Controller (nonprofit)

Grant Management & Accounting 

• Working with the development team, plans, organizes, and coordinates accounting and financial reporting for all grant-funded activities. 
• Develops and monitors grant budgets, analyzing spending trends—including personnel, benefits, and restricted and unrestricted funding sources—to ensure alignment with programmatic and organizational objectives. 
• Serves as the primary financial liaison for grant reporting, compliance, reimbursement requests, and monitoring visits. 
• Maintains financial records consistent with audit standards and ensures expenditures and drawdowns meet grant requirements. 
• Prepares all month-end close entries related to grants, including salary and benefit allocations, indirect cost calculations, recurring entries, and accruals with appropriate reversals. 
• Participates in monthly grants management team meetings and scheduled grant kick-off meetings coordinated by Development 
• Ensures clarity of finance representation and assignments, as well as clear communication during and outside of meetings, to support follow-through. 
• Models leadership in responsibility, accountability, communication, and collaboration. 
• Ensures follow through on implementation of goals including ensuring budgets include appropriate indirect, management costs. 

Accounts Receivable (AR) Management 

• Manages all AR functions for Esperanza across multiple entities. 
• Prepares and issues invoices for district, state, federal, grant, and other receivables. 
• Monitors, reconciles, and ages receivable balances; investigates discrepancies and ensures timely collections. 
• Collaborates with program, development, and finance partners to validate revenue earned and ensure receivable accuracy. 
• Ensures compliance with all billing, reimbursement, and funding requirements tied to receivable activity. 
• Prepares AR-related schedules and reconciliations for the monthly close, audit processes, and management reporting with follow through on intercompany transfers. 

Financial Reporting & Compliance 

• Assists the Controller with accurate and timely reporting to internal and external stakeholders. 
• Assists and supports the annual budgeting cycle, forecast updates, and the annual financial audit through preparation of schedules, reconciliations, and supporting documentation. 

Process Improvement, Change Management, & Systems 

• Supports and collaborates on process-improvement initiatives, backlog cleanup, system enhancements, and accounting workflow redesign. 
• Supports finance transformation efforts, including automation of AR processes, integration of new tools, and strengthening of internal controls. 
• Participates in project management efforts related to system implementations and cross-functional initiatives. 

Team Supervision 

• Supervises the Grant Coordinator and/or AR staff, providing clear direction, coaching, and performance feedback. 
• Assigns tasks and ensures all work is completed accurately and in compliance with grant requirements and deadlines. 

Other Responsibilities 

• Performs additional duties as assigned in support of Finance department operations. 

•  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline. 
• Experience with grant financial reporting, grant compliance, and multi-entity accounting. 
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). 
• Knowledge of federal government guidelines and compliance requirements (preferred). 
• Familiarity with federal, state, and Title-funded grant programs (preferred). 
• Experience managing Accounts Receivable (AR) functions, including invoicing, reconciliations, aging analysis, and collections. 
• Demonstrated experience implementing or automating AR workflows (e.g., billing automation, integrations, reporting improvements). 
• Proven ability to lead or contribute to change-management initiatives and process redesign. 
• Experience with accounting systems such as Abila MIP  (preferred); experience with Sage Intacct is also a plus. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify variances, improve processes, and recommend solutions. 
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with multiple priorities and deadlines. 
• Experience supervising and developing a small team (1–2 staff members). 
• Highly detail-oriented, organized, proactive, and able to collaborate across finance, development, and program teams. 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to explain financial concepts clearly to non-financial staff.