Controller for National Immigrant Justice Center

Controller -may be a full- or part-time position

Program Description:

The National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC) provides direct legal services to, and advocates for, immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers through policy reform, impact litigation, and public education. Since its founding more than three decades ago, NIJC has been unique in blending individual client advocacy with broad-based systemic change. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Washington, DC, Indiana, and San Diego, NIJC's team of 100+ attorneys, paralegals, and professionals, along with 2,000 pro bono attorneys, is at the forefront of immigration reform.

Responsibilities:

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Controller will be responsible for working with the Operations team on finance, accounting and reporting activities. As a member of the senior team, the Controller will work in close collaboration with the Executive Director and with the senior team. The Controller will be involved in supporting presentations to the board's finance and audit committee. This may be a full- or part-time position.

The Controller will work with NIJC's Operations team in ensuring compliance and work with the team on day-to-day finance operations of a $16M budget. The person will work with NIJC's outside vendor, Plante Moran and NIJC's Director of Analytics and Decision Support to ensure proper allocations, prepare budgets and reports. The Controller will ensure proper allocations of accounts payable and collection of accounts receivable. The Controller will assist in creating the systems and procedures to support effective program implementation, assure compliance with federal, state and city contracts and prepare our team for annual audits. The Controller will work closely with program leaders, development and their teams, to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures and explore how the finance function can support program development utilizing both data and strategy to in decision-making.

In addition, the controller will partner with the COO, senior leadership, and the human resources (HR) and information technology (IT) partners to enhance and better integrate finance, HR, development and IT functions.

Finance and Accounting Leadership

• Maintain a documented system of accounting policies and procedures; implements a system of controls over accounting transactions to minimize risk.
• Recommend benchmarks that will be used to measure the company's performance.
• Produce the annual budget and forecasts; reports significant budget differences to management.
• Work with Plante Moran to oversee and advise all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements and coordinate all audit activity.
• Maintain internal controls and safeguards for revenue recognition, cost allocation, and review of program budget vs. actual expenditures.
• Ensure timely vouchers for all of NIJC's grants and contracts
• Oversee the preparation of budgets and analyze the impact of changes in funding streams
• Analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements; monitor progress and changes and keep senior leadership abreast of NIJC's financial status.

• Manage labor allocations and cost centers across NIJC's to ensure alignment with grant/contract budgets and proper spenddown, including managing and advising on revisions depending on contract utilization and program needs

• Prepare with NIJC's leadership the annual budgeting and planning process; administer and review all financial plans and compare to actual results with a view to identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Support the COO in engaging the board's audit and finance committees around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.
• Oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period; collate financial reporting materials for government, corporate, and foundation grants.
• Manage organizational cash flow and cash forecasting
• Manage and track the performance of invested assets in keeping with policies and investment guidelines
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

Team Leadership

• Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
• Work with team of lawyers and professionals who are mission focused.
• Commitment to NIJC's mission and building a diverse and equitable team.

Qualifications

This is an extraordinary opportunity for a mature leader with seven years of more of accounting and finance experience, ideally beginning in accounting and audit, followed by experience gathering, evaluating, presenting and reporting financial information to executive teams and external stakeholders. They will ideally have experience in a complex nonprofit that has multiple programs.

Specific requirements include:

• Minimum of a BA; CPA and/or MBA and 7+ years of experience in nonprofit accounting preferred
• A track record in grants management as it relates to compliance and reporting of government, corporate and foundation grants is essential
• Leverage strengths of the current finance team members, help to clarify roles and responsibilities and develop and implement training programs to maximize and reach optimal individual and organizational goals.
• Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to NIJC's mission; a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who will own, in partnership with the COO, the responsibility for the organizations finances and investments
• Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software
• Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse team; the foresight and ability to delegate accordingly
• Keen analytic, organization and problem-solving skills which allows for strategic data interpretation versus simple reporting
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, board or other outside partners
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and non-finance managers

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee :

• Must be able to effectively communicate complex matters both verbally and in writing.
• Must be able to proficiently operate computers, tablets, telephones and other business information systems.
• Must be able to frequently reach with hands and arms and lift 15 pounds occasionally.
• Must be able to frequently sit, stand and walk.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
• This position is hybrid or remote.

NIJC makes all hiring and employment decisions, and operates all programs, services, and functions without regard to race, receipt of an order of protection, creed, color, age, gender, gender identity, marital or parental status, religion, ancestry, national origin, amnesty, physical or mental disability, protected veterans status, genetic information, sexual orientation, immigrant status, political affiliation or belief, use of FMLA, VESSA, military, and family military rights, ex-offender status (depending on the offense and position to be filled), unfavorable military discharge, membership in an organization whose primary purpose is the protection of civil rights or improvement of living conditions and human relations, height, weight, or HIV infection, in accord with the organization's AIDS Policy Statement of September 1987.