Strategic Nonprofit Controller & Financial Leader

Associated Students, Inc., California State University Fullerton; Fullerton (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Clear Destination Inc. is seeking a Controller to lead the Finance and Accounting function for ASI and related entities such as the Children’s Center, Student Recreation Center, and Conference Center.

The role oversees all accounting operations, internal controls, and compliance, with responsibility for consolidated financial statements and annual audits. The ideal candidate has extensive nonprofit accounting experience, GAAP expertise, and strong leadership skills to manage cross-entity

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
• 7–10 years of experience as a Controller or senior accounting leader in a mid-sized nonprofit with ~$50M operations.
• CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred.
• Experience in higher education, CSU auxiliaries, or student-fee-funded organizations.
• Experience supervising accounting teams in a complex, multi-unit environment.

Responsibilities

• Direct all accounting operations including general ledger, AP/AR, payroll, cash management, investments and fixed assets across ASI and entities.
• Oversee accounting and reporting for multiple centers and student clubs; manage full cycle accounting functions.
• Coordinate monthly close and produce consolidated financial statements with intercompany eliminations.
• Lead annual audit preparation and coordinate with external and campus auditors.
• Maintain robust internal controls and ensure compliance with CSU policies and regulations.

Skills

GAAP knowledge

Nonprofit accounting

Audit coordination

Leadership

Financial reporting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

CPA, CMA, or MBA preferred

Tools

Sage Intacct

Dayforce

Excel

Job description

Job Title: Controller

Department: Finance and Accounting

Direct Supervisor: Chief Financial Officer

Supervisory Position: Yes FLSA Classification: Exempt

Position Summary The Controller serves as the chief accounting officer for Associated Students, Inc., overseeing all financial operations, internal controls, compliance, and fiscal stewardship for a complex nonprofit auxiliary organization. This role manages accounting and financial reporting for ASI and its operating entities—including the Children’s Center, Student Recreation Center, and Conference Center—and ensures accurate consolidated financial statements which also include other ancillary operations and Student Clubs. The Controller also maintains and updates ASI’s Business Procedures to ensure operational consistency, compliance, and alignment with CSU and campus auxiliary requirements. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Financial Management & Reporting Direct all accounting operations including general ledger, AP/AR, payroll, cash management, investments and fixed assets across ASI and its operating entities. Oversee accounting and reporting for the Children’s Center, Student Recreation Center, and Conference Center, and many other financial operations including Student Government and all organizational activities. Manage full cycle accounting functions for the student clubs on campus as fiduciary. Oversee all capital expenditures ensuring proper classification. Responsible for organizing, managing and reporting for the Wellness Initiative, a 250M project in the planning stage. Coordinate with the Accounting Manager in performing the monthly close process, ensuring timely reconciliations, journal entries, and financial statement preparation. Review and approve the Accounting Manager’s work related to campus financialcoordination, including fee revenue reconciliations, transfers, campus billing, and financial compliance matters. Supervise the relationship and deliverables with the campus, ensuring ASI meets all reporting deadlines, financial obligations, and compliance requirements. Prepare monthly, quarterly and annual consolidated financial statements, including eliminations and intercompany reconciliations. Lead annual audit preparation and coordinate with external auditors and campus auditors. Ensure timely completion of tax filings, regulatory reporting, and compliance documentation. Monitor financial performance, prepare project based financials and review with stakeholders to analyze variances, and provide strategic operational insights working with the Chief Financial Officer. Budgeting, Forecasting & Stakeholder Communication Budget Leadership & Strategy: Lead the end-to-end annual budgeting process, establishing timelines, guidelines, and modeling tools for all operational and program budgets. Partner with department heads and program directors to collect, review, and analyze budget requests, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and funding constraints. Responsible for the capital budget including deferred maintenance and other long term use assets. Monitor funding and ensure adherence to Board requirements. Present the consolidated annual budget to the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors/Finance Committee for review, iteration, and final approval. Monthly and Ongoing Management: Provide monthly budget‑to‑actual reporting with detailed variance analysis for executive‑level review. Present financial results to leadership and governing bodies, highlighting trends, risks, and recommended actions. Communicate regularly with all budget stakeholders to ensure budget performance is monitored and tracked throughout the fiscal year. Partner with department leaders to resolve variances, adjust forecasts, and maintain fiscal discipline. Provide financial modeling, multi‑year forecasting, and scenario analysis. Internal Controls & Compliance Maintain robust internal control systems across all ASI entities. Ensure compliance with ASI governing documents and that they align with CSU policies, campus auxiliary regulations, and federal/state laws. Conduct periodic reviews of control operations and update as appropriate including use of new technologies. Cash, Investment, and Asset Management Manage daily cash flow, banking relationships, and investment activities. Oversee the treasury function and utilize best practices in maintaining use of cash. Oversee fixed asset tracking, depreciation, and capital project accounting across all ASI entities. Ensure proper stewardship of student fee revenue and other funding sources. Ensure proper management of grants and reporting of grants. Leadership & Team Management Supervise accounting staff and foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement. Provide training to ASI staff on financial policies, procedures, and compliance requirements. Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to support organizational initiatives. Hire, train, evaluate all team members and provide leadership to foster problem solving and a customer service orientation for the department. Business Procedures Management Serve as the primary owner of ASI Business Procedures. Maintain and update all financial, operational, and administrative procedures. Ensure procedures reflect current practices, regulatory changes, and audit recommendations. Implement documentation standards, version control, and communication protocols for updates. Train staff on new or revised procedures to ensure consistent compliance across all ASI entities. Systems & Technology Oversee financial systems including ERP/accounting software (e.g., Sage Intacct). Ensure data integrity, system security, and efficient workflow design. Lead process automation and technology improvements. Review and implement best practices for the payroll operation utilizing Dayforce for seamless operation and enhanced controls. Supervisory Responsibilities:This position will supervise multiple full-time staff. This role has the authority to perform or effectively recommend the following functions for the employees listed above: Make decisions on hiring, terminating, or effectively recommend such actions. Assigning work, designating tasks, or giving significant duties to employees using independent judgment and discretion. Reward or discipline employees, including issuing written warnings, or making recommendations for promotions or disciplinary action. Direct employees by deciding which employees will perform a task and the order in which tasks are completed using independent judgment and often considering the individual employee’s skills and aptitudes. Adjust employee grievances. Authority to transfer, suspend, lay off, or recall employees, which includes managing time off requests and leaves of absence. This role is held accountable for the performance of the employees they supervise and if employees under this position’s supervision have performance failures, that may lead to a negative impact on this position’s employment with ASI.

REQUIREMENTS Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field. required or equivalent combination of education and experience. 7–10 years of experience as a Controller or senior accounting leader in a mid-sized nonprofit organization with approximately $50M in annual operations. Preferred CPA, CMA, or MBA. Experience in higher education, CSU auxiliaries, or student-fee-funded organizations. Experience supervising accounting teams in a complex, multi-unit environment. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Experience overseeing accounting for multiple operating units or entities and producing consolidated financial statements. Strong knowledge of GAAP, nonprofit accounting, and internal controls. Experience managing financial audits and regulatory compliance. Proficiency with accounting systems (preferably Sage Intacct) and advanced Excel skills. Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining organizational procedures or policy documentation. Core Competencies Strategic financial thinking High ethical standards Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Exceptional attention to detail Effective communication and collaboration Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment Commitment to student-centered service and organizational mission Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. As a leader, develops goals based on the organization’s vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individual of constituencies in a diverse community. Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head-on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself. Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives. Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes. Ability to generate and/or recognize imaginative or creative solutions that generate successful outcomes. Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and frequently changing priorities. Working knowledge, principles and practices of office management/systems within a higher education environment, preferred. Advanced use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications including expert-level knowledge of Excel, and strong knowledge of Word, Power Point, Outlook.

Additional Requirements: Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an office environment. Typical Physical and Mental Requirements: Sitting and standing for extended periods: The role involves significant computer work and meetings, requiring sustained sitting or standing. Walking and climbing stairs: Moving around the campus, attending events, and potentially using stairs or elevators regularly. Lifting and carrying moderate weight: This could include lifting and carrying materials for presentations, events, or production activities no more than 25lbs. Dexterity and fine motor skills: Operating computer equipment, handling small objects, and performing tasks requiring hand-eye coordination. Visual and auditory acuity: Effective communication and interaction in various settings require good vision and hearing. We are committed to working with qualified individuals with disabilities to identify and implement reasonable accommodation that would allow them to perform the essential functions of the job. If you have a disability and require accommodation to perform the essential functions of this job, please notify the hiring manager during the application process or upon accepting an offer of employment. Special Requirements Employment will be contingent on a satisfactory employment history and criminal background investigation. May be required to drive occasionally as needed. Valid driver’s license and current auto insurance must be on file at all times and must meet CSURMA driving standards. This position has been identified as a Mandated Reporter pursuant to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and requires immediate reporting of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect of anyone under the age of 18. It is the responsibility of the Mandated Reporter to ensure that they obtain proper training in order to fulfill their reporting responsibilities as required by the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and University policy, and to complete and submit the required reports without delay. The Associated Students Inc., CSUF, is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, genetic informationor any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.