Controller, Finance & Banking, Financial Compliance

ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) is a non‑profit leader dedicated to advancing sustainability through forest‑focused collaborations. A key driver of SFI’s success is its ability to engage diverse communities to deliver across its 4 pillars:
Standards, Conservation, Community, Education. At SFI, we aim to foster a culture where everyone feels valued, empowered, and supported in advancing sustainability through forest‑focused collaborations.

The Controller is responsible for SFI (Parent) financial planning, tracking, reporting, audits, applicable tax returns, and assistance with treasury functions. The position requires directing and supporting the day‑to‑day tactical accounting operations, which includes both Canada and U.S. activities, while ensuring executive management remain aware of various programmatic financial spending trends. As a member of the Finance and Operations department, the Controller works to ensure all financial transactions are correctly recorded in accordance with Canadian and U.S. Accounting Standards, as well as ensure regulatory compliance is maintained.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Financial Accounting, Reporting, Budgeting, and Compliance

• Oversees the day‑to‑day operations of the accounting department according to policies & procedures, as well as Canadian and U.S. Accounting Standards.
• Establishes and maintains internal controls and compliance activities to ensure alignment with statutory requirements and SFI policies & procedures.
• Oversees, prepares, reviews, and coordinates the annual audit of SFI and applicable regulatory filings (e.g., 990 and T2 for U.S.) with Senior Leadership Team and external auditors, as necessary.
• Leads and manages the annual budget process for SFI in consultation with executive management.
• Conducts financial analysis and prepares financial reports and statements for executive management and the board of directors, as necessary.
• Manages various relationships and serves as the primary point‑of‑contact for applicable vendors and service providers, as necessary.
• Researches and performs risk management analysis and other ad‑hoc reporting as needed.
• Oversees and leads the financial management of all grants ($15+ million), including but not limited to grant budgeting, expenditure tracking, and grant financial reporting. This includes inbound grant revenue, as well as pass‑through and sub‑recipient expenditure funding, and eventually will also include SFI’s outbound grant expenditure program for all pillars.
• Monitors and reconciles grant expenditures to ensure alignment with approved budgets, generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), and compliance with grant terms from sponsors to meet invoicing requirements and procurement guidelines and restrictions.
• Prepares and submits accurate grant financial reports to align with and support written reports to U.S. funders in accordance with their requirements.
• Collaborates with the Business Director on Canadian grants, including on federal (ECCC) and provincial funding, providing backup support as needed.
• Ensures compliance with all federal, state, provincial, and local regulations related to grant management, specifically from the U.S. Federal Compliance Supplement (2
  
  CFR
  200, Appendix XI).
• Maintains comprehensive and organized documentation for U.S. grants, including agreements, amendments, financial reports, and correspondence.
• Conducts regular compliance reviews and audits to ensure adherence to U.S. grant requirements and organizational policies.
• Assists with grant applications by providing the necessary financial data.
• Serves as the point person for the Single Audit, ensuring compliance throughout the year.
• Manages the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) effectively. (Currently, SFI uses the allowed de minimis fixed rate).

• Create, design, and implement policies, processes and procedures related to grant management and proposal development. These should adhere to requirements included in compliance supplements for U.S. and Canadian grants.
• Advise program managers, VPs,…