Assistant Controller

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

Commonpoint, headquartered in Queens, is a multifaceted community organization dedicated to sustaining and enhancing the quality of individual, family and communal life throughout the metro New York area, offering services to people of all ages, ability levels, stages of life and backgrounds. Commonpoint strives to meet the evolving needs of the community helping 100,000 members ranging from providing in-school and after-school programs, professional and career development, assistance with food insecurity, legal services, financial counseling, mental health services, senior classes, dementia care programs, and tax preparation assistance to name a few. Commonpoint has grown tremendously in the last five years and now has a budget over $90M, a mission-driven staff of 3,000 and more than 80 sites in the five boroughs.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Assistant Controller is a key member of the Finance team and reports to the Controller. The primary responsibilities include all aspects of accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, monthly closing and reconciliations. The Assistant Controller assists the Controller in managing the department, ensuring compliance with GAAP and internal processes and controls, timely and accurate processing all transactions and entries impacting the organization’s books and records, and preparing associated schedules and reports. She/he/they is expected to use and apply accounting skills at full proficiency level to analyze and resolve accounting transactions, and initiate appropriate corrections, answering questions, and helping to train staff. The Assistant Controller interacts with staff across the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Ensure an environment of appropriate internal controls and fiscal integrity that supports the effective and efficient operation and flow of information between Commonpoint’s programs and administrative functions, in accordance with all applicable legal, regulatory, funder and best-practice standards and requirements.
• Embrace a state of continual improvement. Perform ongoing review of procedures with a goal to identify potential areas and ways to improve accounting efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and controls by leveraging technology, and improving and standardizing processes.
• Work with Controller and team to develop and monitor cascading annual goals designed to help the department and organization implement Commonpoint’s strategic plan and realize Leadership’s priorities.
• Model an effective, positive culture for the Fiscal team emphasizing professionalism, clarity, customer service and competence. Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
• Maintaining the general ledger, chart of accounts, banking/treasury and other financial accounts, as well as being the primary person responsible for one of our affiliated consolidating entities.
• Reviewing and or performing monthly bank reconciliations, journal entries, and monthly, quarterly and year-end financial close activities, and ensuring their timely, accurate and efficient completion.
• Providing supporting schedules and documentation for periodic closing activities and overseeing junior staff work in their areas.
• Preparing other journal entries and data imports such as, but not limited to, those related to payroll (ADP), accounts payable (Stampli), various payment systems and credit card processors (Campsite, tractionRec, Blume, Donor perfect, etc).
• Compiling applicable supporting documentation to be included in agency-required cost reporting and IRS filings. This includes the annual IRS Form 990 and similar State-required filings; cost reports, such as but not limited to CFR, NYC Indirect Cost Rate calculation, etc.
• Supervising; prioritizing work, resolving issues, reviewing team’s work, and monitoring workloads.
• Analysis and calculations of expenses, including allocation, integration and reclassifying areas such as wages and benefits, fixed assets, fixed allocations, etc.
• Prepare periodic and ad-hoc analyses, reports and explanations of financial and accounting matters for Commonpoint senior and executive management, and other key external parties (government agencies, private funders, financial ratings agencies, regulators, lending entities, etc.)
• Collaborate with program leaders and their support teams to explore how the central finance function can support program operations and to explain accounting procedures and processes.
• Serve on committees and task forces and participate in special projects as needed.
• Develop a broad understanding of Commonpoint’s accounting operations and serve as a backup to the Controller as needed.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred from an accredited educational institution in Accounting, Finance or Business Administration and four or more years of progressively responsible professional accounting and/or financial management experience, including supervision of multiple accounting/financial functions and staff. Experience preferred in accounting within a complex, government grant-funded not-for-profit organization or equivalent.
• Knowledge of current accounting and financial reporting methods and procedures, including complex financial transactions with expertise and experience covering Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) rules and standards
• Strong command of a variety of technologies including but not limited to MIP or similar accounting systems, MS advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint, online banking portals, expense workflow processes, budgeting tools, closing/workflow software, etc.
• Proven ability to analyze and interpret fiscal and accounting data and to prepare appropriate statements; establish and maintain a general ledger and chart of accounts for a large, complex not-for-profit organization; and develop and maintain accounting and fiscal operations policies and procedures.
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), strong work ethic, and professionalism in engagement with supervisors, peers and junior staff within Commonpoint; and necessary external entities such as public and private funders, auditors, regulators and oversight agencies.
• Demonstrated experience in business process improvement involving information technology solutions and changes and improvements to accounting and fiscal systems and practices; and demonstrated ease in staff training and development.
• Leadership ability to work closely with other Commonpoint fiscal units (such as budget, grants and contracts, payroll) and programmatic divisions and multiple support units across Commonpoint in order to ensure efficient and effective operations overall.
• Commitment to, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse and inclusive team and demonstrated ability to work effectively in a complicated work environment with a diverse constituency.
• Possessing personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to the Commonpoint mission; a proactive, hands-on, detail oriented strategic thinker. Resourceful, respectful, patient, creative, organized, and an ability to “hit the ground running” and manage multiple projects through to completion and serve up expected results with minimal supervision.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS: Salary range for this role is $105,000 - $125,000 commensurate with experience. Commonpoint provides a suite of competitive benefits including health insurance (including dental & vision), FSA, a 403(b) Plan and Pension Plan, Life Insurance, and a generous and flexible PTO system.

LOCATION & EXPECTATIONS: This position is hybrid, after completing a probationary period, with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office. The position reports to offices located in Forest Hills, NY. Presence at other locations within the five boroughs may be required, in addition to evening/weekend hours as needed.

HOW TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and resume to Melissa Exaltacion at mexaltacion@commonpoint.org.

Commonpoint provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

We encourage candidates from the local Eastern Queens/Western Long Island communities to consider applying for this employment opportunity.