Controller
Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York is one of 110 councils across the United States, helping build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. We are searching for an experienced Controller to join our team and to ensure strong financial stewardship and compliance in support of our mission.
About this Role:
As our Controller, you'll own the day-to-day accounting operations of GSNENY, ensuring accurate financial records, strong internal controls, and full compliance in support of our mission. You'll manage all revenue cycles — including investments, retail sales, program revenues, and philanthropic contributions — oversee the general ledger, and direct financial reporting, grants, restricted funds, and endowment accounting. You'll lead the Council's monthly and annual close processes, own the audit and tax-filing process end to end, and supervise the accounting team to ensure GAAP compliance and sound internal controls across the organization.
Day-to-day, this means:
- Financial Statement Preparation: Prepare and review accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, ensuring timely delivery to leadership and the Board.
- Close Process Ownership: Own the monthly and annual close calendar, ensuring all journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations are completed accurately and on schedule.
- Budget Support: Partner with the VP, Finance and Operations to build and monitor the Council-wide annual budget, providing variance analysis against actuals year-round. Cross-Functional Reporting: Support teams in their budgeting, planning, and decision-making as it pertains to report generation for annual budget development.
- Audit & Tax Leadership: Serve as the primary staff lead on the annual audit, preparing schedules and supporting documentation for auditors; oversee preparation and filing of Form 990 and other required tax and regulatory filings.
- General Ledger Oversight: Maintain the chart of accounts and ensure all general ledger accounts are reconciled monthly; investigate and resolve discrepancies as needed.
- Internal Controls: Design, document, and enforce internal control policies and procedures to safeguard Council assets and ensure GAAP compliance.
- Grants & Restricted Funds Accounting: Track and report on restricted grants, donations, and endowment funds in partnership with fund development, ensuring compliance with donor and grantor requirements.
- Cash & Treasury Management: Oversee daily cash management, banking relationships, and cash flow forecasting.
- Team Supervision: Supervise and develop a team of one Finance and Accounting Specialist, including training and performance management.
About You:
The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented accounting professional who thrives on getting the numbers right and building processes that scale. They have hands-on experience closing the books, managing an audit, and supervising a small accounting team, and they can translate technical accounting requirements into clear guidance for non-finance colleagues. Additional required and preferred experience includes:
- Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance required; CPA strongly preferred.
- 7-10+ years of progressive accounting experience.
- Non-profit accounting experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience leading or directly supporting a financial statement audit.
- Current understanding of federal, state, and local accounting rules and regulations.
- Experience with Abila or MIP accounting software.
- Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to work collaboratively across functional areas to further Council goals.
- Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills; ability to manage competing deadlines, especially around month-end and year-end close.
- Ability to maintain the utmost confidentiality.
- Strong problem-solving skills; ability to manage a variety of variables and personalities and adapt in a changing environment.
- Demonstrated accuracy, thoroughness, and quality of work; excellent attention to detail.