Financial Controller

Our non-profit client in the educational sector is looking to hire a Financial Controller. This is an excellent opportunity for a non-profit accounting professional at the Accounting Manager or Assistant Controller level looking to advance in their career! This is a fantastic opportunity to join a reputable educational non-profit institution with a strong brand in the Seattle area. This position manages two direct reports within the accounting department and reports directly to the non-profit CFO.

*** This position requires a candidate to live locally and work Monday-Friday in-office***

• Produce monthly financial statements, variance analyses, and operational dashboards for internal and external users.
• Oversee tuition management and family billing in coordination with the Admissions team and the Financial Aid committee.
• Manage financial aid modeling, tuition receivables, and enrollment-related accounting.
• Prepare and manage annual budgeting and multi-year forecasting in partnership with the CFO and department heads.
• Strengthen internal controls and implement standardized processes across the Business Office, including AP, AR, Payroll, HR, and other departmental budgets.

• Supervise the Staff Accountant & Payroll Specialist; review, approve, and ensure accuracy of their work.
• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations, providing guidance and coaching to the Specialist.
• Ensure segregation of duties, compliance with internal controls, and alignment of workflows to school policy and GAAP.
• Serve as first point of contact for vendor contract reviews before CFO or Head of School approval.

• Serve as CFO proxy in Finance Committee meetings, audits, and vendor meetings as needed.
• Collaborate with department heads to support financial planning, operational decision-making, and cost management.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and recommend solutions to improve accuracy, timeliness, and effectiveness.
• Provide continuity and redundancy for critical finance functions to ensure smooth operations.

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (CPA preferred).
• Minimum of 5+ years of progressive accounting or financial management experience, including oversight of accounting operations, ideally in nonprofit or school settings.
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting principles, GAAP, and internal controls.
• Proven experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial statement preparation.
• Experience supervising staff and reviewing transactional accounting work.
• Excellent communication skills in the English language (fluency in additional languages a plus), including the ability to convey complex financial information clearly and effectively.
• Strong project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and ethical judgment.

Preferred:

• Experience with financial aid modeling, tuition management, and enrollment-related accounting.
• Familiarity with Blackbaud Financial Edge, Rippling, Sawyer, or similar systems.
• Six weeks of PTO (vacation accrual) annually
• Two weeks of paid sick leave annually
• Retirement plan with 7% employer (company) match