Controller

Spirit League; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Retirement plan

Job summary

Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California seeks a Controller to oversee accounting, financial information systems, and designated investment functions for the Museum and its foundations. This full-time role reports to the CFO and demands strong leadership and process improvement capabilities.

The position requires extensive experience in accounting, GAAP knowledge, and proficiency with Sage Intacct and FileMaker-Pro.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance required.
• Minimum eight years accounting or finance experience with staff supervision.
• Public accounting background preferred; CPA or MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist the CFO in all accounting, financial information systems, and designated investment functions.
• Liaison with staff, vendors, and financial institutions on accounting matters.
• Develops and maintains chart of accounts
• Drafts annual budgets; prepares monthly reports comparing budgets to actuals; explains variances
• Oversees and upgrades financial systems and related IT interfaces
• Oversees annual audits and interacts with auditors
• Supervises accounting staff and ensures accurate monthly financial statements

Skills

Excel

Financial reporting

Supervision

Internal controls

Budgeting

Sage Intacct

FileMaker-Pro

Public accounting

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance

CPA or MBA preferred

Tools

Sage Intacct

FileMaker-Pro

Job description

Norton Simon Museum

Accounting

Controller

The Norton Simon Museum is known around the world as one of the most remarkable private art collections ever assembled. Over a thirty-year period, industrialist Norton Simon (1907-1993) amassed an exquisite collection of European art from the Renaissance to the 20th century and South and Southeast Asian art spanning 2,000 years. Approximately 1,000 works from the permanent collection of 12,000 objects are on view in the Norton Simon Museum's galleries and sculpture garden throughout the year.

The Museum is in beautiful Pasadena, California, just steps from the bustling Old Pasadena district known for its shops and restaurants, and adjacent to the vibrant neighborhoods of northeast Los Angeles, Glendale and South Pasadena. Easily accessible by public transportation, the Museum also offers its employees free parking, as well as free admission to the Museum anytime, and discounts in the store and café. Full-time employees can expect excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance and a generous retirement savings program.

Summary

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, this full-time exempt position helps oversee all accounting, financial information systems, and designated investment functions for the Norton Simon entities (the Museum and two foundations).

Qualifications

Position requires excellent judgment, should be organized with extreme attention to detail, ability to maintain a high degree of discretion, strong supervisory skills, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and financial information systems expertise. Proficiency in Excel is a must, financial information systems upgrades/implementation project management experience required, and familiarity with Sage Intacct and File-Maker-Pro is a plus. Minimum of eight years experience in accounting or finance and staff supervision, with a public accounting background preferred; Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance is required; CPA or MBA preferred; nonprofit, museum, and private foundation experience is a plus.

Job Responsibilities

• Assists the Chief Financial Officer in all accounting, financial information systems, and designated investment functions
• Helps develop and ensure compliance with accounting procedures and internal controls
• Liaison with staff, vendors, and financial institutions in most accounting/financial matters
• Develops and maintains chart of accounts
• Drafts annual budgets; prepares monthly reports comparing approved budgets to actual results; explains significant variances
• Assesses existing finance technology and develops multiyear systems roadmaps.
• Leads user training and change management, translating technical system changes into efficient workflows for accounting and non-accounting employees.
• Develops standardized procedures and documentation to maintain and improve efficiency, data quality, reporting consistency and institutional knowledge.
• Oversees and upgrades/integrates the File-Maker-Pro Purchase Order / Contracts / Check Request and Sage Financial Management systems, and interacts with IT professionals to implement system changes and maintain accuracy of financial and budget information for all staff
• Administers accounting department budgets
• Oversees annual audits (including correspondence, workpapers, and report drafts)
• Liaison with investment management firms and investment custodian (account setup, transaction processing, and reporting); helps implement approved investment actions (e.g., investment trades and cash transfers); assists with asset allocation oversight (upon request by the CFO)
• Supervises three accounting staff members. Oversees monthly financial statement preparation, accounts receivable, and accounts payable
• Processes online banking transactions, including review of wire and ACH transfer
• Assists in preparing workpapers for tax filings (990, 990-PF's, 571-L's, etc.)
• Oversees merchant accounts
• Executes special projects upon request

Physical Requirements

This position requires some moderate lifting, stretching, reaching, and bending.

Schedule

This is a full-time, exempt position scheduled to work on-site from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.

Compensation

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, and includes excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision and life insurance and a generous retirement savings program.

Interview process is conducted in person.

No phone calls. Due to volume of resumes received, we will not be able to acknowledge receipt of resumes.

Employment is contingent upon proof of legal status to work in the United States.