualifications

Please make sure to describe the following qualifications within your resume and/or letter of qualifications in order to be considered for this position.

A minimally qualified candidate willhave experience in all of the following:

• Professional accounting experience applying generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and maintaining accurate financial records.
• Preparing account reconciliations, journal entries, financial reports, and analyzing financial transactions.
• Experience reviewing expenses and ensuring compliance with internal policies.
• Using computerized accounting systems, financial software, spreadsheets, and reporting tools.
• Identifying and resolving accounting discrepancies while maintaining appropriate documentation.

In addition to meeting minimum qualifications, a well-qualified candidate will have demonstrated experience in atleastthreeof the following areas:

• Governmental accounting, fund accounting, or financial management within a state, local, federal, higher education, or nonprofit organization with multiple funding sources.
• Managing or reconciling complex revenue operations, including admissions, retail sales, memberships, events, grants, donations, accounts receivable, or other high-volume revenue streams.
• Working with enterprise financial management systems (such as STAR, PeopleSoft, Workday, Oracle, SAP, or similar ERP systems) to prepare reconciliations, journal entries, financial reporting, and account analysis.
• Developing or improving accounting procedures, internal controls, financial workflows, or business processes. Preparing financial analyses, executive reports, dashboards, or other management reporting to support operational or budget decisions.
• Experience supporting procurement, payment processing, vendor management, or purchasing card administration.
• Delivering financial training, technical assistance, or guidance to staff on accounting procedures, financial systems, or internal controls.

How To Apply

To apply, click “Apply for Job” to start the application process. Then, you will access your existing account or to create a new account if you don’t have an account. Once you are logged in, click “Apply for Job.” Follow the steps outlined in the application process and submit your application.

Your letter of qualifications and resume are very important parts of your application and are used during our evaluation process to determine your qualifications as they relate to the job. For instructions on developing your resume and letter of qualifications for your application and what should be included in these materials, click here for resume and letter of qualifications instructions..

Submitted materials will be evaluated and the most qualified applicants will be invited to participate in the next step of the hiring process.

WHS is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. Veterans, women, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.

Questions may be directed to [email protected]. or (608) 264-6409.

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for general wisc.jobs user information and technical assistance.

The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program.

Deadline to Apply

Applications are due at 11:59PM on November 2, 2026.