Controller

Shields Health; Quincy (MA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Shields Health in Quincy, MA is seeking a Controller to lead corporate accounting and payroll across Shields Health and its affiliates, ensuring GAAP-compliant financial reporting and strong internal controls. Reporting to the Director of Accounting, the role manages monthly close, external audits, tax workpapers, treasury, and cross‑functional collaboration with senior leadership.

This hybrid position requires a CPA and 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, including multi-entity

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field is required.
• CPA certification is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Oversee corporate accounting and payroll functions across Shields Health and its affiliate entities.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting.
• Maintain strong internal controls and compliance with GAAP and company policies.
• Serve as a key financial partner to senior leadership and cross‑functional teams.

Skills

People leadership

GAAP knowledge

Excel proficiency

Financial reporting

Cross-functional partnering

Process improvement

Multi-entity accounting

Strategic communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPA certification

Tools

Accounting software

Payroll systems

Job description

Founded in 1972 by Tom and Mary Shields, our family‑owned company began with a single nursing home and a promise: treat every patient the way you would want your mother to be treated. That guiding principle has driven more than five decades of progress, from opening Massachusetts’s first freestanding MRI center to bringing the world’s first AI‑enabled MRI into routine care. Along the way, we’ve achieved countless “firsts” in imaging, PET/CT, and surgical services—always putting patients at the heart of every advancement. Today, with more than 50 locations across New England, Shields honors its founders’ vision by pairing compassionate, patient‑first care with state‑of‑the‑art technology to make world‑class healthcare more accessible to all.

The Controller is responsible for leading corporate accounting and payroll operations across Shields Health and its affiliate entities. Reporting to the Director of Accounting, this role oversees accounting, treasury, audit, tax, financing, payroll, risk management, and financial reporting. The Controller ensures accurate, timely, and GAAP‑compliant financial information to support operational excellence and strategic decision-making. This position is based out of our corporate office in Quincy, MA, on a hybrid schedule.

Core Responsibilities

• Oversee corporate accounting and payroll functions across multiple entities.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial reporting.
• Maintain strong internal controls and compliance with GAAP and company policies.
• Serve as a key financial partner to senior leadership and cross‑functional teams.

Finance Operations

• Manage the monthly close process and preparation of consolidated GAAP financial statements for healthcare, real estate, and equity holding entities.
• Prepare and review operating company P&Ls, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.
• Analyze and explain monthly financial variances versus budget and prior year.
• Record and review all month‑end journal entries, including revenue recognition, allocations, accruals, fixed assets, intercompany activity, and third‑party invoices.
• Prepare monthly external reporting and year‑end audit and tax workpapers.
• Manage treasury functions, including cash management, financing, leasing, and lender relationships.
• Review contracts and ensure appropriate accounting treatment, including debt covenant calculations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors and tax advisors.
• Plan and manage annual financial audits, tax audits, and regulatory reviews.

Critical Thinking and Communication

• Provide clear, actionable financial insights to senior leadership to support informed decision‑making.
• Translate complex financial information into understandable and relevant guidance for non‑finance stakeholders.
• Apply strong analytical and problem‑solving skills to address complex accounting and operational issues.
• Communicate effectively in both written and verbal formats across all levels of the organization.

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field required.
• CPA certification is strongly preferred.

Experience

• Seven or more years of progressive accounting experience, including people leadership.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP and financial reporting in a multi‑entity environment.
• Healthcare industry experience is strongly preferred.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and experience with accounting and payroll systems.
• Demonstrated experience driving process improvement and operational efficiencies.
• Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop high‑performing accounting and payroll teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.
• Collaborative leadership style with a focus on partnership and accountability.
• Adaptable, proactive, and effective in a fast‑paced, evolving environment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods and work at a computer.

Pay range for this position is $130,000-$150,000 + bonus + benefits. Individual pay is based on skills, experience, and other relevant factors.

It is not intended that this Job Description include all details of the work functions of this position. The incumbent will perform work of lower or equivalent classification as required or directed, and work of higher classification for training and development purposes or as situationally warranted.