Controller

Location: The Allen-Stevenson School, New York, NY

Position Type: Full-time exempt, 12-month, in-person

About: The Allen-Stevenson School is an all-boys, TK-8, independent school in New York City, dedicated to helping every boy achieve his best potential within an inclusive community of joyful learners. Through a collaborative culture of inquiry, we design learning experiences that challenge boys to take thoughtful risks in pursuing excellence in achieving their best potential.

Position Summary: The Allen-Stevenson School is seeking a Controller to join our Business Office. A key member of the team, the Controller reports to the Chief Financial Officer and is responsible for the integrity of the school’s financial records and internal controls. The Controller oversees all accounting operations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, and payroll, and plays a crucial role in managing the school’s financial health and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate has strong organizational skills and is a detail-oriented, collaborative leader with a strong background in non-profit or independent school finance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Finance and Accounting Leadership:
  • Responsible for the month-end close process, collaborating with the team to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
  • Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems, ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Supervise various accounts payable functions, including processing invoices, managing payment schedules, and fostering a culture of accountability and continuous process improvements
  • Supervise revenue and accounts receivable processes while conducting analytical reviews of all revenue sources to ensure accuracy, identify trends or discrepancies, and support strategic decision-making through data-driven insights.
  • Collaborate with the Director of HR to remit and reconcile all employee benefits and payroll.
  • Maintain lease accounting and bond analysis, as well as capital fixed assets ledger.
  • Guide financial decisions by establishing, monitoring, and enforcing financial policies, internal controls, and procedures.
  • Coordinate expenditure reports for budget stakeholders and strategically analyze financial data, identifying trends and keeping apprised of issues and trends particular to independent schools.
  • Support the annual budgeting and planning process, working with individuals at all levels to create budgets. Lead ongoing review and comparison to actual results, identifying, explaining, and correcting variances as appropriate.
  • Support the CFO in engaging the board’s Audit Committee and Finance and Investment Committee.
  • Manage external audits and Form 990 preparation and reporting.
  • Partner with the Development Office to ensure accurate receipt, accounting, and reconciliation of all gifts and donations, provide financial reporting to support fundraising and donor stewardship, and serve as a resource on financial policies related to charitable giving.
  • Oversee the release of donor funds, ensuring compliance with restrictions and institutional policies.
  • Reconcile bank and investment statements monthly while monitoring cash transactions and maintaining cash flow projections to ensure liquidity and financial stability.
  • Manage annual insurance renewals and ongoing insurance inquiries.
  • Support and review governmental grant applications and reconciliations.
  • Oversee Parent Association store sales and events to ensure accurate recording of revenue calculation and remittance of sales tax, reconciliation of transactions, and compliance with school financial policies.
  • Work on special projects as assigned by the CFO.
• Team Leadership & Management:
  • Leverage the strengths of current Business Office team members and ensure a positive and supportive work environment.
  • Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization.
  • Recommend changes to procedures to improve efficiency and accuracy.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or MBA is strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3 years in a managerial or supervisory role.
• Demonstrate integrity, professionalism, and the ability to collaborate effectively while handling sensitive information with the utmost discretion, tact, and confidentiality.
• Experience with non-profit, educational, or independent school accounting.
• Deep knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for non-profits.
• Strong proficiency with accounting software (Sage Intacct) and Microsoft Excel in addition to cloud-based workspaces, including the Google Suite with ability to work independently in an automated environment.
• Organizational skills with an attention to detail and deadlines.
• Customer service focus with a strong ability to work across the organization to solve problems in a collaborative and supportive manner.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial information clearly to diverse audiences.

Compensation:

The Allen-Stevenson School offers a suite of benefits, including generous employer contributions towards health, dental, and vision insurance, pre-tax commuter benefits, and many others. The budgeted annual salary for this role is $150,000, commensurate with experience.

To Apply: Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to hr@allen-stevenson.org with “Controller” in the subject line.

The Allen-Stevenson School actively seeks to forward the equity and diversity of our community in our admissions, programs, and hiring. The Allen-Stevenson School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, physical or mental disability, citizenship status, marital status, creed, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, and federal law. The Allen-Stevenson School actively seeks diversity in its faculty and student body.