Controller

Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 103,000; Full time

Job summary

Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee is seeking an Interim Comptroller to provide hands-on accounting leadership during financial stabilization and audit preparation. You will own the general ledger, drive month-end close discipline, and coordinate with auditors to ensure complete, accurate financial records.

This leadership role requires an experienced professional who can rapidly assess and fix incomplete records, deliver reliable reporting, and establish robust processes for ongoing

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
• 3+ years in senior accounting leadership roles.
• Hands-on experience leading a major financial cleanup and audit readiness.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, government accounting, and GASB standards.
• Experience with federal grants, Single Audit, and 2 CFR Part 200.
• Advanced Excel and financial data analysis skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial stabilization and cleanup of the general ledger and material balance sheet accounts.
• Perform and review complex reconciliations and prepare supported correcting entries.
• Investigate aged, unsupported, unusual, or out-of-balance items and determine appropriate resolution.
• Lead audit preparation and coordinate accounting requests from external auditors.
• Prepare and review audit schedules, workpapers, account analyses, and financial statement support.
• Establish and maintain disciplined monthly and year-end close processes.
• Produce reliable financial reports, budget-to-actual results, and variance analyses.
• Identify accounting, reporting, and internal-control weaknesses and implement practical improvements.
• Support accounting for federal grants, restricted funds, and intercompany/interfund activity.
• Direct and review accounting staff while strengthening reconciliation, documentation, and close procedures.

Skills

Senior accounting leadership

Audit readiness

GAAP & GASB

Grants & 2 CFR 200

Advanced Excel

Independent work

8+ years experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance/BA or related field

Tools

Excel advanced

Job description

Schedule Full-Time

Work Arrangement Onsite

Start Immediate

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Interim Comptroller to provide hands-on accounting leadership for a public-sector organization in Milwaukee during a period of financial stabilization and audit preparation.

Reporting directly to the CFO, this individual will take ownership of the general ledger, address outstanding reconciliations and accounting issues, strengthen month-end close processes, and organize financial records and supporting documentation for audit readiness.

This is a hands-on role for an experienced accounting leader who can quickly assess incomplete or inconsistent financial records, resolve issues, and establish reliable processes for the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead financial stabilization and cleanup of the general ledger and material balance sheet accounts.
• Perform and review complex reconciliations and prepare supported correcting entries.
• Investigate aged, unsupported, unusual, or out-of-balance items and determine appropriate resolution.
• Lead audit preparation and coordinate accounting requests from external auditors.
• Prepare and review audit schedules, workpapers, account analyses, and financial statement support.
• Establish and maintain disciplined monthly and year-end close processes.
• Produce reliable financial reports, budget-to-actual results, and variance analyses.
• Identify accounting, reporting, and internal-control weaknesses and implement practical improvements.
• Support accounting for federal grants, restricted funds, and intercompany/interfund activity.
• Direct and review accounting staff while strengthening reconciliation, documentation, and close procedures.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and substantial experience.
• 8+ years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
• 3+ years as a Controller, Comptroller, Assistant Controller, Audit Manager, or comparable senior accounting leader.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience leading a significant financial cleanup, audit recovery, delayed-close remediation, balance sheet reconciliation initiative, or similar stabilization effort.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, governmental accounting, and GASB standards.
• Experience preparing for financial statement and compliance audits and responding to auditor requests.
• Experience with federal grants or restricted funding and knowledge of Single Audit requirements and 2 CFR Part 200.
• Advanced Excel/spreadsheet and financial data-analysis skills.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced, high-accountability environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, CGFM, or comparable advanced accounting credential.
• Public housing authority, HUD-funded housing, local government, or federally funded agency experience.
• Knowledge of HUD financial reporting requirements, including FDS and FASS-PH.
• Experience with multi-entity or intercompany accounting, affordable housing, or real estate development.
• Background in public accounting, governmental audit, forensic accounting, turnaround engagements, or interim controller assignments.

Candidates must have personally led and performed a substantial balance-sheet cleanup and audit-readiness effort. Experience limited to high-level review, consulting recommendations, or staff oversight without direct accounting execution will not meet the requirements of this assignment.

Compensation will be between $65-75/hr, commensurate with experience.