Controller

Opportunity.OpportunityDetail.JobDetails

Opportunity.OpportunityDetail.Description

WHAT IS AVID?

We’re a nationally recognized nonprofit that partners with 8,000 schools across the country to shift to a more equitable, student-centered approach, closing the opportunity gap so that ALL students are prepared for college, career, and life. And the results? Well, they speak for themselves.

AVID provides 2.5 million students annually with the tools they need to think critically, collaborate, and set high expectations to confidently conquer the challenges that await them. We accomplish this work by training over 85,000 educators every year through in-person and virtual professional learning opportunities.

WHAT IS THE JOB?

The Controller provides strategic guidance and oversight on accounting policies, procedures, and financial systems while generating, reviewing, and approving financial reports, contracts, and fiscal policies when authorized. The Controller ensures accurate reconciliations of monthly ledgers, bank statements, contracts, and grants, either by performing these tasks directly or overseeing the accounting team’s work. In addition to maintaining compliance with GAAP standards and regulatory requirements, the Controller leads and mentors the accounting team, ensuring efficient, accurate, and well-documented financial operations. They also play a key role in system integration and digital transformation, ensuring accounting and finance platforms sync correctly and that financial data is protected.

WHY WORK WITH US?

• Competitive Salary: We've done our research and pay generously to attract the best to join our team. That's why we offer all employees the midpoint right from the start. There are no negotiations and no hassle, and you can be confident that you are being valued and offered an equitable salary. See below for our offer rates based on your geography.
  
  
• Taking Care of You Allowance: All AVID employees (that’s right, ALL employees) receive an extra $10,000 annually to support them in the most meaningful ways: housing costs, transportation, family expenses— whatever your needs may be.
  
  
• Retirement Planning: AVID Center provides a 10% salary contribution to a 403(b) retirement plan plus a $5,000 annual contribution to an exclusive 457(b) retirement plan, beginning after 90-days of full-time employment.*
  
  
• Flexibility in Work: This is a fully remote position with flexibility to reside anywhere within the contiguous United States. 
  
  
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO): This position is eligible for 27 days of PTO per year, with 12 paid holidays plus a winter break in between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
  
  
• Continued education opportunities: All full-time employees with at least 1 year of continuous AVID Center service are eligible for $5,250 per calendar year in tuition reimbursement for qualifying coursework or certification.
  
  
• Company-Provided Equipment: Our home office set-up includes a laptop, dock, and extra monitor, with other amenities available on request.
  
  
• Health and Welfare Plans to Support Every Aspect of Your Well-Being: AVID Center offers several benefits plans through our provider, Cigna, and greatly subsidizes the cost of these plans
  
  
• Connect in Person: A yearly All-Staff gathering will allow you to connect in person with the entire AVID team
  
  

  * Only director-level positions and above are eligible to participate in AVID's 457(b) retirement plan.

  
  

Pay rates for this position:

We bring in all employees at the midpoint of the salary range for your role. Knowing that not all cities share the same cost of labor, we make offers using a tiered approach based on your geographical location. While the majority reside in Zone 1 or Zone 2 areas, we acknowledge variations, even within counties, ensuring fair compensation for all based on their specific location's cost of labor.

For the Controller position, here is what we will offer:

Zone 1 (areas characterized by lower labor costs [e.g., Charleston, WV, Cleveland, OH, Phoenix, AZ, Omaha, NE, etc.]): $188,710 annually

Zone 2 (areas with moderate labor costs [e.g., Syracuse, NY, Ann Arbor, MI, Denver, CO, San Diego, CA, etc.]): $202,863 annually

Zone 3 (areas known for high labor costs [e.g., Washington, D.C., Trenton, NJ, Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA, etc.]): $217,017 annually

Zone 4 (areas with the highest labor costs [e.g., Bridgeport, CT, New York City, NY, San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, etc.]): $240,605 annually

*The specific cities listed above are examples of cities that fall within the respective salary zone. This is not an exhaustive list of cities.

WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THIS ROLE?

• Direct the organization’s accounting principles, practices, procedures, and initiatives, ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
• Provide strategic guidance on organizational structure and staffing to effectively achieve the department’s goals and objectives.
• Oversee the accuracy and compliance aspects of all financial, project/program, and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures consistently align with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period; and compile financial reporting materials for government, corporate, and foundation grants.
• Support the development and implementation of fiscal policies, procedures, processes, and guidelines for the organization, including the creation and maintenance of an Accounting Handbook.
• Prepare (if necessary), review, and validate appropriate ledger entries, reconciliations, financial statements, financial schedules, and grant reporting.
• Prepare (if necessary), review, and validate investment reports and cash flow analyses while tracking the performance of investment portfolios in alignment with investment policy guidelines.
• Manage organizational cash flow forecasting by partnering with the Executive Team; continuously collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer to assess the financial efficacy of program operations and establish finance and administrative systems that support organizational goals.
• Work with the Financial Planning & Analysis team to reconcile inventory and ensure reporting accuracy.
• Oversee annual audits and 990 compliance, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements.
• Supervise, guide, and coach a team of accounting professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement while establishing and achieving departmental goals.
  
  

WHO ARE YOU?

• You are hands-on and thrive in both strategic leadership and day-to-day accounting operations.

• You are a doer, ready to roll up your sleeves and dig into transactional work while maintaining a high-level perspective on systems, compliance, and financial accuracy

• You are technically savvy and may have experience utilizing and syncing accounting, tax, and finance systems such as Sage Intacct, VersaPay, Ramp, Avalara, Asperato, Salesforce, and Concur.

• You are a mentor and motivator, inspiring your team to step up while creating materials, processes, and systems that support fiscal literacy and accountability across departments.

• You are detail-oriented and thrive on ensuring every aspect of financial reporting is accurate and aligned with organizational goals.

• You are a collaborative partner who can work effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including the CFO, Financial Planning & Analysis team, and other cross-functional teams.

• You are a systems-builder who finds excitement in documenting and operationalizing processes that ensure long-lasting and replicable success.

• You are a results-driven professional with at least 10 years of experience in accounting or similar roles, ideally as a people-manager in the nonprofit sector.

• You have a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or a related field.
  
  

NICE TO HAVES?

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.
• Accounting experience in the nonprofit sector.
• Master's Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or related field.

*Allowable Substitutions: Any combination of experience, training, or credential certification endorsement that provides the incumbent/applicant with the knowledge, skills, and ability required to perform the work, as determined by AVID Center. Qualifying work experience, as identified by the Senior Director, Human Resources, may substitute for the education requirement.

AVID Center is committed to complying with federal, state, and local laws on employee vaccinations, and candidates and employees should be aware that the full vaccination against COVID-19 may be required in the future. Due to some district requirements, AVID Center may not assign employees to an in-person event in schools or districts unless they are fully up to date with all recommended COVID-19 vaccinations. AVID Center is an equal opportunity employer and will provide reasonable accommodation to those unable to be vaccinated where it is not an undue hardship to the company to do so as provided under federal, state, and local law.

AVID Center prides itself on the diversity of our workplace and continuously seeks to recruit individuals who will enhance this diversity and, ultimately, the effectiveness of our organization. To demonstrate this commitment, we encourage all who are truly excited about this role to apply, even if they don’t meet every requirement. We believe that people who are passionate about what they do can succeed in this role or in other roles within our organization.

Opportunity.OpportunityDetail.Qualifications