Finance Controller

Abolitionist Law Center & Straight Ahead; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) and Straight Ahead (SA) seek a detail-oriented Finance Controller to run both organizations' finance functions. This hybrid Philadelphia-based role oversees accounts payable/receivable, payroll, audits, and budgeting in coordination with a finance firm.

You will support fundraising, grant reporting, and compliance across the 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entities, ensuring accurate financial statements and timely reporting to ED and Board.

Qualifications

• 3-4 years nonprofit finance experience in organizations with multiple tax statuses (501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4).
• Experience with audits and tax filings for nonprofits preferred.
• Experience managing budgets and financial reporting across programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations including AP/AR, payroll, and benefits administration.
• Coordinate budgets for ALC and Straight Ahead (SA) with ED and leadership team.
• Collaborate with external finance firm to present statements with analysis to ED and Board.

Skills

Nonprofit finance

Budgeting

Audits

Grants tracking

Payroll administration

Compliance

Financial reporting

Vendor liaison

Leadership/management

Expense management

Tools

Sheets/Excel

Financial systems

Job description

Position Overview

Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) and its 501(c)(4) Straight Ahead (SA) are seeking a detail-oriented, passionate, and experienced Finance Controller to run the finance functions of our organization.

Organization Overview

The Abolitionist Law Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, movement law firm and community organizing project inspired by the struggle of political and politicized prisoners, that focuses on the human rights of people who are impacted by various forms of state violence. Straight Ahead is our 501(c)(4) legislative and electoral arm. SA lobbies for abolition-centered legislation and injects decarceral narratives and policies into the political and electoral arenas.

We are led by people who’ve been directly impacted by the criminal punishment system and other forms of state violence, including currently and formerly incarcerated people and their loved ones.

ALC and SA wield class action and impact litigation on behalf of people whose human rights have been violated by jails, prisons, policing, and other carceral institutions. We engage in grassroots advocacy, base building, electoral advocacy, research and public education, pressure campaigns, media outreach, and other strategic communications, and we challenge U.S.-based corporate and governmental entities that perpetrate and support carceral violence and wars abroad.

We use these tools in coalition with an extended movement ecosystem to build power; dismantle the racist, classist mass incarceration system; redistribute resources from carceral institutions to people they harm; and protect the human rights and wellbeing of people who encounter state violence including policing, the courts, jails and prisons, and other forms of U.S.-sponsored detention and supervision domestically and overseas.

Position Summary

The Finance Controller oversees all finance and compliance functions of both organizations in coordination with ALC’s finance firm. This position will play a key role in running successful programming on our 501(c)(4). This is a hybrid position based in Philadelphia, PA, which will work 4 days in the office and one day remote.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations, including accounts payable and receivable, reporting to bookkeeper, running payroll, and benefits administration;
• Work with the ED and Executive Leadership Teamto build and manage ALC and SAO’s budgets;
• Work with ALC’s finance firm to present financial statements with analysis and recommendations to ED and Board;
• Oversee cash flow and advise on if/when transactions between operating and reserve accounts should occur;
• Prepare monthly payroll allocations and cost share reports;
• Oversee financial, project/program, and grants accounting;
• In coordination with ALC’s financial firm, oversee annual audits and tax filings;
• Support organizations’ fundraising by providing financial content including budget and other financial documents and narratives, financial projections, tracked grant spending, etc. as needed for fundraising efforts including grant applications and reports;
• Collaborate with the Development Director to assess and maximize projected and actual income from individuals and grant making institutions;
• Supervise the receipt, recording, depositing, and conveying to Development of income received by check via surface mail;
• Collaborate with Development to reconcile all grant and donation income on a monthly basis;
• Work with ALC’s financial firm to prepare and file all required lobbying and campaign finance reports and other electoral and lobbying-related compliance materials;
• Act as the main point of contact with ALC’s finance firm.

Experience and Qualifications

• 3-4 years of finance experience at a nonprofit organization which has both a 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4);
• Finance and compliance experience including at organizations with registered lobbyists and/or which do electoral work;
• Experience participating in at least one independent financial audit for an organization with both a c3 and c4 preferred;
• Experience working with leadership to create and manage departmental or organizational budgets;
• Experience at an organization which offers direct services like legal or healthcare services preferred;
• Experience working with formerly incarcerated folks;
• Experience with budget tracking in Sheets or Excel;
• Experience with an expense tracking system;
• Experience with a grant tracking system and experience at an organization with many different funding sources (including grants, major and grassroots donors, and/or fees for service);
• Experience coordinating and/or being a point of contact with an external vendor preferred.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Equity and inclusion commitment and skills:Motivated by ALC/SAO’s mission and racial and economic justice. Ability to connect with our staff, partners, and community members across lines of difference, and be relentlessly positive in order to provide them with the support they need. Centers those most impacted by these issues; actively works to maximize equity in decisions, policies, and processes.
• People centered culture builder:Demonstrated track record of developing and implementing people centered systems and practices at the organizational level. Deep experience in at least one or more of the following functional areas: equity, inclusion, and belonging; organizational risk management; organizational change management; organizational and individual performance management; recruiting and hiring; training and coaching.
• Operations & systems expertise:Demonstrated track record of designing, implementing, and maintaining strong team or organization-wide systems to maximize efficiency, transparency, equity, and usability. Experience with budget and expense management. General understanding of nonprofit compliance regulations, with an interest in gaining experience in this area.
• Effective people & project management:Practices equitable, sustainable, and results driven management. Coordinates and collaborates effectively across a complex and multifaceted state organization. Ability to lead a team in developing goals and plans, adhering to deadlines, and prioritizing tasks.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented problem-solver:Manages a high volume of work with efficiency. Holds the big picture while managing the details; juggles competing priorities and makes smart judgements on where to invest resources. Strong discernment to identify practical solutions to complex problems and challenges.