CONTROLLER

Ada S. Mckinley Community Services - Chicago, IL

Full-time

Chicago, IL

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations

About the position

The Controller is a pivotal role responsible for the accurate recording and reporting of financial information while ensuring robust internal controls across all functions of the Controllership. This includes overseeing Accounts Payable, Contracts, Statutory Reporting, Grants, and managing External/Internal Audits. The Controller will lead the accounting operations for five programs, ensuring that all financial activities are conducted in compliance with GAAP and specific reporting policies dictated by government contracts. This position requires a proactive approach to enhance and implement financial accounting systems, processes, tools, and control systems to ensure timely and accurate financial closes on a monthly and yearly basis. In this role, the Controller will verify the accuracy of the general ledger and supporting journals, conduct reconciliations of account balances, and prepare necessary journal entries. The preparation of financial statements and other financial reports is a key responsibility, as is the management of the monthly close process, which includes conducting variance analyses and finance review meetings with program leads and executive staff. The Controller will also oversee the preparation and distribution of key financial and operational metrics, providing consultative support to organizational managers on budget initiatives through financial cost controls and management information analysis. Compliance with all organizational financial policies and state, local, and government regulations is essential. The Controller will manage the scheduling of staff for the timely completion of annual external audits, including financial audits for Ada and Samaritas, HUD audits, Single Audit, and pension audits. Additionally, the Controller will partner with the Director of Finance to monitor financial and compliance aspects of sub-recipients and sub-contractors, propose ongoing system enhancements, and manage the implementation of systems related to the Accounting/Finance department. Training and development of staff, along with cross-training backup personnel, are also critical components of this role, ensuring continuity in the monthly close and HUD processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead accounting operations, including A/P, accurate allocations, accruals, and financial operations for five programs.
• Verify accuracy of general ledger and supporting journals, including reconciliation of account balances to supporting documentation and preparation of journal entries.
• Prepare required financial statements and any other reports of a financial nature.
• Enhance and implement financial accounting systems, processes, tools, and control systems.
• Ensure monthly and year-end financial close is on time, accurate, and follows GAAP and specific reporting policy by government contract.
• Manage monthly close process including conducting variance analyses and finance review meetings with program leads and executive staff.
• Oversee the preparation and distribution of key financial and operational metrics.
• Interact with organization managers to provide consultative support to budget initiatives through financial cost controls, management information analysis, reports, and recommendations.
• Ensure compliance with all organization financial policies and state, local, and government regulations.
• Manage and schedule staff for timely completion of annual external audits; Financial audit for Ada and Samaritas, HUD audits, Single Audit, and the pension audit.
• Partner with the Director of Finance, responsible for all financial and compliance monitoring of sub-recipients and sub-contractors.
• Propose ongoing system enhancements, including the main ERP (Great Plains).
• Manage implementation of systems related to Accounting/Finance department.
• Responsible for cross-training 'back-up' staff on a regular basis to ensure no interruptions in the monthly close and HUD process.
• Responsible for staff training and development.
• Supervise the accounting department system function for accounting systems, databases, and financial software.
• Analyze user requirements, procedures, needs, and problems to automate processing or improve computer systems through process improvement and review.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting is required; CPA preferred, MBA a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years' experience as a Controller or Accounting Manager, preferably with a direct services organization, not-for-profit or healthcare system.
• Knowledge of GAAP and internal controls is essential.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in process improvement, financial systems administration/implementation.
• Prior supervision of Accounting department required.

Nice-to-haves

• Possesses a strong willingness to work hard and sometimes long hours to get the job done.
• Exhibits passion and excitement over the work with a can-do attitude.
• Comfortable in navigating Evolve NX and ROCS.