Director of Controls and Compliance

YMCA of Metro Atlanta•Atlanta, GA

13d

About The Position

As a thought-leader and best-in-class provider in education, wellness, youth development, and community-building, The YMCA of Metro Atlanta is one of the oldest and most essential non-profits serving in Atlanta. Today, we’re looking for you to join us as we carry out our mission to positively impact lives and communities across the state. At the Y, we’re an association of like-minded people (staff, volunteers, and members), on the forefront of a movement to ensure that everyone -- especially children -- experience an equal opportunity to reach their full potential. In the course of a year, we provide more than 3,000 children, ages 6 weeks through Pre-K with high-quality literacy and STEAM-infused learning; give 58,000 youth and teens access to sports, aquatics, day and resident camps, teen leadership development programs, and employment opportunities; provide over 200,000 members with programs, services, and facilities to enjoy connection and maintain wellness regardless of age; and engage over 25,000 volunteers and donors from across Atlanta to share in the gift of supporting their communities. NATURE AND SCOPE: Reporting directly to the Vice President of Finance or equivalent executive. The Director of Financial Controls and Compliance leads organizational compliance, regulatory reporting, and internal financial risk management efforts for primarily the YMCA but may also include the Early Learning Development Company (ECDC). This role supervises 1–2 direct reports and ensures that the Y maintains alignment with federal, state, local, grant, lending, insurance, tax, and contractual compliance obligations. The Director of Financial Controls and Compliance will oversee organizational compliance processes, support internal and external audit activities as part of broader financial risk management, and coordinate regulatory responses related to funding, grants, financial certifications, government reporting, and informational requests from external stakeholders. Success in this role includes ensuring that strong internal controls and operational standards are upheld, that policies and procedures align with regulatory requirements, and that the organization continuously strengthens its compliance through process optimization and staff education.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related business field
6+ years in compliance, regulatory reporting, audit, financial controls, or related work
Experience with accounting and enterprise systems
1+ years of direct supervision experience
Experience with compliance oversight in regulated environments, preferably with
Must have superior, proven analytical and financial analysis skills with attention to detail
Must process strong computer skills (Microsoft Office)
Must have strong collaborative work ethics, ability to work on multiple projects and under pressure with tight deadlines and with minimum supervision.
Must be able to project manage deliverables end-to-end and influence resources in cross-functional areas.
Ability to build relationships, interact, and communicate positively with all levels of management, external auditors, and regulatory agencies
Experience and sensitivity dealing with constituents of diverse backgrounds and abilities
Ability to pass a pre-employment background check including Criminal Record check, Drug Screening and motor vehicle record (MVR) according to company policy.
Must be legally eligible to work in the US without current or future sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree preferred
Grant-funded or government-supported programs preferred
Nonprofit experience preferred

Responsibilities

Lead, develop, and manage the overall compliance program for the Y and parts of ECDC across multiple operational areas.
Serve as the point of contact for compliance requests from regulatory agencies, grantors, banks, foundations, legal partners, insurance carriers, donors, and board committees.
Manage compliance reporting and required submissions, including IRS Form 990, debt covenant certifications, NMTC compliance reporting, YUSA reporting, and government program reporting.
Maintain comprehensive lists of all internal and external compliance deadlines and inform interested parties on upcoming deliverables.
Educate staff and stakeholders on compliance responsibilities and establish consistent processes and documentation standards.
Monitor adherence to internal policies and regulatory obligations and provide guidance to resolve gaps or deficiencies, ensuring alignment with internal audit standards.
Develop compliance tracking systems and documentation processes to enable proactive compliance vs. reactive correction.
Guide internal reviews of financial processes, internal controls, and risk exposure areas to help strengthen organizational compliance.
Conduct targeted internal control reviews and testing to support broader compliance assurance and complement internal audit functions.
Track compliance and risk findings, collaborating with departments to implement remediation plans that minimize future issues.
Support the annual external audit by coordinating required documentation and ensuring preparedness through ongoing compliance practices.
Supervise and mentor 1–2 staff members supporting compliance and reporting functions. Delegate responsibilities, provide coaching, and support their professional development.
Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and compliance-driven decision-making.
Develop and document process workflows to clarify responsibilities and strengthen control environments.
Partner with Accounting, HR, Operations, Program leadership, and executive teams to ensure compliance considerations are integrated into business practices and reporting cycles.
Participate in operational initiatives and support strategic projects requiring compliance or regulatory analysis.
Continuously evaluate organizational processes to identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement; develop and implement solutions that enhance operational performance and compliance alignment.
Conduct in-depth analysis of identified risks or areas of concern clearly communicate findings and drive the development and implementation of corrective action plans or process improvements.
Perform internal audit projects as requested by the Finance/Audit Committee, Board, or organizational leadership.
Initiate and perform various ad hoc financial projects and scenario analyses, as needed.