Controller

Position Summary

As

an integral part of the Project Hope Finance Team, the Controller will spend 50%

of their time on Project Hope and 50% of their time on Dudley Street

Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) and Dudley Neighbors Inc. (DNI) in a shared

services model between the two organizations which have a long-time partnership

in working with the local community.  The

Controller will oversee and manage the accounting functions for both

organizations.  Project Hope has an

annual budget of approximately $7m and DSNI/DNI has a consolidated budget of

approximately $1.7m. S/he will report to Project Hope’s Director of Finance and

Strategy.  The Controller will provide

expertise to advance department goals and shared services.  S/he will be a member of Project Hope’s

Management Team, working with Program Directors and Department Managers on

budgets and financial reporting and analysis. S/e will work closely with the DSNI

/ DNI Executive Director, the DSNI Resource Development Manager and DNI Director

on budgets and financial analysis.  The

ideal candidate will have a CPA and experience with non-profit accounting and a

passion for the missions of both organizations The Controller will be employed

by Project Hope, which offers a comprehensive benefits package and competitive

compensation.  The position will be 40

hours and may start remotely due to COVID-19 but will eventually be on-site at Project

Hope’s Community Center at 550 Dudley Street which houses both organizations.

Agency Background

Project

Hope

works in partnership with families so they can move up and out of poverty. We

do this by being a catalyst for change in the lives of families and in the

systems that keep them poor; developing and providing family support solutions

for homelessness and poverty; and advocating for just public policies that

strengthen families.

Located

in Boston’s Dudley Street neighborhood, Project Hope is at the forefront of

efforts in the city to move families beyond homelessness and poverty. It was

founded in 1981 by the Little Sisters of the Assumption who first settled in

the Dudley area in 1947 to live and work with the neighborhood families. 

In the 1980s when family homelessness became a crisis in Boston and the state,

the Sisters opened their doors and welcomed families to stay with them, and

Project Hope was launched. Once best known as a family shelter, today Project

Hope offers an array of services to assist families – especially low-income

single mothers – in gaining the resources and skills to overcome their impoverished

circumstances.

In

2006, Project Hope opened an attractive Community Building on Dudley Street –

the first LEED Silver certified, earth-friendly building in Roxbury – to serve

as its headquarters and a neighborhood center for job training, adult education,

housing counseling, community empowerment, and more. DSNI/DNI are now located

in the Project Hope building on Dudley Street.  Just a few blocks away, the original site

remains home to the family shelter.

DSNI/DNI is a nonprofit community-based planning organization

founded in 1984 as the direct result of residents from Roxbury and North

Dorchester coalescing around community revitalization. A comprehensive

visioning process ensued which led to the rebuilding of the community. Unique

in this our effort was (1) the structuring of a board of directors to

include a resident majority; (2) the creation of a neighborhood master plan,

subsequently adopted by the City of Boston, which envisioned the area as a new

Urban Village, that included new housing and an infrastructure of public

amenities; (3) the acquisition of vacant land through the power of eminent

domain, which DSNI/DNI received from the City of Boston to implement its master

plan; and (4) the creation of a community land trust, which owns in perpetuity

all the land redeveloped under the master plan and protects what has been built

against future destabilizing market forces.

Today, DSNI/DNI

is nationally recognized for its track-record in neighborhood revitalization

efforts and its comprehensive approach to community and economic

development. Our mission is to empower Dudley residents to organize, plan

for, create and control a vibrant, diverse and high-quality neighborhood in

collaboration with community partners. Our organization is currently

focused on four strategic areas of work: (1) Development Without

Displacement – resistance to trends of “gentrification”; (2) Youth

Voice – building the skills of young local leaders who will become the

next generation of adult leaders; (3) Neighborhood Development –

continuation of comprehensive initiatives with full participation by local

residents, including the ongoing planning of a new Arts & Innovation

District in Dorchester’s Upham’s Corner; and (4) Resident

Empowerment – continued skill building and mobilization of local leaders

to be the voice of the community. 

Responsibilities:

For

the half time supporting Project Hope, the role will have a Finance Team with a

Manager and two Accountants.  The role

will be supervising the Manager to ensure the accuracy and timeliness of the

Project Hope Finance Department.  This

role will manage the annual audit and filings, including the 990 and Uniform

Financial Report.  It will play an

important role in grant and contract budgeting and the annual agency budget and

reporting budget tracking and forecasting. 

For

the half time supporting DSNI / DNI the role will be more hands on and a key

financial thought partner to the Executive Director of DSNI / DNI.  One part time Accountant will report into

s/he to support the DSNI and DNI.  S/he

will create the annual budget, work closely with the Resource Development

Manager on grant proposals, grant budgets, and grant tracking.  S/he will manage cash flow and oversee

disbursements and payroll.  S/he will

prepare and present the financials at the monthly evening DSNI Board Meetings

and quarterly DNI Board meetings.

Manage Accounting Department Operations

·        

Oversee the Project Hope and manage the DSNI and DNI

day-to-day financial operations and processes to maintain the accounting

records and internal controls in accordance with generally accepted accounting

principles and with organizational policies and regulations.

·        

Oversee for Project Hope and manage for DSNI and DNI

accurate and timely recording of all financial information including cash

receipts and disbursements, AP and AR, payroll and benefits, journal entries

and the general ledger.

·        

For Project Hope oversee the Manager responsible for

the team doing the reconciliations, payroll, cash management, and AP and work

with the Director of Finance and Strategy on insurance renewal and vendor

contracts.  This role is responsible for

all annual filings.

·        

For DSNI / DNI direct all accounting functions,

vendor contracts, payroll, balance sheet reconciliations, annual audits,

insurance and 990’s.

·        

Develop and enforce quality standards relating to

accuracy, timeliness, and comprehensiveness.

·        

Supervise a Finance Manager for Project Hope, who

has Accountants reporting to them and manage a part time accountant for DSNI /

DNI.  Responsible for hiring, training,

and coaching of new staff; conduct performance appraisals; assist in managing

departmental employee relations issues; recommend and implement personnel

actions in accordance with organizational policy; provide leadership to

accounting personnel through effective goal setting, delegation, and

communication.

Reporting

·        

Oversee for Project Hope and manage for DSNI / DNI the

production and submission of timely and accurate financial statements and

reports for various internal and external entities, including profit and loss

statements, balance sheets and other monthly reports as needed.  For DSNI / DNI review them monthly with the

ED and other senior leadership.  For

Project Hope review them with the Director of Finance and Strategy. 

·        

Provide auditors the information and do review of

the auditors preparation of the Forms 990 and UFR and other statutory reporting

in compliance with local, state and federal government requirements ensuring

that all returns are filed in a timely and accurate manner.

·        

Prepare financial analysis and reports for

management, Boards of Directors and Finance Committees of both organizations.

·        

Serve as financial resource for strategy development

and counsel to the ED of DSNI/ DNI and Director of Finance and Strategy at

Project Hope, producing reports which aid in making long-term strategic

financial decisions.

Budget Preparation

·        

Lead the preparation of annual budgets for approval

by the Finance Committees and Boards of Directors for both organizations.  Work with Development and Program teams on

grant and contract budgets.

Compliance

·        

Develop, recommend, implement, and enforce policies

and procedures to ensure internal controls and safeguard organizational assets.

·        

Ensure compliance with and adherence to all

applicable internal, regulatory and professional standards, requirements and

guidelines including GAAP and government standards. 

·        

Follow and improve internal control procedures,

monitor compliance, and devise policies, procedures and documentation to

provide guidelines for accounting, finance and administrative staff.

·        

Stay abreast of changes in accounting and government

changes.

Lead Audit Process

·        

For DSNI / DNI lead the audit and maintain effective

working relationships with the auditors, providing schedules and materials as

needed.  For Project Hope maintain

effective working relationships with the auditors and oversee the Finance

Manager who will lead the audit, providing schedules and materials as needed.

·        

Ensure that 990 and UFR are completed in a timely

and accurate manner.

Asset and Cash Management

·        

For Project Hope oversee and for DSNI / DNI manage

the operations of asset and cash management programs, including but not limited

to forecasting and managing cash flow requirements; prepare and provide reports

for management and Boards of Directors.

·        

For Project Hope collaborate with the Director of

Finance and Strategy and for DSNI / DNI evaluate and make recommendations for

the Executive Director on all financial aspects of benefits programs and all

necessary insurances and make recommendations to management.

Knowledge Management

·        

Assess impact of professional, organizational, and

regulatory changes to Agency accounting policies and procedures. 

·        

Develop and recommend revisions to internal

procedures as appropriate.

·        

Maintain current knowledge of nonprofit accounting

standards, changes, trends, and guidelines in the accounting field.

Leadership

·        

Collaborate with key members of the organizations to

create and improve systems, processes, and policies.

·        

Convey information and ideas in a clear and

persuasive manner.

·        

Provide positive financial leadership to all staff.

·        

Provide advice and guidance to management in the

interpretation and use of financial statements and accounting data.

·        

Provide support to non-financial managers and staff

in accounting and other issues related to financial operations.

Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications

·        

Minimum of seven years of financial nonprofit

experience or related business expertise.

·        

Experience working with nonprofits with a mix of

funding sources.

·        

Understanding of government contract requirements

·        

Minimum of three years of proven supervisory experience

·        

Proven experience in accounting management, finance,

and operations position, including financial reporting, budgeting, managing

grant requirements and recognition of revenue within the nonprofit sector.

·        

Experience with QuickBooks online, Bill.com. Sage

Intacct Accounting, Adaptive budgeting, and office software including Office

365 and Google Drive; proven experience using technology to improve financial

management systems.

·        

Conversant with audit, compliance, budget, and

resource development in the nonprofit sector including fundraising and

experience with government contracts.

·        

Ability to present complex financial information in

a clear manner to senior management, Board members and staff.

·        

Ability to educate program directors about their programs’

finances and encourage accountability for financial performance.

·        

Proven success in designing and improving systems of

accountability which encourage high levels of collaboration.

·        

Ability to handle multiple tasks, organizations, and

leaders to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines and objectives.

·        

Detail oriented with excellent organizational skills.

·        

Strong verbal and written communication skills.

·        

Strong interpersonal skills.

·        

High level of personal and professional integrity.

Education

Requirements:

·        

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field.

·        

CPA highly preferred

Project

Hope values diversity in its workforce and candidates from a wide range of

backgrounds are encouraged to apply