Controller

Who We Are

At the Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF), we are guided by both a strong sense of responsibility and a commitment to the well-being of our community. With a deep understanding of our region and the nimbleness to adapt as priorities shift, we respond quickly to Pasadena’s needs in ways that are impactful and meaningful. Our efforts ensure that resources go to strategic local efforts and effective organizations – whether they’re urgent, long-term, or something in between.

PCF is here to support and guide our community, whether that is meeting with a donor’s family, answering local nonprofit questions, or simply being a charitable resource. For us, it is about being reliable, compassionate, and staying focused on the long-term welfare of the greater Pasadena communities. With PCF, our donors and partners have a constant philanthropic guide who will help them make a positive impact built to last.

What We Do

For over 70 years, PCF has served the greater Pasadena area by building strong relationships with donors, offering exceptional stewardship of entrusted funds, and connecting donors to meaningful causes that enrich the community. With over $325 million in assets under management, PCF provides diverse giving options and robust support for local nonprofits.

Our grants and programs make strategic investments to cultivate vibrant, inclusive communities by advancing cultural and educational enrichment, promoting social and economic well-being, and championing environmental stewardship and animal welfare.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Controller is responsible for the accuracy, integrity, and day-to-day management of the Foundation’s accounting operations and financial records. This role leads the monthly close, maintains the general ledger, oversees fund accounting, investment reconciliations, accounts payable, cash flow forecasting, and grant disbursement controls, and helps safeguard assets under management. The Controller also leads strong internal controls, audit and Form 990 preparation, data-driven financial reporting and custom report development for leadership and board committees, and well-documented processes that strengthen continuity, compliance, and operational effectiveness across the finance function.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Accounting Operations and Close

• Lead the monthly and year-end close process to ensure timely, accurate financial statements and supporting schedules.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and chart of accounts, including review of journal entries, reconciliations, and account analyses.
• Oversee fund accounting for donor-advised, designated, scholarship, agency, and discretionary funds, ensuring accurate classification of net assets, gifts, grants, and investment activity.
• Oversee accounts payable and cash disbursement processes to ensure timely payment, proper approvals, accurate coding, and adherence to Foundation policies.

Investments, Cash, and Financial Stewardship

• Prepare and review monthly investment reconciliations for pooled and individual funds and coordinate with custodians, investment managers, and banking partners to resolve variances.
• Monitor liquidity and develop cash flow forecasts to support operations, grantmaking, capital calls, and other Foundation obligations.
• Support stewardship of assets by producing accurate investment, fund, and cash reporting consistent with Foundation policy, GAAP, and internal reporting needs.

Grants, Compliance, and Controls

• Establish and monitor financial controls over grant disbursements to ensure proper authorization, accurate coding, timely payment, and complete audit trails.
• Maintain and strengthen internal controls, segregation of duties, and accounting procedures that safeguard assets and reduce risk.
• Coordinate the annual audit and lead preparation of the Form 990 and related tax filings by organizing schedules, responding to auditor and tax preparer requests, and ensuring timely completion.
• Maintain compliance with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, and applicable federal and state reporting requirements relevant to charitable foundations.
• Manage the Foundation’s commercial insurance program, including policy renewals, certificates of insurance (COIs), broker relationships, insurance applications, coverage records, and premium administration.

Reporting, Systems, and Continuous Improvement

• Prepare clear, accurate financial reports and analyses for leadership, the Finance Committee, the Audit Committee, and other board committees as assigned.
• Design, build, and maintain recurring and ad hoc reports by extracting and combining data from the general ledger, investment, and grants management systems.
• Mine and analyze financial, investment, and grants data to identify trends, variances, and anomalies, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for leadership.
• Maintain data integrity across financial and donor/grants databases, including account and fund mapping, imports, validation routines, and reconciliation of data between systems.
• Document key accounting and finance processes and maintain current procedures to support consistency, internal control, and business continuity.
• Cross-train finance team members and serve as a knowledgeable resource to staff on accounting procedures, fund activity, and financial system use.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflows, reporting, and system utilization to increase accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.

BACKGROUND PROFILE

Skills & Attributes:

• Strong technical knowledge of accounting principles, including GAAP, with deep experience in nonprofit fund accounting, general ledger management, and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated expertise in audit coordination and readiness, including preparation of schedules, supporting documentation, and partnership with external auditors and tax preparers for Form 990 and related filings.
• Experience establishing and maintaining internal controls and segregation of duties to safeguard assets and ensure compliance.
• Proficiency with accounting systems and technology, with the ability to leverage financial and donor/grants management systems to support accurate reporting and efficient workflows.
• Strong data mining and analysis skills, including the ability to extract and combine data from accounting, investment, and donor/grants databases and turn large data sets into clear, decision-ready information.
• Practical reporting skills and a working understanding of how financial data is structured across systems, with the ability to build, automate, and maintain custom reports and dashboards, for example using Foundant’s custom report builder, Excel Power Query and pivot tables, or comparable reporting tools. Demonstrated ability to build relational reports that link two or more data sets using common keys (for example, fund ID or account number), using tools such as XLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH, Power Query merges, Power Pivot data models, or SQL joins, and to identify and resolve records that don't match.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to identify issues, assess risk, and implement practical solutions.
• Clear and effective communication skills, with the ability to present financial information to non-financial audiences, including leadership and board committees.
• Demonstration of personal and professional integrity, sound judgment, and accountability in managing financial operations.
• Ability to build strong working relationships across the organization, including with staff, leadership, and board members; prioritize effectively; work independently; and operate with attention to detail in a collaborative, mission-driven environment.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience
• 3-5+ years in nonprofit or fund accounting
• Advanced Excel skills, including lookups across multiple sheets, Power Query, and data modeling.
• Experience building automated reporting from multiple source systems
• 2+ years in a leadership or supervisory role

Extras:

• Experience with investment accounting, endowments, or community foundations
• Experience with CommunitySuite’s Foundant
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or comparable reporting and data visualization tools

Please upload a cover letter with your resume

Pasadena Community Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse team and inclusive culture. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, or sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We strongly encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

If you require reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact us.