Senior Director, Controller

National Student Clearinghouse•Herndon, VA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Controller serves as the organization's principal accounting officer, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer and acting as the senior accounting and financial reporting leader for NSC. This position is accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial reporting, accounting operations, and transaction processing activities. The Controller leads a team of 8-12 accounting and transaction processing professionals and oversees the full accounting function, including financial close, billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets, grants accounting, revenue recognition, and procurement-related transaction processing. The role also maintains primary responsibility for U.S. and Canadian federal, state, provincial, and local tax compliance, annual audit management, Form 990 preparation, and the organization's internal control environment. As a key member of the Finance leadership team, the Controller partners closely with FP&A, Procurement, Human Resources, Technology, Legal, and program leadership to strengthen financial stewardship, operational effectiveness, and the long-term sustainability of the organization. Currently, this is a remote-first position, and this position may be required to periodically work on-site at our office and the frequency would depend on the department/division's requirements. Therefore, candidates must either reside within a reasonable distance to commute to our office or be willing to travel to our office in Herndon, when required.

Requirements

Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field. A combination of education and experience including military service will also be considered.
10 years of progressive accounting, financial reporting, and financial management experience.
5 years of experience leading accounting operations within a complex organization with annual revenues exceeding $50 million.
Demonstrated experience leading annual financial statement audits, Form 990 preparation and filing, and regulatory compliance activities.
3 years of experience leading and developing accounting or finance teams of five or more employees.
Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation required.
Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, financial reporting requirements, and applicable tax regulations.
Demonstrated expertise in accounting operations, financial reporting, audit management, internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
Strong experience with ERP systems, financial management platforms, and reporting technologies, including system optimization and process improvement initiatives.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for executive leadership, the Board of Directors, auditors, and other stakeholders.
Demonstrated commitment to financial stewardship, accuracy, integrity, transparency, and sound fiscal management.
Strong knowledge of internal control frameworks, risk management principles, and financial governance best practices.
Proven success leading process improvement, automation, and operational efficiency initiatives that enhance accuracy, scalability, and effectiveness.
Strategic leadership skills with the ability to establish vision, align resources, drive execution, and contribute to enterprise-wide decision-making.
Proven ability to develop, mentor, and retain high-performing accounting and finance professionals while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Strong relationship-building and influencing skills, with the ability to effectively partner with stakeholders across all levels of the organization.
Executive presence and professionalism, including the ability to present financial analyses, recommendations, and business insights to senior leaders, Board members, auditors, regulators, and external partners.
Demonstrated ability to lead teams through organizational change, navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and achieve results in a dynamic environment.
Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills, including sound judgment, effective conflict resolution, trust-building, and a collaborative leadership style.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks, evaluate alternatives, and develop practical, business-focused solutions.
Ability to balance strategic priorities with operational execution while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
Demonstrates the Clearinghouse’s core competencies: customer focus, optimizes work processes, communicates effectively, collaborates, and is open and authentic.
Must live within a commutable distance to Herndon, VA or in one of the Clearinghouse's approved States for hiring purposes.
Must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
Must be at least 18 years old.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a nonprofit, education, healthcare, membership association, or other mission-driven organization.
Experience overseeing grant accounting, financial reporting, compliance, and donor-restricted funding requirements.
Knowledge of indirect cost allocation methodologies and restricted, unrestricted, and temporarily restricted fund accounting principles.
Experience managing complex, multi-jurisdictional tax compliance activities, including U.S. and Canadian federal, state, local, and provincial requirements.
Familiarity with enterprise financial management systems and platforms, including Sage Intacct, Ramp, Avalara, Billing Platform, or comparable technologies.
Experience supporting organizations with diverse revenue streams, including grants, contracts, subscriptions, contributions, and service-based revenue.
Demonstrated experience leading financial system implementations, upgrades, or large-scale process transformation initiatives.
MBA, Master of Accountancy (MAcc), or other relevant advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Direct all accounting operations in accordance with U.S. GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards.
Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes, targeting a 7-business-day close cycle.
Ensure accurate preparation of internal and external financial statements and related disclosures.
Oversee account reconciliations, journal entries, and general ledger activities.
Develop, document, and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
Provide financial analysis and reporting to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
Ensure proper accounting treatment of grants, contributions, contracts, subscriptions, and service revenue.
Interpret and communicate financial operating results to NSC leaders in a timely and accessible manner.
Direct billing processes to ensure timely and accurate invoices are provided to customers.
Direct accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, employee expense reimbursement, and cash application functions.
Establish service-level standards and performance metrics for transaction processing activities.
Ensure timely processing of vendor payments, customer invoicing, collections, and payroll.
Develop and implement the organization's cash management and payment processing strategy.
Drive continuous improvement and automation initiatives to increase efficiency and accuracy.
Oversee financial systems and workflows supporting transaction processing, including procurement-to-pay and order-to-cash processes.
Maintain a strong internal control environment, including robust segregation of duties.
Ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations, U.S. federal grant requirements, and applicable U.S. and Canadian state/provincial regulations.
Oversee documentation and periodic testing of key financial controls.
Monitor compliance with organizational policies and delegated authority requirements.
Coordinate responses to audit findings and implement corrective action plans.
Support enterprise risk management initiatives related to financial operations.
Serve as the primary liaison with independent auditors for annual financial statement audits and Single Audits (where applicable).
Coordinate preparation and review of Form 990 and other required U.S. and Canadian federal, state, and local tax filings.
Ensure compliance with donor restrictions and grant reporting requirements.
Oversee implementation of new accounting pronouncements and regulatory changes.
Prepare financial information for Board meetings, annual budget cycles, and ad hoc audit requirements.
Oversee accounting for cash, investments, debt, and liquidity activities.
Ensure accurate recording and reconciliation of banking transactions, including U.S. and Canadian accounts.
Partner with treasury and finance leadership to support cash flow forecasting and liquidity management.
Monitor compliance with banking covenants and investment policies.
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing accounting and transaction processing team of 8-12 professionals.
Establish departmental goals aligned with organizational objectives and promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
Build a team-based environment that reflects NSC's values – customer focus, open and authentic communication, effective collaboration, and optimized work processes.
Effectively manage critical third-party organizations that provide support or service to the accounting function (e.g. software providers, auditors, staffing organizations, etc.).
Recruit and develop top accounting talent; support succession planning and advancement within the team.
Foster strong cross-functional collaboration with FP&A, Procurement, Human Resources, Technology, Legal, and operational leaders.
Coach and mentor staff on both technical competencies and professional growth, including formal and informal feedback and annual performance reviews.
Lead optimization of ERP, accounting, and financial reporting systems used at NSC.
Champion implementation of automation, workflow, and reporting tools to reduce manual processes.
Drive efficiency gains in financial close, reconciliations, and reporting workflows.
Champion data governance and financial data quality initiatives.
Evaluate and implement best practices in nonprofit financial operations; move beyond the status quo and encourage innovative thinking within the team.
Actively seek cost-effective solutions that reduce costs and optimize results across the finance function.
Demonstrate the management and senior leadership competencies: Making Complex Decisions, Being Flexible and Adaptive, Build Collaborative Relationships, Focusing on Performance, and Optimizing Diverse Talent.
Senior Leadership Competencies: Balances Stakeholders, Cultivates Innovation, Drives Vision and Purpose, Strategic Mindset, and Understanding the Business.
Build a team-based environment that aligns with company values, ways of working, and competencies.
Ensure employees comply with company policies, procedures and regulations, while meeting established goals.
Recruit and select the best talent to help optimize skills and experiences.
Motivate and manage staff to maximize productivity and efficiency.
Provide direction to team members, including feedback to support personal and career development and ongoing improvement.
Develop and manage career development and advancement and define and monitor training and development plans to support job and career satisfaction.
Coach, mentor, and ensure staff are adequately trained and provide guidance, as needed.
Monitor and provide feedback on performance including annual reviews, rewards, and compensation structure.
Reward employees using formal and informal methods.
Position may be required to perform other duties as required.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
Life and disability insurance benefits
Health care, dependent care, and limited purpose flexible spending accounts
Health savings account with annual employer contributions
Voluntary supplemental health plans for Accident and Hospital Indemnity coverage
Infertility coverage
401k matching contribution program
Paid leave program consisting of vacation, sick, and personal time
Paid holidays
Paid parental leave
Paid military leave
Reimbursed for basic wholesale company and roadside assistance memberships
Buy back on portions of unused accrued vacation
Employee Education Assistance Program
LinkedIn Learning subscription
Mental health support (up to eight free therapy sessions)
Well-being reward benefits
Eligibility for service credit towards the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF)