Nonprofit Controller Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About the role
WEConnect International seeks a strategic, hands-on Controller to lead the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the organization's financial and administrative operations. The Controller oversees accounting, monthly financial reporting, budgeting, internal controls, audit readiness, grant and contract compliance, procurement controls, cash management, insurance administration, human resources administration, and the month-end and year-end close processes. The role serves as the primary finance liaison to the Board Audit Committee and partners closely with the other departments and senior leadership to translate financial information into clear, actionable insights while ensuring compliance with U.S. nonprofit accounting requirements, donor restrictions, government awards, contracts, insurance requirements, employment-related obligations, and organizational policies.
What you'll do
Financial Accounting and Reporting
• Own the general ledger and ensure complete, accurate, and timely recording of financial activity in accordance with U.S. GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, including account reconciliations, accruals, prepaid expenses, fixed assets, deferred revenue, restricted net assets, and payroll allocations.
• Prepare and review monthly financial statements, budget-to-actual reports, cash flow information, forecasts, and management reports for the CEO, and Board-related reporting.
• Ensure revenue and expenses are accurately coded by program, funding source, geography, and functional classification.
Internal Controls, Compliance, and Risk
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls that safeguard assets, support segregation of duties, and promote consistent documentation and approvals.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements, government awards, contracts, organizational policies, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Monitor financial risks and recommend practical corrective actions, process changes, or policy updates.
• Maintain audit-ready records and lead preparation of schedules and supporting documentation for the annual financial statement audit, Uniform Guidance audit when applicable, and Form 990 process.
Cash, Receivables, Payables, and Payroll
• Oversee cash position, bank and credit card reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, collections, and cash disbursements.
• Review vendor payments, employee reimbursements, purchasing activity, and supporting documentation for accuracy, authorization, and policy compliance.
• Oversee payroll accounting, allocations, accrued liabilities, and reconciliation of payroll-related entries.
• Provide responsive financial guidance to staff, vendors, funders, and other internal and external stakeholders.
Budgeting, Grants, and Decision Support
• Support development of the annual operating budget, program budgets, forecasts, and scenario analyses.
• Monitor grant and contract financial performance, including restricted funding, allowable costs, indirect cost treatment, invoicing, reporting, and closeout requirements.
• Provide leadership with concise analysis of variances, trends, liquidity, and emerging financial issues.
• Partner with program and regional leaders to improve financial understanding, accountability, and planning.
Procurement, Systems, and Process Improvement
• Oversee financial aspects of the procure-to-pay lifecycle, including requisitions, approvals, vendor setup, contracting coordination, invoicing, and payment controls.
• Maintain reliable financial workflows and documentation across QuickBooks Online, Zip, SharePoint, and related systems.
• Identify and implement process improvements that increase accuracy, visibility, speed, and control without creating unnecessary administrative burden.
• Develop clear procedures and deliver practical training for staff on financial policies, coding, documentation, purchasing, invoicing, and reimbursements.
Team Leadership and Collaboration
• Lead, coach, and support finance team members and external accounting partners, with clear accountability for deliverables and deadlines.
• Coordinate effectively with the CEO, leadership team, budget owners, auditors, banks, payroll providers, and other partners.
• Promote a service-oriented finance function that combines sound controls with practical support for the organization's mission.
Human Resources Administration
• Oversee core human resources administration in coordination with leadership and external advisors, including employee records, benefits administration, payroll coordination, onboarding and offboarding documentation, and required employment-related filings and notices.
• Maintain confidential and complete personnel documentation and support consistent application of approved organizational policies and procedures.
• Coordinate with brokers, payroll providers, benefits administrators, legal counsel, and other external partners on HR-related matters and compliance requirements.
• Support leadership with workforce budgeting, compensation and benefits cost analysis, and HR-related risk identification.
Insurance and Organizational Compliance
• Coordinate the organization's insurance portfolio, including renewals, applications, certificates of insurance, claims support, coverage documentation, and tracking of policy requirements.
• Work with brokers and leadership to assess coverage needs and identify gaps or emerging organizational risks.
• Maintain a compliance calendar for key financial, corporate, insurance, grant, tax, employment, and regulatory deadlines.
• Ensure required records, approvals, registrations, filings, and supporting documentation are complete, current, and readily available for review.
Contracts and Legal Administration
• Oversee the administrative and financial review of contracts, grants, memoranda of understanding, vendor agreements, and consulting agreements before execution.
• Coordinate contract routing, approvals, signature status, filing, renewal dates, payment terms, insurance requirements, and closeout documentation.
• Monitor compliance with key financial and administrative contract obligations and escalate material risks, exceptions, or overdue actions to leadership.
• Maintain an accessible central contract repository and reliable contract tracking process in SharePoint or other approved systems.
Board Audit Committee Liaison
• Serve as the primary management liaison to the Board Audit Committee in partnership with the CEO.
• Prepare clear and timely Audit Committee materials, including financial results, budget performance, cash and liquidity information, audit updates, compliance matters, internal control issues, and significant financial risks.
• Coordinate Audit Committee meetings, auditor participation, requested follow-up, and management responses to Committee guidance.
• Communicate complex financial, audit, compliance, and risk matters in concise language appropriate for Board oversight.
Audit and External Review
• Lead the annual financial statement audit and coordinate the Uniform Guidance audit, tax filings, and other external financial or compliance reviews when applicable.
• Manage auditor requests, schedules, confirmations, supporting documentation, internal assignments, and deadlines from planning through final issuance.
• Coordinate management responses and corrective actions for audit findings, recommendations, or control observations and track them through resolution.
• Ensure the Audit Committee and senior leadership receive timely updates on audit progress, significant issues, and final outcomes.
Monthly Financial Reporting and Budgets
• Prepare and deliver accurate monthly financial reports, including statement of financial position, statement of activities, cash flow information, budget-to-actual results, forecasts, restricted funding analysis, and material variance explanations.
• Establish and maintain a monthly reporting calendar that supports timely review by the CEO, leadership team, and designated Board committees.
• Lead development of the annual organizational budget and coordinate program, regional, grant, and departmental budgets with budget owners.
• Maintain rolling forecasts and scenario analyses and recommend corrective actions when revenue, spending, cash flow, or funding assumptions change.
• Provide budget owners with clear reports, guidance, and accountability for financial performance and forecasting.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance will be assessed against agreed annual targets, with emphasis on the following outcomes:
Performance Area
Expected Outcome
Close and reporting
Monthly close and management reporting completed accurately and within the approved reporting calendar.
Reconciliation quality
All material balance sheet accounts reconciled, reviewed, supported, and cleared of aged exceptions on schedule.
Audit readiness
Audit, tax, and compliance schedules delivered complete and on time, with timely resolution of findings or requests.
Budget stewardship
Clear, timely budget-to-actual analysis and forecasts provided to leadership and budget owners, with material variances explained.
Receivables and cash
Receivables, collections, cash position, and restricted funds actively monitored, with risks escalated promptly.
Payables and procurement
Vendor invoices and approved payments processed accurately and within established service standards, with required approvals and documentation.
Grant and contract compliance
Financial reporting, invoicing, and closeout requirements completed accurately and by donor or contract deadlines.
Controls and documentation
Key controls performed consistently; finance procedures and workflow documentation remain current and accessible.
Process improvement
Measurable improvements implemented in financial accuracy, cycle time, reporting visibility, or staff experience.
Stakeholder support
Responsive, clear, and practical financial guidance provided to leadership, staff, auditors, funders, and vendors.
HR administration
Personnel, benefits, payroll coordination, and onboarding or offboarding records completed accurately, confidentially, and by established deadlines.
Insurance management
Renewals, certificates, coverage documentation, and claims support completed on time, with coverage risks escalated promptly.
Compliance calendar
Key regulatory, tax, grant, insurance, employment, and corporate obligations tracked and completed by required deadlines.
Contract administration
Contracts routed, approved, filed, monitored, and closed out with complete documentation and timely escalation of material obligations or risks.
Audit Committee support
Accurate, concise materials and requested follow-up provided to the Board Audit Committee according to the approved meeting calendar.
Audit management
Annual audit and other external reviews coordinated from planning through issuance, with findings and corrective actions tracked to resolution.
Monthly financial reports
Complete monthly financial statements, budget-to-actual analysis, cash information, and variance explanations delivered within the approved reporting calendar.
Budget and forecast quality
Annual budgets and rolling forecasts developed with documented assumptions, leadership input, and timely updates when conditions change.
Qualifications
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field; CPA is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible accounting or finance experience, including significant U.S. nonprofit accounting experience.
• Demonstrated experience managing month-end and year-end close, financial statements, audit preparation, budgeting, cash management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll accounting.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, nonprofit accounting, restricted funding, grants and contracts, and applicable compliance requirements.
• Experience with government awards and OMB Uniform Guidance is strongly preferred.
• Experience designing, implementing, and monitoring internal controls and financial procedures.
• Experience supervising staff or coordinating the work of internal team members and outsourced accounting partners.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues and senior leaders.
• Experience supporting human resources administration, benefits, payroll coordination, insurance renewals, and organizational compliance in a U.S. nonprofit or comparable environment.
• Demonstrated experience administering contracts and maintaining reliable documentation, approval, renewal, and compliance tracking processes.
• Experience presenting financial, audit, compliance, and risk information to a Board Audit Committee or comparable governance body.
• Proven ability to produce monthly financial reports, lead organization-wide budgeting, maintain forecasts, and explain material variances to senior leadership.
Required Software and Technical Skills
• Advanced proficiency with QuickBooks Online, including general ledger, financial reporting, reconciliations, and class or program tracking.
• Working proficiency with Zip or a comparable procurement and intake platform.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365, especially Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Advanced Excel skills, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, data validation, and analysis of large or complex datasets.
• Experience with accounts payable, expense management, payroll, banking, and financial reporting applications; familiarity with Bill.com or comp