Basketball Finance Manager

The Seattle Storm is looking for a Basketball Finance Manager to serve as a critical liaison between its Basketball Operations and Finance teams to ensure timely and accurate collection of financial records for the team’s Basketball Operations group and its growing Youth Basketball programming team. This role is responsible for the administration, record-keeping, management and reconciliation of Basketball Operations and Youth Basketball expenses and is a direct contributor to the Finance Team’s month-end and year-end closing processes, its compliance with the WNBA agreements and reporting, and its financial planning and analysis for both groups. 

This individual is a critical member of the Finance team and will work closely with Leadership Team members throughout the organization, including the General Manager, Assistant General Manager, Coaching Staff, Director of Youth Basketball, and members of the Leadership Team. This role will be a critical contributor and will deliver exceptional employee and vendor experiences, reflecting the high-level service experience that is the norm within the Seattle Storm. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. 

• Oversee Basketball Operations expense reporting; ensure timely collection of information and the subsequent recording on the Company’s financial platforms. 
• Lead tracking, distribution, and reporting of travel per diem allowances for players, coaches, and the extended travel party in accordance with the terms of the league collective bargaining agreement and the Company’s reimbursement policies and guidelines.
• Coordinate with external vendors and suppliers supporting Basketball Operations and Youth Basketball to ensure expenses are in accordance with terms of the relevant contracts, accurate, coded properly, and invoices are paid on time.
• Collect, organize, reconcile, and record credit card activities across the Basketball Operations staff, ensuring accurate information is recorded in the Company’s financial records in a timely fashion.
• Ensure all Basketball Operations and Youth Basketball transactions are collected, organized, reconciled, and recorded properly and in a timely fashion in the Company’s financial records and that they are properly reconciled as part of the month-end/year-end close process.
• Maintain vendor records and documentation thoroughly and accurately in accordance with Company policy. 
• Track Basketball Operations and Youth Basketball financial performance versus budget, understand variances, and collaborate with leadership to identify ways to keep the groups on the approved financial plans. 
• Together with the Director of Youth Basketball and other contributors across the company, develop standard templates, tools, processes, and reporting structures to accurately reflect the Company’s Youth Basketball programs. 
• Support day-to-day financial activities (e.g., payment review, accounts payable activities, reconciliations, etc.).
• Assist in supporting the budget processes related to the Company’s Basketball Operations and Youth Basketball Departments and Lines of Business.
• Play an active role in the Finance team’s success meeting its deadlines, including month-end close, year-end close, routine reporting, financial audits, and other ad hoc requirements that arise from time to time. 
• Contribute to the Finance Team’s embrace and expansion of technology tools to support efficiency, growth, reporting, analysis, and decision-making across the organization. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent required, preferably in Finance/Accounting.

Related Experience

• 3+ or more years in a similar role or experience equivalent.
• Robust understanding of accounting concepts, including accrual accounting, debits/credits, period cut-off, monthly and year-end close processes. 

Certificates, Licenses, or Registrations

• Certificates, expertise, and/or course instruction related to the Microsoft Office suite of products, Microsoft Dynamics Business Central, Paylocity, and other technology tools strongly desired. 

Competencies

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Ability to discern and reprioritize objectives in an environment with evolving requirements and a seasonal business cadence. 
• Willingness to “get up out of seat” to seek answers and resolutions. 
• Leverage past experiences to help create new processes and resolve challenges in a new environment. 
• Willingness to adapt with a flexible and open-minded outlook.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite of products.
• Advanced competence with Microsoft Excel.
• Proficiency with Dynamics 365 Business Central, advanced skills a plus. 
• Proficiency with applicable business applications, including payroll, expense reimbursement, Ticketmaster, inventory management, and others that may be selected in future. 

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is infrequently required to lift and/or move up to 5 pounds. The employee is regularly required to use hands for typing, sorting and moving documents. Occasionally required to climb ladders, sit, stoop, kneel, squat, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Force 10 Hoops, LLC DBA Seattle Storm is an equal opportunity employer, dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.  

This organization participates in E-Verify.

ABOUT THE WNBA SEATTLE STORM ORGANIZATION: 

Force 10 Hoops, LLC DBA Seattle Storm is a storied franchise in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), proudly boasting four WNBA Championships to its name. Our rich history and commitment to excellence have made us a force to be reckoned with in women's professional basketball. The Seattle Storm stands as a symbol of dedication, determination, and empowerment, both on and off the court. In 2024, we opened our Center for Basketball Performance which houses our team, front office and basketball operations staff. 

Force 10 Hoops, LLC/The Storm offers a comprehensive benefits package to all full-time employees. Benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, AD&D, Long Term Disability, Transportation Account, Employee Assistance Program, 401k plus vacation, sick and holidays. As a WNBA team we also offer League-related discounts, a great Seattle work location and a team-focused environment.