Financial Controller Contract Jobs in California

Title: Controller

Department: Finance

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

FLSA Status: Full-time, Exempt

The Controller is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Finance Department for a nonprofit organization. This position provides leadership and supervision to finance and accounting staff and ensures the organization’s financial activities are accurate, timely, compliant, and aligned with generally accepted accounting principles, grant requirements, contract requirements, and internal policies.

The Controller is responsible for developing, maintaining, and improving the Finance Department’s daily, monthly, quarterly, and annual financial processes with minimal supervision. This includes oversight of accounts payable, payroll review, budgeting, grant and contract compliance, financial reporting, cost allocation, audit preparation, fund accounting, accounting systems, purchasing cards, and finance policies and procedures.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring strong internal controls, accurate financial reporting, timely reconciliations, compliance with federal, state, local, and funder requirements, and the effective management of restricted and unrestricted funding sources. The Controller works closely with leadership, program staff, fiscal monitors, grantors, and external auditors to support financial transparency, audit readiness, and organizational accountability.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential duties and responsibilities of the Controller include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Oversees and supervises Finance and Accounting staff, including assigning work, monitoring deadlines, reviewing work product, and ensuring accountability within the department.
• Manages the day-to-day operations of the Finance Department, including accounting, accounts payable, payroll review, reconciliations, financial reporting, budgeting, and grant compliance activities.
• Creates, coordinates, and evaluates financial programs, processes, reports, and supporting financial information systems.
• Ensures compliance with grant agreements, contracts, federal regulations, state requirements, local reporting requirements, and funder guidelines.
• Coordinates the preparation of financial statements, financial reports, grant reports, special analyses, budget reports, and management reports.
• Ensures accounting records and financial systems are maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, fund accounting requirements, and internal control standards.
• Prepares annual reports and financial documentation required by funders, grantors, government agencies, and other external stakeholders.
• Prepares, reviews, and maintains annual budgets for different funding sources, programs, contracts, and grants.
• Reviews daily accounts payable activity to ensure expenses are properly coded and allocated by grant, fund, location, department, program, and sub-account.
• Reviews and approves bi-weekly payroll to ensure accuracy, proper allocation, and compliance with organizational procedures.
• Oversee the organization’s financial accounting software system and ensure the system is used effectively to support reporting, compliance, reconciliations, and internal controls.
• Oversees and administers company purchasing card activity, including review, documentation, coding, approval, and compliance with purchasing policies.
• Prepares and maintains monthly expense allocations, including direct costs, shared costs, and indirect cost allocations.
• Supports grant and contract billing, revenue recognition, reimbursement requests, and related financial reporting.
• Works with fiscal monitors, funders, government agencies, and external auditors as needed.
• Maintains Finance Department records, files, policies, procedures, schedules, reconciliations, reports, and supporting documentation.
• Creates, updates, and oversees the implementation of finance policies, procedures, internal controls, and process improvements.
• Ensures the Finance Department remains audit-ready by maintaining accurate records, supporting documentation, reconciliations, and compliance files.
• Maintains an understanding of Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards under 2 CFR Part 200.
• Maintains an understanding of indirect cost rate agreements, cost allocation guidelines, allowable costs, unallowable costs, and federal grant compliance requirements.
• Monitors financial activity, identifies discrepancies, analyzes variances, and recommends corrective action when needed.
• Supports leadership with financial planning, forecasting, budget monitoring, risk assessment, and decision-making.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements and Qualifications

The requirements and qualifications for this position include the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field required; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of five years of experience in a senior accounting or finance position.
• Two to three years of nonprofit accounting experience preferred.
• Experience with fund accounting, cost accounting, grant accounting, and restricted funding preferred.
• Experience preparing budgets, financial reports, reconciliations, grant reports, and audit schedules.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
• Knowledge of federal grant requirements, including 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Guidance, cost principles, allowable costs, and audit requirements.
• Understanding of indirect cost rate agreements and cost allocation methods.
• Basic understanding of internal controls, nonprofit compliance, financial reporting, and audit preparation.
• Knowledge of applicable nonprofit accounting standards and federal funding requirements.
• Knowledge of OMB guidance, including prior circulars such as A-122 and A-133, as applicable to historical funding or audit requirements.
• Knowledge of Sarbanes-Oxley principles and internal control practices preferred.
• Experience with accounting software systems.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Strong Excel skills, including the ability to create, review, and analyze spreadsheets, financial schedules, reconciliations, and reports.
• Experience working at a computer station for extended periods.
• Experience using a ten-key calculator by touch preferred.
• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, prioritize responsibilities, and work with minimal supervision.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff, leadership, auditors, funders, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive financial, payroll, employee, donor, vendor, client, and organizational information.

Core Competencies

The Controller must demonstrate the following core competencies:

• Financial management
• Fund accounting
• Grant and contract compliance
• Budgeting and forecasting
• Planning and organization
• Cost management
• Expense allocation
• Variance analysis
• Risk assessment
• Internal controls
• Audit readiness
• Analytical thinking
• Problem resolution
• Decision-making
• Staff supervision and accountability
• Communication and listening skills
• Time management
• Confidentiality and professional judgment

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to bend and lift light objects.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time while viewing a computer monitor.