Controller/Director of Finance

Jewish Senior Life (JSL) is a non-profit agency that provides support services and quality living to older adults. Our residents enjoy a full range of social/cultural programs and activities while residing in our communities. We are more than a place to live, we are a community whose driving mission is to enable older adults to live healthy, joyous, and purposeful lives.

We are looking to add an experienced and passionate Controller/Director of Finance to our leadership team. This is the perfect opportunity for a mature leader who is looking for career growth. The ideal candidate will possess seven or more years of accounting and finance experience, ideally beginning in accounting and audit, followed by experience gathering, evaluating, presenting, and reporting financial information to executive teams and external stakeholders. They will ideally have experience in a complex nonprofit that has multiple entities. CPA preferred but not required.

Reporting, directly to the CFO and working closely with JSL's executive leadership, the controller will lead all day-to-day finance operations of a budget of $25 million. They will supervise a team of 2-3 staff members and hold functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and grants administration. The controller will ensure that systems and procedures are in place to support effective program implementation and conduct audits.

Responsibilities

• Finance and Accounting Leadership
• Ensure Legal and Regulatory compliance regarding all finance functions.
• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain internal control and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, and program budgets and actual expenditures.
• Coordinate all audits.
• Ensures proper filing of all tax returns.
• Reporting to HUD, MSHDA, outside investors and lenders as well as internal leadership.
• Consistently analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements; monitor progress and changes and keep senior leadership abreast of JSL’s financial status.
• Assist JSL’s leadership in the annual budgeting and planning process; administer and review all financial plans and compare to actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Support the CFO in engaging the board’s audit and finance committees around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.
• Oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period; collate financial reporting materials for government, corporate, and foundation grants.
• Manage organizational cash flow forecasting by working in partnership with the CEO to assess the financial efficacy of JSL operations and establish finance and administrative systems to support JSL operations.
• Monitor and record activity of invested assets.
• Leverage strengths of the current finance team members, help to clarify roles and responsibilities and develop and implement training programs in order to maximize and reach optimal individual and organizational goals.
• Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities

• General business and non-profit experience (preferred)
• Experience with Blackbaud’s Financial Edge software (beneficial)
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to JSL’s mission; a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who will own, in partnership with the CFO, the responsibility for finance.
• Solid experience coordinating audit activities and managing reporting, budget development and 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.
• Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software.
• Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse team; the foresight and ability to delegate accordingly.
• Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills which allows for strategic data interpretation versus simple reporting.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, board or other outside partners.
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels.

Other Skills:

• Critical Thinking: uses logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
• Deductive Reasoning: apply general rules to problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Inductive Reasoning: ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions.
• Organizing, planning and prioritization of work with the ability to multitask effectively
• Providing timely and appropriate information to supervisors and co-workers
• Attention to detail: being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
• Cooperation: being pleasant with others and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude
• Adaptability/Flexibility: being open to change (positive or negative) and variety in the workplace.
• Initiative: willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges
• Independence: guiding oneself with minimal supervisor oversight to accomplish task and job
• Self-Control: maintaining professionalism and composure while keeping emotions in check
• Stress Tolerance: accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
• Persistence: job requires persistence in the face of obstacles

Must be able to execute all terms and conditions set forth in the JSL Employee Handbook, including but not limited to:

• Comply with company policies and procedures and local, state, and Federal regulations.

Education and/or Experience: Minimum of a BA; CPA and/or MBA preferred. 7+ years of progressive experience including auditing, gathering, evaluating, presenting and reporting financial information to executive team and external stakeholders. S/he will ideally have experience in a complex nonprofit that has multiple entities.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Yes

Language Skills: Ability to read, write, and communicate in English.

License, Certificates, Registration: CPA preferred.