Job Summary:
Under the direction of the Director of Finance, the Controller leads the organization’s day-to-day accounting operations and is responsible for maintaining the integrity of its financial records, internal controls, reporting, and regulatory compliance. The Controller oversees the general ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and billing, monthly and annual close processes, financial statement preparation, and audit coordination. The position ensures compliance with GAAP, federal grant requirements, WIOA, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. The Controller supervises assigned accounting staff and partners with the Director of Finance to ensure reliable accounting information and effective financial operations. This hands-on leadership role will strengthen and modernize accounting operations by stabilizing processes, improving financial systems and data integrity, resolving legacy issues, and building a disciplined, sustainable accounting function.
Responsibilities:
- Serve as the organization’s senior technical accounting authority, exercising independent judgment to research and resolve complex issues, determine appropriate treatment, correct current and historical errors, and clearly communicate the financial impact, root cause, and resolution to the Director of Finance and other stakeholders.
- Lead the monthly and annual close, account reconciliations, balance-sheet substantiation, and financial statement review, ensuring issues are identified, investigated, and fully resolved on a timely basis.
- Lead accounting preparation for the Federal Single Audit, DCEO fiscal monitoring, and Form 990 filings. Responsibilities include reconciling the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards and net assets with donor restrictions, preparing supporting schedules, and coordinating auditor and monitor requests.
- Lead grant and fund accounting, ensuring revenues, expenditures, receivables, restricted funds, and cost allocations are accurately recorded, reconciled, and reported in accordance with award terms, fund restrictions, GAAP, and federal requirements, including WIOA accounting by funding stream and program year (with carry-in), direct cost allocation, and indirect cost allocation and recovery.
- Ensure the timely and accurate preparation of financial statements and related reports, including statements of financial position, activities, and cash flows, as well as other reports required by management, auditors, and funding partners.
- Investigate accounting errors and unusual transactions, determine their root causes and full financial impact, implement necessary corrections, and establish or strengthen controls, procedures, training, and review processes to prevent recurrence.
- Lead accounting stabilization and continuous improvement initiatives, including resolving legacy issues, reconciling financial data across systems, strengthening close and reporting processes, and developing sustainable accounting procedures and controls.
- Partner with the Director of Finance to improve financial systems and reporting, including general-ledger integration, data validation, process redesign, documentation, and reduction of manual or duplicative activities.
- Partner with the WIOA Fiscal Manager to reconcile WIOA cash requests, expenditure reports, and obligations to the general ledger and financial statements, resolve variances between systems, and ensure WIOA accounting treatment is consistent, supportable, and audit ready. The Controller is accountable for the accounting records and cost allocation methodology; the WIOA Fiscal Manager is accountable for day-to-day WIOA program fiscal management and reporting.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.
Required Skills:
- Diversity—Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; respects and values cultural differences; promotes an inclusive, respectful, and harassment-free workplace; and supports a diverse workforce.
- Technical Accounting—Demonstrates expert knowledge of nonprofit accounting, grant and fund accounting, GAAP, federal grant requirements, and internal controls. Applies WIOA and Uniform Guidance requirements in practice, including allowable costs, cost allocation, indirect costs, and cash management.
- Judgment and Problem Solving—Applies strong technical accounting judgment and demonstrates the ability to research, resolve, and clearly explain complex accounting issues.
- Leadership—Leads, develops, and holds accounting staff accountable while remaining hands-on when necessary.
- Organization and Communication—Manages competing priorities and critical reporting deadlines and communicates financial and accounting matters clearly to staff, organizational leadership, auditors, monitors, and other stakeholders.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting required; CPA, CNAP, CGMS, or another relevant accounting or grants-management credential strongly preferred.
- Prior experience serving as a Controller or in a comparable accounting leadership role with responsibility for accounting operations, staff supervision, financial reporting, and internal controls, and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible accounting experience, including substantial hands-on grant and fund accounting experience in a nonprofit or federally funded organization.
- Direct WIOA fiscal or accounting experience is required, including cost allocation, cash management and drawdowns, and federal expenditure reporting. Experience with a Local Workforce Development Board, workforce intermediary, or state workforce agency (such as Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) is a plus.
- Demonstrated experience leading accounting cleanup, process stabilization, system implementation or integration, or another significant accounting transformation initiative is required.
Physical Requirements:
- Frequently required to stand, walk, and sit.
- Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity using a keyboard.
- Frequently required to talk or hear.
- Occasionally required to lift/push/carry items up to 25 pounds.
The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support staff and their families. Benefits include, but are not limited to, medical, prescription drug, dental and vision insurance, generous paid time off, a 401(k) plan with company match, commuter benefits, and meaningful volunteer opportunities.
The listed annual base salary range reflects the anticipated pay range for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, education, training, experience, skills, and other job-related factors. If hired, base pay will be determined on an individualized basis and is only one part of the total compensation package, which may also include a discretionary performance bonus and other Partnership-sponsored benefit programs, where applicable.