Application Instructions
Number of Positions: 1Work Location: 100% On-Site
Position Overview
City Year AmeriCorps members serve in systemically under-resourced schools as student success coaches—full-time, near-peer tutors, mentors and role models who are uniquely positioned and trained to support students’ social, emotional and academic growth, while helping to create engaging learning environments. This work to support student and school success helps to advance educational equity and creates more opportunity for all of us. Our AmeriCorps members provide students with additional resources and relationships that support their learning and success, while strengthening their own professional and leadership skills through their year of service. Additionally, City Year works with partner schools and districts on opportunities to redesign schools so students can experience learning in a more equitable way.
City Year has complex and diverse funding sources, including state, federal, corporate, and foundation funding. The Controller is a Senior Vice President of the organization, reports to the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for driving all activities related to accounting processes, payroll, monthly close, controls and procedures, production of financial statements, and audit support. As a member of the finance leadership team, the Controller is a valued advisor to the Management Executive Team and national and site based Senior Vice Presidents, while also managing and developing a team of finance and accounting professionals.
The ideal candidate will have experience building and optimizing business processes and systems to meet current and planned business requirements and will have experience with enterprise class systems (ERP, CRM – Workday preferred). There is a heavy emphasis on reporting, requiring this role to prioritize the finance function. Knowledge and understanding of Office of Management and Budget requirements for this role is critical because of federal funding, as is the ability to work closely with a nationally dispersed set of organizational leaders. Strong team management experience is key to being successful in this role.
The Controller will also have deep technical competency and a demonstrated track record as a strong leader and manager who values teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, and a positive work environment. The Controller will lead and develop the accounting and payroll team (currently ~12 members) to effectively manage fiscal operations, recommend and implement improvements, and provide excellent partnership to all levels of the organization including City Year’s operations currently distributed across 29 U.S. cities.
This position is based at our Boston, MA headquarters. Travel up to 25% for donor meetings, key convenings, and events is expected.
Job Description
The Controller will lead all day-to-day finance operations for the $180 million organization, and supervise a team of ~12 staff members including functional responsibility over accounting, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable. The Controller will ensure that City Year has the systems and procedures in place to support effective program implementation and conduct clean audits. The Controller will work closely with Headquarters and Site leaders and their staff to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures and explore how the finance function can continuously improve and support program operations.
Oversight for the accounting management, financial reporting and administration of fiscal controls – approx 60%
- Supervise the maintenance of the general ledger and subsidiary journals, including cash receipts, cash disbursements, payroll, accounts payable and accounts receivable, fixed assets, using Workday financial system
- Maintain and produce accurate and timely monthly financial statements for all business units as well as consolidated statements
- Oversee revenue recording and ensure compliance to GAAP including those particular to not-for-profits, such as contributions and donations and local and federal government grants
- Perform month-end close process to ensure standards reflect annual audit requirements, including a detailed review of the trial balance
- Oversee the record keeping for the investment portfolio activity and liaise with the investment portfolio manager as needed
- Create customized internal financial statement and reports within the accounting software
- Coordinate the monthly financial review process with the senior finance team
- Manage all treasury activity and maintain prospective cash flow statements
- Manage preparation of annual financial, A-133, 401(k) audits and IRS Form 990
- Manage the relationship with the external audit firm
- Support the Financial Planning and Analysis team by assisting with annual budgeting process and financial models, forecasts and miscellaneous projects as needed
- Coordinate with the Payroll and Benefits team for accounting and finance integrations, period reporting, and controls and audit requirements
- Ensure all necessary annual filings are completed
Finance Functional Leadership approx. 30%
- Develop and maintain accounting policies and procedures that reflect best practices
- Ensure all processes support strong internal controls and avoid control deficiencies
- Manage utilization of enterprise accounting toolset, currently Workday Financials, including implementing new functionalities and business processes based on business needs
- Develop and maintain process improvement initiatives
- Coordinate with grant management staff to ensure compliance to federal, state, and private funding guidelines
- Oversee management of national vendors relating to office equipment and furniture, office supplies, travel and fleet of vans
Lead, Develop, and Inspire National Finance Team approx. 10%
- Oversee a staff of ~12
- Identify areas for staff professional development
- Ensure cross training and career paths within the broader finance department and organization
- Motivate team to deliver excellent customer service and achieve department goals
- Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
- Document policies and facilitate on-boarding and education of key field partners to relevant policies through active knowledge management and outreach
- Ensure Finance team enacts City Year support services expectations for performance management, customer engagement and data-informed continuous improvement
Qualifications
Accounting and finance experience, including accounting and audit, gathering, evaluating, presenting and reporting financial information for executive teams and external stakeholders. Experience in a complex organization that has multiple revenues streams, including federal funds, is a must.
You will act with integrity, credibility, and commitment to City Year’s Nonprofit’s mission. You are willing to integrate City Year’s culture and values into team leadership. You have commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training and retaining a diverse team. You can rely on relationship-building skills to motivate internal stakeholders and produce results; it is easy for you to make connections with diverse groups and individuals, you invest in getting to know and understand people, and you build trust quickly and authentically. You possess a strong commitment to anti-racism and racial equity and bring a deeply collaborative approach and a “possibilities” mindset, able to overcome adversity and persist in the face of ambiguity. You are motivated by City Year’s mission and values and have a deep commitment to diversity, belonging, inclusion, and equity, and a strong desire and commitment to continue your own development and learning in these areas.
In addition, you will have many of the following attributes and experiences:
- A proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who will own, in partnership with the CFO, the responsibility for finance
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, or outside partners
- Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and non-finance managers
- Solid experience coordinating timely monthly and annual close, audit activities and managing reporting, analysis, accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments
- A track record in grants management as it relates to compliance and reporting of government, corporate and foundation grants is essential
- Demonstrated knowledge of advanced US not-for-profit GAAP, financial reporting, accounting systems and accounting software is required. Experience with Workday preferred, ERP system required
- Experience in the financial management of federal funds
- Experience managing audit activities, financial reporting and analysis, general ledger, payroll accounts payable and receivable, fixed assets, and treasury and cash management.
- Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software
- Minimum of Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance from an accredited college or university; CPA preferred, or equivalent experience
- Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible accounting experience
- Minimum 5 years of supervisory level experience and demonstrated ability to lead across a range of cultures, personalities, and competencies
Benefits
Full time employees will be eligible for all benefits including vacation and sick days and organization holidays. You may participate in all benefit programs that City Year establishes and makes available to eligible employees, under (and subject to all provisions of) the plan documents that govern those programs. Currently, City Year offers medical, dental and vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment and disability coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), other benefits including 401(k) plan(s) pursuant to the terms and conditions of company policy and the 401(k) plan document. For more information, click here.
Employment at City Year is at-will.
City Year does not sponsor work authorization visas.
COVID-19 Notice
sincerely-held religious beliefs, we will consider requests for reasonable accommodation consistent with our policy, and where we are able to provide such accommodations without undue hardship to the organization pursuant to applicable law. Notwithstanding any language herein, City Year will comply with any state, local, or federal orders, statutes, or regulations that may conflict with the COVID-19 vaccination policy.
*Individuals are considered fully vaccinated 14 days after the completion of their primary vaccination series.
