Controller

The Center for Early Education; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

The Center for Early Education in Los Angeles is seeking a qualified individual to manage all accounting functions and ensure effective financial reporting. This role reports to the Director of Finance and requires a Bachelor's degree along with a minimum of seven years of related experience.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong personal integrity and communication skills, as well as proficiency with Blackbaud and Microsoft Office Suite. The position involves supervising the accounts payable process and ensuring compliance with applicable regulations.

Qualifications

• Seven years of experience in a related field required.
• Experience with Blackbaud preferred.
• Experience in a school setting is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage accounting systems and ensure strong internal controls.
• Provide accurate financial reports.
• Coordinate with the Advancement office for proper accounting.
• Supervise accounts payable processes.

Skills

Personal integrity

Friendliness

Flexibility

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Blackbaud

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

SUMMARY

Reporting to the Director of Finance, responsible for all accounting and business office policies and procedures, ensuring strong internal controls and effective transaction processing routines to protect the assets of the school resulting in meaningful, timely and accurate financial reporting.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage accounting systems, including general and sub‑ledgers, and other related accounting functions.
• Provide accurate and timely financial and management reports.
• Coordinate with the Advancement office for the proper accounting of fundraising and the reconciliation between Raiser's Edge and Financial Edge.
• Assign and oversee reconciliation of all accounts to the General Ledger and all Student Billing‑related revenue accounts, maintaining a monthly and quarterly reconciliation schedule.
• Post billing and cash journal entries into GL, and post payroll deductions into Tuition Management, reconciling all related billing and discount accounts.
• Oversee and approve Journal Entries and cash transactions, including monthly cash reconciliation.
• Supervise the AP process and weekly check run functions.
• Upload positive pay files to the bank.
• Develop, document, and maintain adequate accounting and financial procedures, including effective and thorough use of accounting software.
• Serve as in‑house accounting software expert, attending training classes, and maintaining the system, including the chart of accounts.
• Provide support and information to faculty, staff, and parents regarding business and accounting operations.
• Assist Director of Finance in monitoring the annual operating budget; prepare variance reports as requested.
• Provide budget to actual monthly updates to administrators, faculty, and staff.
• Coordinate preparation of schedules and documents for the annual audit; serve as primary contact with auditors.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, tax filings, professional standards, and internal policies.
• Keep abreast of the latest FASB pronouncements and changing accounting standards.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive financial and other data.
• Communicate respectfully, clearly, and honestly in verbal, electronic, and written form with parents, administrators, and colleagues, and maintain a sensitive, cooperative, and flexible demeanor in interactions.
• Positively contribute to the schoolwide community.
• Demonstrate professionalism through reliability, punctuality, and personal appearance and self‑care, and maintain personal integrity and a respectful attitude in all relationships, and positively contribute to the school community.
• Provide for the physical safety of children through anticipation and removal of hazards, visual observation of children active or at rest, and by appropriately responding to injuries.
• Follow all personnel policies and the guidelines of the Emergency Response Plans, and take responsibility for students' safety in an emergency situation or drill.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to the satisfaction of the administration. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree and a minimum of seven years of experience in a related field are required. Experience with Blackbaud and experience in a school setting are preferred.

BEHAVIORAL SKILLS

Demonstrate personal integrity, friendliness, patience, fairness, openness, non‑defensiveness, sensitivity, flexibility, and enthusiasm.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret written documents, professional literature, and other material. Ability to write reports and letters. Ability to verbally present information and respond to children, parents, colleagues, and administrators. Ability to communicate effectively with parents, students, and colleagues.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

High comfort level and proficiency with technology as a tool. Ability to use simple tools and machines, such as copiers and laminators. Ability to use computers to write reports, compose letters and emails, create documents, and communicate with parents.

REASONING AABILITY

Ability to solve practical problems and apply common sense and good judgment in dealing with everyday and emergency situations. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions: regularly required to talk and hear; to stand, walk, sit, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, and climb; to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a teacher encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment varies from quiet to moderate to noisy.