Conservation Finance Controller: Budgeting & Compliance

Tennessee Wildlife Federation; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Tennessee Wildlife Federation in Nashville seeks a Controller to lead all accounting operations, ensure GAAP compliance, and manage grants and regulatory reporting. You will direct general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, and monthly close while strengthening internal controls.

You will partner with senior leadership and the Finance Committee to provide financial insight, prepare budgets, forecasts, and timely financial statements for strategic decision making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA or equivalent professional certification preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including leadership responsibility within a finance or accounting function.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and strengthen accounting operations, internal controls, and financial processes at an organizational level.
• Extensive knowledge of GAAP, nonprofit accounting, grant financial management, and audit coordination.
• Proven experience overseeing grant and contract financial requirements, including compliance, reporting, and revenue recognition.
• Hands-on experience processing payroll with accuracy, confidentiality, and strict regulatory compliance.
• For a full list of qualifications, skills, and abilities, visit https://tnwf.org/careers/

Responsibilities

• Oversee all accounting operations, including general ledger management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and month‑end and year‑end close processes.
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls that safeguard organizational assets, support compliant financial practices, and promote consistency and reliability in financial operations.
• Manage cash flow, banking relationships, and treasury activities to ensure adequate liquidity, responsible financial stewardship, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Monitor financial performance and operational trends, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support informed decision‑making.
• Lead the development, implementation, and refinement of accounting policies, procedures, and workflows that enhance operational effectiveness and reflect best practices.
• Ensure financial operations and resources effectively support programmatic and organizational needs, balancing day‑to‑day execution with long‑range financial considerations.
• Partner with the senior leadership team to provide operational and financial insight that supports planning, resource allocation, and organizational sustainability.
• Work alongside the Finance Committee Chair to provide clear, timely financial information that supports effective financial oversight and decision‑making.
• Direct the preparation of accurate, timely, and compliant financial statements, management reports, and supporting schedules.
• Ensure financial reporting provides clear, actionable insight that supports organizational planning, operational decision‑making, and resource allocation.
• Lead forecasting and budgeting processes, incorporating historical trends, operational needs, and strategic priorities to produce reliable financial projections.
• Analyze financial performance and key metrics, identifying variances, trends, and emerging issues that require attention or adjustment.
• Translate financial data into meaningful narratives and recommendations that support informed decisions by the senior leadership team.
• Maintain reporting structures, tools, and methodologies that promote consistency, transparency, and effective communication of financial information.
• Conduct scenario planning and financial modeling to evaluate potential operational or strategic decisions and their financial implications.
• Oversee all audit activities and serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors, ensuring thorough preparation, clear communication, and timely completion of audit requirements.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, regulatory standards, contractual obligations, and internal policies across all financial operations.
• Maintain and update accounting policies, procedures, and documentation to reflect best practices, evolving regulations, and organizational needs.
• Monitor compliance‑related risks and implement controls or process improvements that strengthen financial integrity and reduce exposure.
• Oversee the preparation and submission of regulatory, grant‑related, and other required financial filings – including the annual Form 990 - ensuring accuracy, completeness, and adherence to deadlines.
• Provide guidance to senior leadership on compliance considerations, emerging regulatory changes, and their potential operational or financial impacts.
• Oversee the organization’s financial systems to ensure accuracy, reliability, and effective utilization across all accounting and reporting activities.
• Evaluate system performance and identify opportunities to enhance functionality, streamline workflows, and strengthen data integrity.
• Lead system improvements, upgrades, or implementations that support efficient financial operations and long‑range planning needs.
• Maintain a strong control environment within financial systems, ensuring appropriate access, security, and documentation.
• Assess and refine financial processes to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support consistent, high‑quality financial operations.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and cross‑functional teams to ensure financial systems and processes align with organizational priorities and operational requirements.
• Lead development of the annual operating budget, partnering with the senior leadership team to produce accurate, well‑supported financial plans that align with organizational priorities.
• Oversee the organization’s annual $6.5 million operating budget, ensuring financial plans are accurate, well‑supported, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Direct ongoing forecasting activities, providing clear variance analysis and actionable financial insight that strengthens organizational decision making.
• Manage financial planning and forecasting for a large, multi‑fund grant portfolio, ensuring compliance, clarity, and alignment between program needs and funding requirements.
• Partner with program leaders to develop and maintain program‑level budgets that reflect funding requirements, operational needs, and strategic objectives.
• Maintain structured, accessible, and reliable budget information that enables leadership to plan effectively and make informed financial decisions.
• Oversee financial tracking, reporting, and compliance for grants and contracts, ensuring accuracy, alignment with funder requirements, and strong financial stewardship.
• Partner with program leaders to develop grant budgets, monitor spending, and ensure timely, accurate financial reporting that meets funder expectations.
• Ensure proper revenue recognition, expense allocation, and documentation that supports grant audits, funder reviews, and compliance standards.
• Maintain responsible and transparent financial stewardship of restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring resources are managed in accordance with organizational and funder requirements.
• Process the organization’s semi‑monthly payroll with precision, confidentiality, and strict adherence to federal and state regulations.
• Administer payroll changes—including compensation adjustments, benefits updates, and deductions—with accuracy and alignment to established timelines and organizational policies.
• Coordinate with Human Resources to ensure payroll reflects personnel actions, benefits administration, and policy requirements.
• Manage payroll related reporting, year‑end documentation, and compliance obligations, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timely submission.
• Supervise and develop two Staff Accountants, fostering a high‑quality, reliable accounting team that upholds strong accounting practices and supports the organization’s financial operations with consistency and precision.
• Provide leadership that strengthens technical capability, builds confidence in accounting judgment, and supports professional growth within the team.
• Set clear performance expectations and ensure accountability for accuracy, timeliness, and quality across all accounting activities.
• Cultivate a team environment that values collaboration, continuous improvement, and strong execution of core accounting responsibilities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Nonprofit accounting

Audit coordination

Internal controls

Payroll processing

Financial reporting

Budgeting & forecasting

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA certification preferred

Job description

Tennessee Wildlife Federation in Nashville seeks a Controller to lead all accounting operations, ensure GAAP compliance, and manage grants and regulatory reporting. You will direct general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll, and monthly close while strengthening internal controls.

You will partner with senior leadership and the Finance Committee to provide financial insight, prepare budgets, forecasts, and timely financial statements for strategic decision making.