Controller

Finance Department

Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the Controller serves as the Museum’s chief accountant and is responsible for oversight of all finance, accounting and reporting activities. The controller supports the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer presentations to the board, finance, and audit committee and attends both committee meetings as well as all meetings of the full board.

The controller will lead and perform all day-to-day financial and accounting operations of the Museum and supervise a team of two staff members including functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and grant/support administration. The controller will ensure that the Museum has the systems and procedures in place to support effective program implementation and conduct flawless audits. The controller will work closely with program leaders and their staff, not only to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures but to explore how the finance functions can support program operations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Consistently analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner, clearly communicate monthly (cash basis), quarterly (convert to accrual-based interim), and annual financial statements, monitor progress and changes and keep senior leadership abreast of the Museum’s financial status.
• Prepare monthly bank and investment portfolio reconciliations.
• Manage the operating account cash flow and monitor the balances daily.
• Reconcile subsidiary ledgers to the Statement of Financial Position monthly.
• Maintain internal controls and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, and program budgets and actual expenditures.
• Coordinate all audit activity, including preparation of all required audit schedules.
• Coordinate preparation of the informational and corporate returns, including information gathering as requested by the CPA firm.
• Monitor the required federal and state quarterly tax estimates related to unrelated business income.
• Supervise payroll functions and record all related transactions; serve as backup for payroll processor.
• Work with the Development Department on grant applications, donor reporting and other.
• Gather and prepare the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.
• Complete the financial information portion for the annual Cultural Data Report.
• Leverage strengths of the current finance team members, 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 Museum; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
• Maintain the Museum’s accounting manual current and update at least annually.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications and Requirements

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a mature leader with seven to ten 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. She or he will ideally have experience in a complex nonprofit that has multiple programs and funding.

Specific requirements include:

• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to the Museum’s mission; a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who will own, in partnership with the Senior Vice President/COO, the responsibility for finance.
• Minimum of a BA, CPA and/or MBA preferred.
• Solid experience with 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.
• 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 including finance and non-finance managers.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and to prioritize workload.
• Technology savvy with experience in selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software.
• Knowledge of Traverse Accounting Software a plus.

ADA Specifications 

• While largely sedentary, this position requires the ability to sit, stand, lift up to 20 lbs, speak, and hear, sometimes for extended periods of time.
• Requires the ability to use a computer and office equipment traditionally found in office settings.

To Apply

Send a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to recruitment@nbm.org (include job title in subject line).