Controller

Mission:

Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell) conducts science for solutions at the nexus of climate, people, and nature. We partner with leaders and communities for just meaningful impact to address the climate crisis.

Summary/Objective

The Controller role oversees the organization’s financial operations and ensures accurate financial reporting in the Finance Department, reporting to the VP of Finance. The position maintains accounting principles, internal controls, and drives procedures to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting. The Controller must meet tight deadlines and a multitude of activities including general ledger preparation, revenue recognition, inventory assessment and account reconciliations. This position supervises and mentors members of the Finance Department, Accounts Payable and Senior Accountant. The Controller also has a crucial role in analyzing financial data, providing insights and providing recommendations to support strategic decision-making. Woodwell Climate's compliance with grant award-specific rules and regulations.

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrates extensive proficiency to ensure adherence to generally accepted accounting principles specific to non-profit organizations.

• Possesses a comprehensive understanding of accounting procedures for endowment funds, pledge receivables, and donations and contributions receivables.

• Monitoring of non-profit grant and contract revenue recognition, involving the reconciliation of deferred and unbilled revenue.

• Exhibits expertise in dealing with grants/awards indirect cost rates and fringe benefit rates, including actively engaging with the cognizant agency to request and negotiate rates.

• Coordinates and oversees the annual audit process, single audit, and 990 preparation, maintaining close collaboration with external auditors.

• Works closely with program and department leaders to formulate and prepare annual operating budgets.

• Meets with key stakeholders to discuss budget to actual results and provide analysis.

• Manages monthly balance sheet account reconciliations, including bank reconciliations.

• Supervises and mentors finance staff, providing valuable guidance and fostering professional development opportunities.

• Oversees the organization's accounting systems, managing the general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, receipts, payroll, and fixed assets.

• Maintains available cash balances and prepares accurate cash forecasting reports.

• Performs other assigned duties as necessary.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance,

• Financial management experience, 5+ years, preferably in a non-profit organization.

• Financial/accounting software and systems.

• Proficient in Excel with an intermediate to advanced skill set.

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with attention to detail.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Commitment to the mission and values of the non-profit organization.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of internal grant management accounting software, Sage Intact strongly preferred.

Physical Requirements

In the office:

• Ability to tolerate sustained periods of walking, standing, sitting

• Ability to lift 25 pounds

• Ability to communicate

• Ability to kneel, bend, and carry items

• Ability to use phone and computers

• Repetitive movements

• Air, train, vehicle travel to attend meetings/event

Work Environment

The functions of this role are conducted via a hybrid schedule.

Application review will begin on

Desired Start Date: January 16, 2023 (flexible)

Classification and Compensation: This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position, the annual salary starting at $130,000+ dependent on qualifications/experience. Woodwell offers a generous benefits package and work life balance.

Location: Falmouth, Massachusetts or remote.

Application Instructions: To apply, please send your cover letter addressing your experience and qualifications in relation to the responsibilities of this position, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references as a single PDF to our career’s portal.

Please visit Woodwell's website to learn more about Woodwell’s work.

Located on a 10-acre campus near the village of Woods Hole, the Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell) is a private, non-profit research center. Woodwell is a leading source of climate science that drives the urgent action needed to solve climate change. Woodwell has 100+ staff members and is excited to welcome new employees to this work.

Woodwell is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information. Woodwell is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Woodwell

WE NEED ALL VOICES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our lifetimes. Woodwell Climate Research Center (Woodwell) understands that the climate crisis—from causes to consequences—is inextricably linked with persistent social injustice. Effectively addressing either requires addressing both. The climate crisis demands that we bring to bear all of the knowledge, expertise, innovation, and creativity that we can collectively muster, and those who have been marginalized and disproportionately impacted must be heard.

The work Woodwell does—the questions we ask, the ways we seek answers, and the strategies we put forward—is stronger when shaped by a diversity of knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. We strive to welcome, respect, and amplify differing voices. We value individuals as they are, with all their differences in race, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, language, and mental and physical abilities.

Woodwell acknowledges that our organization, and the scientific community more broadly, have a long way to go in living up to these ideals. We approach the work of improving our organization with the same ambition and commitment to systemic change that we bring to addressing climate change.

We will inevitably make mistakes, but we will continue to listen, learn, and do this critical work. We understand that this work requires an ongoing commitment from each and every one of us. We are actively engaged in building and sustaining an equitable and inclusive culture within our organization, and in fostering greater diversity in climate science.