Controller

Center for International Environmental Law; Remote; USD 101,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading nonprofit organization is seeking a Controller to manage their finance department, ensuring compliance with GAAP standards and optimizing financial systems. This remote role requires over 5 years of nonprofit finance experience. The ideal candidate will oversee accounts payable, payroll, and audit preparations, while supervising staff and enhancing processes. This is a full-time exempt position with a salary range of $101,000 - $130,000, plus benefits. Strongly preferred location is the Washington, DC area.

Benefits

Employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision

403(b) retirement account contribution

Paid vacation and parental leave

Professional development funding

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in nonprofit finance with a successful track record.
• Experience with GAAP and US nonprofit regulations.
• Ability to manage operations in a multisite nonprofit environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage all accounts and ensure GAAP compliance.
• Oversee monthly and annual close processes.
• Maintain internal control safeguards for revenue and expenditures.
• Supervise day-to-day finance operations, including AP and AR.

Skills

Senior financial management experience

Nonprofit finance expertise

Analytical problem solving

Effective communication

Management experience

Sage Intacct or ERP familiarity

Education

5+ years in financial management

Job description

POSITION TITLE : Controller

PROGRAM : Finance

SUPERVISOR : Chief Financial Officer

LOCATION : Remote USA (some US states excluded); strong preference for Washington, DC area

SALARY RANGE : $101,000 - $130,000 depending on experience

DEADLINE: The priority application deadline is March 1, 2026. After that, the position will be kept open until a strong candidate pool is identified.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION: The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) uses the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. We currently employ a staff of nearly 70 in 8 countries with an organizational budget of ~$10M, mostly from private foundations. This role supports financial operations in two separate legal entities using three core currencies. The Finance department consists of the CFO, controller, and three accountants.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller will manage all day-to-day operations of the finance department, including accounts payable and receivable, monthly reconciliations, general ledger, payroll, relationship management with banks and other vendors, and audit preparation. They will assist with budget development, reporting, and analysis, and collaborate with a variety of internal constituents, including the CEO, CFO, COO, and other CIEL Management.

The Controller will be charged with identifying new opportunities to improve efficiencies, eliminate backlogs, and respond proactively to other departments' needs. They will need to analyze the existing processes and systems and work closely with the CFO and other finance and administrative/operations staff to streamline current systems, leverage new information technology, and establish standard operating procedures that provide maximum benefit to all parties involved. T this position will supervise two accountants.

This is an outstanding opportunity for a proactive, hands-on finance manager who brings a successful track record of creative problem‑solving and strengthening infrastructure to work in a mission‑driven organization.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Financial Management (70%)

• Manage all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.
• Manage monthly and annual close, including reconciliation oversight.
• Maintain internal control safeguards for the receipt of revenue and disbursement of expenditures, including accurate evaluation of conditional and non-conditional funds.
• Oversee accounting operations including AP, AR, payroll, cash receipts across two nonprofit entities.
• Implement consistent accounting policies, practices, and procedures across all programs.
• Coordinate all audit activities (organization, project, and benefits).
• Contribute to budgeting and the implementation of budgets, with a focus on monitoring progress, adding to the accounting system, and sharing financial metrics.
• Manage cash flow and liquidity forecasting.
• Account for and track the performance of CIEL investments in keeping with the policies and investment guidelines established by the finance committee.
• Act as financial thought partner to CFO and executive leadership.

Team Management (25%)

• Provide day-to-day supervision, management, and ongoing feedback for assigned staff and consultants.
• Assist CFO and other Admin/Ops staff as needed to provide work planning and implementation support to the Finance, Admin, and Ops program.
• Ensure regular and proactive communication with the CFO and assist in information flow within the Finance, Admin, and Ops program, with CIEL Leadership and with other CIEL departments.
• Contribute to the CIEL Management team as expected with other Managers.

Administration: (5%)

• Support fundraising efforts, such as proposals and reports, as relevant.
• Maintain own timesheets and submit them on time.
• Meet regularly and as requested with supervisor and other team members.
• Participate in weekly staff and team meetings and other organizational activities, including a regular staff performance evaluation.
• Meet target dates, prioritize tasks, and ensure high-quality work products.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

• Prior nonprofit finance experience with a successful track record in a senior financial management role for 5+ years
• Experience working with US nonprofit finances and regulations (GAAP)
• Ability to anticipate the infrastructure and systems needs in a complex, national, multisite nonprofit
• Demonstrated experience supervising or providing management to others
• Recognized success in developing and monitoring systems to manage both internal operations and programmatic work that involve high levels of collaboration, particularly with program directors and other senior leadership
• Keen analytic, organization, and problem solving skills that support and enable sound decision making in a complex organization; demonstrated resourcefulness in setting priorities and guiding investment in people and systems
• Direct and concise communication skills; an active listener; ability to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and non-finance managers
• Technology savvy with the ability to manage data for financial reporting quickly and effectively
• Commitment to incorporating principles of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the work.
• Ability to successfully work on multiple priorities concurrently, including having strong planning and organizational skills, and ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work both independently and in close coordination with a team.
• Able to travel internationally, and for periods of 1-2 weeks (public safety guidelines permitting).
• Familiarity with Sage Intacct or major ERP system

Desired Qualifications

• Experience managing finances across multiple currencies and across jurisdictions in an international nonprofit setting
• Professional proficiency in French, in addition to English

A successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies

• Action-Oriented : Makes things happen. Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of curiosity, proactivity, and constructiveness.
• Nimble Learning : Approaches unfamiliar tasks proactively and with an open mind. Can quickly adapt to new situations and to draw on past successes and failures to solve current problems.
• Effective Communication : Understands the value of effective communication. Can deliver messages in a clear, compelling, and concise manner. Actively listens, checks for understanding, and adjusts content and style to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
• Collaborates : Brings people together to leverage their skills, talents, and knowledge to achieve a common purpose. Creates synergy resulting in a combined effort with greater results than what can be achieved by individuals.
• Resourcefulness : Is able to make the best of limited resources and find a way to get things done even when the odds are against them. Can look beyond the obvious for viable approaches to accomplish the goal.

Location note

This position may be eligible to work from our Washington, DC office (strongly preferred) or remotely elsewhere in the United States (some jurisdictions excluded) provided you have the ability to legally work in the US.

Working Hours

CIEL works with employees and partners all over the world; however, our main offices are located in US Eastern Time (Washington DC) and Central European Time (Geneva). Thus, all employees must have some core overlap hours for live meetings, which are generally 9am - 12pm ET / 3pm - 6pm CET. In terms of working hours, CIEL tries to support staff with life/work balance and working a 40-hour work week. However, there will be occasions when working more is required; in such cases, CIEL may provide compensatory time to use at a later date.

Full-Time Exempt Position

This is a full-time, exempt position. If you are selected for this position and elect to work remotely, you are expected to provide your own space from which to work. CIEL will contribute a one-time stipend of USD $750 for fully remote workers, with an additional USD $250 per year for the purposes of maintaining your remote work space.

Benefits

CIEL offers a strong benefits package including employer-subsidized health, dental, and vision; paid vacation, sick, and parental leave; a 5% contribution of gross annual salary into a 403(b) retirement account; a relocation stipend; dedicated professional development funding; and paid sabbatical leave after 7 years. CIEL is a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US, and full-time employees qualify for the US Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Application instructions

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis; the first application review will take place on March 2, 2026. The position will be closed once a strong pool is identified after that. Desired start date: As soon as able. Please submit a cover letter, resume, and any other required materials or responses. Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please. Note that CIEL does not sponsor visas of any kind. You must have prior authorization to work in the United States in order to be considered for this position.

The following questions will be required as part of your application

• Describe how you have organized across multiple demands and effectively prioritized for yourself and others. Provide an example of this from your work and how you approached it.
• Provide an example of when you implemented an unpopular accounting policy or procedure with the staff you supervise.
• Please share a month‑end close planning template that you have created or heavily used (you may redact information to preserve confidentiality).

Anonymous Demographic Survey

Please complete this anonymous demographic survey as part of your application to CIEL. The survey will only be used to help us evaluate our efforts to recruit a diverse pool of candidates. Your answers will not in any way be linked to your application, and the answers to the survey will not be handled by anyone on the hiring committee for the role.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement

In accordance with CIEL’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, CIEL requires US candidates to be fully vaccinated/boosted against COVID-19 within the past 36 months in order to be hired for this position. If you are not eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or vaccination is contraindicated by a licensed medical professional, you must provide documentation verifying this ineligibility or contraindication.

About CIEL

For 30 years, CIEL has used the power of law to protect the environment, promote human rights, and ensure a just and sustainable society. CIEL’s dynamic team of international attorneys and experts work together in a collaborative and supportive work environment to tackle some of the most interesting and challenging issues facing people and the planet.

CIEL’s commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion

CIEL is actively committed to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, and building an organization that is as diverse as the communities we serve around the world. We know that diversity and inclusion make us stronger, and we actively encourage qualified applicants with various backgrounds, identities, perspectives, and (dis)abilities to apply. If you need an accommodation or assistance with this application, please contact Human Resources at jobs[at]ciel.org.