Controller

Full-Time|Rochester, NY|$90,000 to $110,000 annually, commensurate with experience About Daystar Kids Daystar Kids is New York State's only Pediatric Complex Care and Learning Center. We help families transition their infant or young child with complex medical conditions from the hospital to home, while supporting each child's development until kindergarten. Our center-based model brings together pediatric nursing, early education, therapies, and family support so children can learn, thrive, and shine. The Opportunity Daystar Kids is seeking a hands‑on Controller to serve as our internal finance lead during an important season of growth. This is a strong opportunity for an accounting professional who values clean systems, accurate details, strong documentation, and mission‑driven work. The Controller reports directly to the CEO for supervision, priorities, performance, and organizational accountability. The Controller also receives technical accounting direction from Daystar Kids' back‑office finance partner on workflows, coding standards, reconciliations, close timelines, documentation requirements, and accounting best practices. This is intentionally designed as a growth role. In the first six to nine months, the Controller will complete selected bookkeeping and transaction‑entry responsibilities to fully understand Daystar Kids' accounting workflow and internal controls. As the organization grows, routine bookkeeping functions may transition to a future Bookkeeper or Accounting Assistant under the Controller's review and guidance, allowing the Controller to focus increasingly on monthly close, reporting, analysis, and internal controls. Strong financial systems directly support Daystar Kids' ability to serve children with complex medical needs and their families. What You Will Own Day‑to‑day finance operations, including selected transaction entry, account coding, documentation, deposits, invoice review, approval tracking, and revenue support. General ledger accuracy, including proper classification by account, program, grant, department, and funding source. Monthly close preparation, including preliminary reconciliations, journal entry support, accruals, variance review, and financial reporting schedules. Budget and reporting support for the CEO, board, finance committee, grants, funders, and program leaders. Audit, grant, and Medicaid‑related documentation, including schedules that support Form 990, CHAR500, the Medicaid Consolidated Fiscal Report, and other required reporting. Coordination with the back‑office finance partner to keep close timelines, documentation, approvals, and financial reporting moving on schedule. Internal control and process improvements that strengthen accuracy, accountability, approval workflows, and clean recordkeeping. First‑Year Growth Path First 90 days: Learn Daystar Kids' systems, chart of accounts, coding structure, approval processes, documentation standards, and back‑office finance workflows. Months three to six: Independently manage routine transaction entry, coding review, documentation follow‑up, AP/AR support, and preliminary reconciliations. Months six to nine: Begin shifting selected routine bookkeeping tasks toward future support, as organizational needs and readiness allow, while taking on more monthly close and reporting responsibility. By year one: Demonstrate increasing ownership of reconciliations, journal entry support, accruals, variance review, financial reporting schedules, and internal finance process improvement. What Success Looks Like Timely and accurate transaction entry, coding, documentation, and reconciliations. Cleaner workflows and fewer delays in monthly reporting. Organized records that support audits, grants, Medicaid‑related reporting, and board‑level financial oversight. Steady growth from hands‑on accounting support into higher‑level close, reporting, and internal control responsibilities. What You Will Bring At least five years of accounting, finance, bookkeeping, controller, or nonprofit fiscal experience preferred. Experience with general ledger activity, account coding, reconciliations, journal entries, AP/AR, payroll entries, and monthly close support required. Nonprofit accounting experience strongly preferred; Medicaid billing, grants, restricted funding, nonprofit audits, or human service experience preferred. Strong Excel skills and experience with QuickBooks or a similar accounting system required. Experience working with an outsourced finance, accounting, bookkeeping, or back‑office partner preferred. Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field preferred. Equivalent nonprofit accounting experience may be considered. CPA is not required. CPA, MBA, or advanced accounting coursework is a plus. Strong attention to detail, sound judgment with confidential information, clear communication skills, and a commitment to accountability, compliance, internal controls, and continuous improvement. How to Apply Please apply through LinkedIn or Indeed or send your resume to View email address on click.appcast.io with "Controller" in the subject line. A brief note about your nonprofit accounting, controller, or monthly close experience is welcomed, but not required. Daystar Kids is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. #J-18808-Ljbffr