Controller

Island Hospital; Anacortes (WA); On-site; USD 64,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Island Hospital in Anacortes, WA is seeking a Controller to lead the accounting operations, ensuring integrity and timeliness of financial records. This onsite full-time role focuses on GAAP compliance, payroll accuracy, and robust internal controls to support the hospital’s financial sustainability.

You will supervise accounting staff, manage month-end close, financial reporting, and coordination with auditors.

Qualifications

• Experience leading accounting teams and month-end close processes.
• Strong understanding of GAAP and internal controls.
• Ability to prepare and present financial statements to leadership.

Responsibilities

• Supervise accounting staff including AP, payroll, and staff accountants.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close to GAAP-compliant statements.
• Manage payroll accuracy, controls, and reconciliations to the general ledger.
• Oversee accounts payable timeliness, and vendor/payable workflows.
• Coordinate external audits and audit-ready documentation.

Skills

Leadership

GAAP knowledge

Financial reporting

Payroll accuracy

Internal controls

Job description

At Island Health, people are at the center of everything we do. As a part of the Accounting/ Finance team, you’ll play a vital role in supporting our mission to care for those who care for others. You’ll help create a positive and seamless experience for every team member — ensuring they feel valued, supported, and heard.

As our Controller, you will lead the hospital’s accounting operations and ensures the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the organization’s financial records and reporting. This role oversees the general ledger, month-end close, financial statement preparation, internal controls, and key transactional workflows—with heightened accountability for accurate payroll and timely, accurate accounts payable processing. The Controller develops and maintains efficient, standardized processes that reduce error risk, strengthen compliance, and support Island Hospital’s mission, strategic goals, and long-term financial sustainability.

Location: Anacortes, WA / Onsite
Schedule: Full Time / Days
Salary: $46.29/hr. ($96,279 annually) - $69.44/hr. ($ 144,440 annually)

What you will be doing:

• You will supervise all accounting staff, which include Account Payable Coordinator, Payroll Coordinator, Staff Accountant and Senior Accountants, provides functional leadership to finance operations processes.

Financial Reporting, Close, and GAAP Compliance

• Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close to produce timely, accurate, and complete financial statements in accordance with GAAP and applicable state/federal requirements.
• Oversee general accounting activities including general ledger, revenue recording, accounts payable/receivable support, and related reconciliations.
• Ensure consistent application of accounting procedures and effective bookkeeping practices across the department.
• Analyze complex financial data, resolve inconsistencies, and provide clear, actionable reporting to leaders (and Board-facing support as needed).
• Attend monthly Finance Committee meeting and take minutes

Payroll Accuracy, Controls, and Risk Reduction

• Oversee payroll accounting processes to ensure payroll is accurate, fully supported, and properly recorded in the general ledger, with timely reconciliations and issue resolution.
• Ensure all pay rules are in alignment with all employee contracts including collective bargaining agreements.
• Partner with the Office of Talent Management to ensure reliable employee data flow (e.g., hires, terminations, job changes, leave), and to strengthen end-to-end internal controls that reduce payroll error risk.
• Design verification and review controls (pre- and post-payroll), including reconciliations, exception reporting, and documentation standards to reduce manual error and rework.

Accounts Payable Timeliness and Process Reliability

• Oversee AP workflows to ensure invoices are processed accurately and on time, aligned with approval policies, contract terms, and cash management priorities.
• Strengthen invoice routing/approval, matching/validation, vendor file controls, and exception handling to reduce delays and payment errors.
• Implement efficiency improvements and clear SOPs that reduce cycle time, prevent duplicate/incorrect payments, and improve throughput—especially during staffing transitions.

Internal Controls, Audit Readiness, and Documentation

• Maintain and continuously improve the internal control structure through documentation, education, monitoring, and enhancements.
• Evaluate and document accounting policies and emerging reporting issues; prepare written support (“white papers”) and audit-ready documentation for key judgments and controls.
• Coordinate external audits and required reporting support, including tax-related items as applicable to the organization.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, hospital policies, and payer/government reporting requirements as applicable.
• Maintain and improve internal controls over financial reporting, cash handling, payroll accounting, and disbursements.

Regulatory and Reimbursement Support (as assigned)

• Provide accounting support and coordination for Medicare/Medicaid cost report preparation and related audit requests, ensuring accurate inputs, reconciliations, and support schedules.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Capital Planning Support

• Support development of forecasting models, the annual budget process, and multi-year capital planning through accurate actuals, sound assumptions, and well-documented analyses.

Treasury and Investment Accounting Support

• Provide accounting and reporting support for treasury-related activities and investment reporting, including performance analysis against benchmarks where applicable.

Performance Management and Continuous Improvement

• Establish and monitor performance dashboards for finance operations (e.g., close timeliness, reconciliation completion, AP cycle time, payroll corrections/error rates) and lead continuous improvement efforts.
• Promote a proactive, collaborative team culture emphasizing respect, quality, customer service, innovation, and teamwork.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise and develop accounting staff; set clear expectations, provide coaching, and ensure appropriate workload management.
• Work collaboratively with leaders across the hospital to support accurate coding of expenses, timely information flow, and resolution of accounting issues.

What you will bring to the role:

• Strong quantitative, project management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Strong writing and documentation skills, including ability to support accounting interpretations and internal control/audit requirements.
• Ability to research, analyze, interpret complex data, and formulate recommendations; ability to identify and resolve inconsistencies.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly across varying levels of expertise and prepare high-impact presentations for leadership/stakeholders as needed.
• Systems-thinking and comfort operating in ambiguity; collaborative relationship-building across departments and external partners.
• Ability to interpret contract/legal documentation and apply it to financial processes (especially AP and payroll controls).