Controller Jobs in Washington, DC

Controller

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Status: Full-Time / Exempt

Location: Washington, D.C. (Hybrid) - Candidate must be located in the DMV area

In-Office Days: Tuesday and Wednesday

The Controller at Generation Hope manages all day-to-day finance, fund accounting, and financial reporting functions. Operating within a scaling organization with a budget of 9 million, this role translates transactional bookkeeping into high-quality, decision-useful financial reports. The Controller plays a key role in safeguarding the assets that support teen parents in college, their children, and systemic higher education policy reform. This leader ensures complete alignment with GAAP, complex grant regulations, and Generation Hope's core institutional commitments to equity.

Key Responsibilities:

Accounting & Operational Excellence

• Financial Oversight: Supervise daily accounting functions, including general ledger maintenance, accounts payable, accounts receivable, corporate credit cards, and multi-state payroll administration.
• Month-End and Year-End Close: Lead a rapid and precise month-end closing process, generating financial statements for executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Cash Flow Management: Monitor organization-wide cash flow projections, optimizing working capital to support direct scholar tuition assistance, child care support, and national expansion programs.

Grant Management & Multi-Funder Compliance

• Fund Accounting: Track and allocate restricted and unrestricted revenue streams from a diverse portfolio of institutional, corporate, and philanthropic foundations.
• Funder Reporting: Partner with the Advancement team to draft precise financial components for grant proposals, allocations, and compliance reporting.
• Audit and Tax Preparation: Direct the planning and execution of the annual independent financial audit. Manage the preparation of IRS Form 990 filings and state registrations across operating regions.

Strategic Team Partnership

• Budget Collaboration: Partner with program managers, early childhood leads, and advancement teams to translate operational needs into accurate annual line-item budgets and variance reports.
• Process Automation: Evaluate, scale, and continuous improve accounting enterprise systems (e.g., QuickBooks or mid-tier nonprofit ERP systems) to accommodate multi-site tracking.
• Culture and Leadership: Build a supportive internal culture. Mentor non-financial team members on financial literacy, ensuring policies are clear, accessible, and inclusive.
• Vendor and Partner Oversight: Manage and evaluate external financial partnerships, including directing the workflow of the outsourced accounting team and serving as the primary point of contact for external audit partners.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance.
• Certification: CPA (Certified Public Accountant) designation strongly preferred.
• Experience: 7+ years of progressive financial management experience, with at least 3 years inside a growing nonprofit organization managing a multi-million dollar budget.
• Technical Skills: Deep familiarity with GAAP, nonprofit fund tracking, and multi-state employment compliance. Experience with systems like QuickBooks, Bill.com, or specialized nonprofit accounting platforms.

Generation Hope provides full benefits, including 403(b), health, dental, and paid time off. More information on benefits can be found at generationhope.org/careers.

Generation Hope is an equal opportunity employer. Generation Hope will not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law, including marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, matriculation, political affiliation, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, breastfeeding, or reproductive health decisions), age, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, and disability.