Assistant Controller

Job Description

Job Description

Historic New England seeks an Assistant Controller to oversee the organization’s day-to-day accounting operations and financial reporting and serve as the senior accounting resource reporting to the Vice President, Finance. This position ensures accurate and timely financial reporting, maintains strong internal controls, and supports financial visibility, decision-making, and the effective use and improvement of financial and operational systems across the organization .

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Accounting and Financial Oversight

• Lead daily accounting operations in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and nonprofit accounting standards.
• Manage the month end close process and ensure timely and accurate financial statements, reconciliations, and cash flow reporting.
• Monitor financial performance, analyze trends and variances, and support budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and general ledger accuracy.
• Ensure appropriate accounting and reporting for grants, contracts, restricted funds, endowment funds, and other funding sources.
• Support compliance with local, state, and federal reporting requirements.
• Coordinate accounting activities related to the annual financial audit, tax filings, pension audit, and other regulatory reporting in partnership with the Vice President, Finance.

Financial Systems and Process Optimization

• Oversee the effective use of the organization’s financial systems to support accurate accounting, internal controls, and efficient financial operations.
• Identify and implement process improvement initiatives that reduce manual processes, strengthen controls, and improve data reliability and consistency.
• Oversee the setup and maintenance of restricted, unrestricted, and endowment funds within the organization’s financial system to ensure accurate tracking, reporting, and compliance with donor and grant requirements.
• Develop and maintain dashboards and reporting tools that improve financial transparency and decision making.
• Partner with information technology staff and external vendors to support system enhancements and integrations.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing improvement of automated accounts payable approval workflows and other accounting processes within the organization’s financial systems.

 

Revenue, Payroll and Receivables Oversight

• Ensure accurate and efficient tenant billing, cash receipts, and receivables, including proper tracking and reconciliation within the general ledger.
• Serve as the financial lead for lease and tenant tracking processes, including related system improvements and potential software implementation.
• Oversee payroll accounting and reporting to ensure accurate recording, reconciliation, and allocation of labor costs.
• Support the administration of corporate credit card and expense management platforms with appropriate controls and approvals.

Data Analysis and Business Insights

• Support forecasting, budgeting, and reporting through improved data workflows, analytics, and system capabilities.

Leadership and Collaboration

• Supervise and mentor accounting staff, supporting professional development and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate effectively across the organization and with external partners to support financial operations, system integration and organizational goals.
• Promote best practices in financial management, system governance, and financial controls across the organization.
• Provide backup support for key finance functions in the absence of the Vice President, Finance.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Staff Accountant; Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable Specialist

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible accounting experience, preferably in a nonprofit or multi-entity environment.
• Supervisory or team leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with enterprise financial systems, including system implementations, integrations process automations and workflow improvements.

Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and nonprofit accounting standards
• Ability to learn, evaluate, and effectively use new financial and operational systems and tools
• Experience developing and maintaining financial reports, including configuring and customizing financial statements within enterprise financial systems.
• Experience working with integrated financial, fundraising, payroll and grant reporting systems . Experience with Acumatica, Tessitura, ADP and Fundriver is a plus
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
• Experience supporting audits, internal controls, and compliance with accounting and tax regulations
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret financial data and support decision making
• Ability to improve financial processes through system optimization and automation
• Independent judgment with the ability to manage priorities and meet deadlines
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams
• Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated mentoring and coaching abilities
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Commitment to professionalism, excellence, and diversity

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

This is a salaried, exempt forty-hour per week position, typically eight-hour days plus a thirty-minute unpaid meal break, per state labor regulations. This is a hybrid position requiring a minimum of two days per week on-site at Historic New England’s Haverhill, Massachusetts facility after the initial four-month onboarding period, with occasional New England region travel.

Other Duties:

Please note this position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About the Organization:

Historic New England—founded as the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities in 1910—is the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive independent preservation organization in the United States. Historic New England welcomes the public to thirty-eight exceptional museums and landscapes, including several coastal farms.

The organization operates a major collections and archives center in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and has the world’s largest collection of New England artifacts, comprising more than 125,000 decorative arts and objects and 1.5 million archival documents including photographs, architectural drawings, manuscripts, and ephemera. Engaging education programs for youth, adults, and preservation professionals, and awardwinning exhibitions and publications are offered in person and virtually. The Historic New England Preservation Easement program is a national leader and protects 127 privately owned historic properties throughout the region.

To learn more, visit historicnewengland.org

Historic New England is an equal opportunity employer and considers applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.