Controller

About Chicago Children’s Museum: Chicago Children’s Museum (CCM) is committed to improving children’s lives by creating a community where play and learning connect. We embrace creativity and collaboration, we never stop learning, and we remember to stop and play along the way. CCM’s staff is a dedicated group of curious individuals who embrace the playful spirit of childhood. Every employee is empowered to reach their potential and be recognized for the impact they have on our organization, visitors, and the community we serve. Over its 42-year history, Chicago Children’s Museum has provided innovative exhibits, arts programs, STEM experiments, imaginative play, and more to over 11 million children and their caregivers. Located at Navy Pier, the museum is intentionally designed for experimentation, creativity, and learning for all children. CCM focuses on accessibility, inclusion, and the pursuits of childhood, ensuring valuable and memorable experiences for all visitors.

General Job Function:

The Controller is responsible for overall accounting operations, maintaining the integrity of fiscal records, periodic financial reporting, analysis, budgeting, partnering with all departments to provide financial insight to business decisions, and ensure that reported results comply with GAAP.  The Controller maximizes return on financial assets by establishing financial policies, procedures, controls, and reporting systems.

Below is a listing of functions either performed or supervised by the Controller:

Financial Reporting 

• Issue timely and complete financial statements.
• Provide monthly comparison of actual against budgeted expenses, analyze variances, and
• initiate corrective actions as needed.
• Oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures are
• consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund
• period; collate financial reporting materials for government, corporate, and
• foundation grants.
• Assist leadership in the annual budgeting and planning process; administer and review
• all financial plans and compare to actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Maintain and reconcile pledge receivables.
• Maintain depreciation schedules.
• Ensuring proper financial management of project reporting.

Transactions

• Ensure that accounts payable are paid in a timely manner and reasonable discounts are taken.
• Ensure that accounts receivable are collected promptly.
• Ensure payroll is processed timely.
• Manage daily cash transactions
• Maintain the chart of accounts
• Maintain an orderly accounting tracking system
• Maintain and enforce strong internal controls

Management

• Maintain and enforce a documented system of accounting policies and procedures
• Manage outsourced functions (payroll, merchant services, armored car services)
• Ensure proper and adequate insurance coverage
• Manage overall organization risk
• Supports the museum’s work in diversity, equity, access and inclusion and actively ensures that DEAI principles are upheld in all work with fellow staff, visitors, community and other external partners.
• Enthusiasm for learning and mastering new skills on an ongoing basis; willingness to be
• informed/certified/trained through institution-offered courses and to work within Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion (DEAI) frameworks and actively engage in learning about these frameworks.

Compliance

• Coordinate the provision of information for annual audit (schedules/documents) and serve
• as liaison to audit firm.
• Monitor debt levels and compliance with debit covenants.
• Comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and tax
• filings.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or equivalent in
• experience.
• Proven audit experience and preparation.
• Minimum 7- 8 years applicable experience with a concentration in financial reporting and
• analysis.
• A track record in grants management as it relates to compliance and reporting of
• government, corporate and foundation grants.  
• High value of ethics, dependability, and reliability.
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels
• including finance and non-finance managers.
• Strong computer skills with demonstrated proficiency in spreadsheets.
• Positive “can do” attitude.
• Strong teamwork and team leadership values.
• Enthusiasm for learning and mastering new skills on an ongoing basis; willingness to be
• informed/certified/ trained through institution-offered courses and to work within Diversity, Equity, Access, Inclusion (DEAI) frameworks and actively engage in learning about these frameworks.
• Possess an equity mindset and cultural humility. 

Schedule: This is a full-time, exempt level position working 37.5 hours per week Monday through Friday, including some early mornings, weekday evenings, and weekend hours related to meetings or events.

Physical Requirements of the Position: This position must be able to work at a computer for extended periods of time.

Location: Hybrid with 3 days in office at 700 E. Grand Ave., Ste. 127, Chicago, IL 60611

Chicago Children’s Museum aims to recruit and advance qualified BIPOC/ALAANA, women, LGBTQ, persons with disabilities, and veterans—we welcome and encourage all applicants. Our goal is for our team and culture to reflect the Chicagoland community.

Benefits: This position is eligible for medical, dental, vision, Life, Long-term Disability, and Short-term Disability insurances, 401k after six months of service, as well as PTO and Sick time.