Controller

Company: American Academy in Rome
Location: New York
Posted on: January 27, 2023

Job Description:

The American Academy in Rome is a non-profit organization with its principal finance and fundraising operation in New York and its program operation in Rome, Italy, which includes a secondary finance office. The two offices manage their respective finances and operating budgets in separate ledgers in a shared accounting system (Financial Edge), and the New York office converts the Rome ledger and consolidates it with the New York ledger on a monthly basis. Similarly, the Rome financial statements are audited separately and consolidated into the overall institutional audit annually. The Academy employs Italian staff in Italy and American staff in the U.S. and Italy and is subject to laws and regulations in both countries.
The Academy's Controller is based in New York and responsible for managing and executing a full range of financial and administrative strategies, tasks, and processes across the whole organization, and providing proactive direction and support to the staff in both New York and Rome. The Controller leads all U.S. day-to-day finance operations in a small but complex organization with significant international operations.
In conjunction with the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO) , the Controller establishes broad financial goals, priorities, and strategies based on internal needs and external circumstances, and analyzes Academy-wide activities and data to monitor financial status and measure against goals and trends. The Controller manages and executes all financial, project-based, and departmental accounting, and has functional responsibility for accounting, accounts payable/receivable, cash flow, endowment and grant funds, bank and investment accounts, budgets, audits/tax returns, payroll, and reporting/filing. The Controller is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing all financial and accounting systems, controls, policies, and practices to ensure compliance with organizational policies and applicable laws and regulations.
The successful candidate will be a strategic professional who has broad-based expertise and depth in the relevant areas of the Academy's needs, ideally from work experience in non-profit organizations. The ideal candidate will appreciate the Academy's unique profile as a hybrid academic and cultural institution, as well as the complexities of concurrent operations and business models in two different countries.
Supervision
The Controller reports to the Chief Administrative and Financial Officer (CAFO) and works in close coordination with the Deputy Director of Finance and Administration in Rome.The Controller oversees the Staff Accountant in the New York office.
Responsibilities
Finance Management (60%)

• In conjunction with the CAFO and senior management staff, establish broad financial and budget goals, priorities, strategies, and benchmarks based on an understanding of internal needs and external circumstances, and analyze Academy-wide activities and data to monitor financial status and health and measure against goals and relevant trends.
  
  
  
• Manage and execute all financial, project-based, and departmental accounting, including analyzing and presenting all financial reports in an accurate and timely manner, and preparing statements and accounting for projects, programs, and grants.
  
• Develop, implement, and oversee financial and accounting systems, controls, policies, practices, reporting, and records to ensure compliance with organizational policies and applicable laws and regulations, including cash management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash receipts, credit control, and petty cash.
  
• Manage the general ledger, all subsidiary ledgers, and all financial records, including preparing and posting journal entries, reviewing and approving new vendors, reviewing and coding transactions, preparing reconciliations, overseeing cash transactions, making adjusting entries, and performing monthly closing; and in collaboration with the Deputy Director of Finance and Administration in Rome, manage the chart of accounts and project codes to ensure a coherent accounting structure across both locations.
  
• In collaboration with the Deputy Director of Finance and Administration in Rome, oversee and manage organizational cash flow, including developing monthly projections, forecasting future needs, anticipating changes, and purchasing and transferring Euros for Rome operations.
  
• Manage complex endowment and grant funds, including tracking and allocating changes to fund values, projecting fund spending and balances.
  
• As directed by CAFO and investment advisors, manage investment portfolio, including executing investment transactions, reconciling accounts.
  
• Work collaboratively with the Finance team to support annual and multi-year budgeting (both operating and capital), including planning and consolidating budgets, reviewing and analyzing budgets with Rome, monitoring budget to actuals, balancing and reforecasting, and evaluating year-end performance.
  
• Oversee annual audit and tax return in New York, including preparing and maintaining audit and tax return schedules, developing controls, and serving as liaison with external auditors.
  
• Oversee and handle banking and other accounts, including reviewing, analyzing, and reconciling accounts, managing temporary cash accounts, and representing the Academy in banking relationships.
  
• Oversee all statutory reporting and tax filing, including sales tax, benefits, 1099, and 1042.
  
• Support CAFO in relevant Board and Committee activities, including preparing agendas, reports, and presentations; reporting to Board and Committees if needed; reviewing minutes; and ensuring timely follow up on action items.
  
• Maintain awareness of relevant industry trends, standards, and best practices at similar institutions, as well as businesses and other organizations, in order to ensure compliance, appropriate controls, and effective management, as well as to set standards for comparison and development.
  
• Perform other finance management responsibilities as needed and directed, including but not limited to performing accounting duties when needed.
  
  Accounting Supervision (20%)
  
  
• Supervise Staff Accountant in all aspects of accounts payable, including corporate credit cards, and process payables as back up to Coordinator.
  
• Supervise Staff Accountant in all aspects of accounts receivable, including reconciling contributions with development, and processing cash receipts as back up to Coordinator.
  
• Supervise Staff Accountant in all aspects of payroll and timekeeping, and process payroll as back up to Coordinator.
  
• Supervise Staff Accountant in all other accounting tasks, including petty cash, and process as back up to Coordinator.
  
• Performs additional accounting tasks as needed and directed.
  
  Department Management (10%)
  
  
• Manage and support professional and productive finance department, ensuring close collaboration and coordination between staff in New York and Rome; timely and satisfactory achievement of tasks and goals; compliance with institutional policies and procedures; and collegial working relationships across departments.
  
• Develop, manage, and implement comprehensive and cost-conscious annual and multi-year administrative budgets, including setting priorities in context of institutional goals; planning short- and long-term revenues and expenses; establishing margins; monitoring and controlling revenues and expenses; analyzing and explaining variances from budget; and reforecasting budget and goals.
  
• Manage performance of finance staff members through mentorship, guidance, training, and leadership by example, including setting goals and expectations; providing regular and constructive feedback; evaluating performance and making recommendations for salary adjustments, title changes, and/or promotions; and taking counseling and corrective action, including formal disciplinary procedures when necessary.
  
• Develop and implement finance staffing plans within budgetary and organizational parameters to handle workload and meet immediate needs and long-range plans, including proposing staff positions and structures; writing job descriptions; benchmarking with comparable peer institutions; and recruiting, interviewing, selecting, and onboarding qualified staff.
  
• Overseeing finance department administration, including recruiting, reviewing, and hiring independent contractors, vendors, and consultants within budgetary and organizational parameters, as well as managing department contracts.
  
• Perform other department management responsibilities as needed and directed.
  
  Administration (10%)
  
  
• Manages and ensures adherence to calendar of finance, accounting, and other administrative deadlines.
  
• In conjunction with the HR Consultant, performs HR tasks as back up to Staff Accountant, including processing new hires, benefits, and separations.
  
• Completes or oversees completion of business forms, including credit applications, tax exempt forms, and resale certificates.
  
• Assists with occasional evening and weekend events and programs.
  
• Performs additional administration tasks as needed and directed.
  
  Qualifications
  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
  

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• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business, or related area of study, CPA preferred.
  
• Eight to ten years of professional experience in progressively responsible roles and proven track record of skillfully and effectively managing accounting, finances, and budgets with at least seven years at the management level, ideally in a combination of non-profit organizations and finance, accounting, or other similar companies, or comparable combination of experience and substantial knowledge of non-profit management.
  
• Understanding and appreciation of non-profit cultural institutions, and genuine interest in the Academy's mission and work.
  
• Demonstrated strength in strategy, organization, planning, and analysis, especially with respect to budgets, operations, and projects.
  
• Significant strength in managing time, organizing work, and being highly accountable in dynamic and creative setting with competing demands on attention and frequently changing and conflicting priorities and deadlines.
  
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, be proactive, and take initiative with minimal direction or guidance, balanced with skill in executing plans and detailed tasks accurately and efficiently.
  
• Proven management abilities with substantial skills in developing and supporting staff, assessing and designing workflows, working productively with all levels of management and staff, and collaborating with colleagues in another location.
  
• Excellent professionalism and diplomacy in representing Academy internally and externally, with superior writing, editing, oral communication, and presentation skills in both Italian and English, especially on financial, business, and legal matters.
  
• Exceptional judgment, professionalism, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive situations and matters.
  
• Advanced skills in accounting and donor database software, preferably Financial Edge and Raisers Edge.
  
• Advanced skills Microsoft Office suite, especially in Excel.
  
• Accessibility to respond to urgent and emergency situations outside of business hours.
  
  The American Academy in Rome is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  To Apply
  Please submit a cover letter outlining your interest in the Academy, the contributions you expect to make to the Academy's mission, and your qualifications for the position of Controller. Applications will be accepted until Friday, February3, 2023.

Keywords: American Academy in Rome, New York , Controller, Accounting, Auditing , New York, New York