Controller (New York)

THE ORGANIZATION:

American Friends of Magen David Adom (“AFMDA”) is the U.S. fundraising organization supporting Magen David Adom (“MDA”), Israel’s national emergency medical, ambulance, disaster-response, and blood-services organization and its representative to the International Red Cross movement.

Founded in 1940, AFMDA mobilizes philanthropic support to help ensure MDA has the resources necessary to provide lifesaving care to people throughout Israel, regardless of background or religion. Donor support helps fund emergency vehicles, medical equipment and supplies, EMT and paramedic training, blood services, emergency medical stations and facilities, advanced dispatch systems, and other critical needs.

Philanthropic support, including significant funding from donors in the United States, plays an important role in strengthening MDA’s emergency-response capabilities and supporting major equipment, infrastructure, technology, and other critical initiatives. AFMDA serves as a vital partner in helping ensure MDA’s medical professionals and volunteers have the training, technology, equipment, and infrastructure necessary to respond to emergencies throughout Israel.

AFMDA is a major national Jewish nonprofit fundraising organization, raising approximately $100 million annually in recent years through a sophisticated nationwide fundraising program. Its scale and fundraising activities create a complex financial environment involving donor-restricted and unrestricted contributions, major capital initiatives, planned gifts, investment assets, pledges and other receivables, grants and funding commitments, and coordination between fundraising and financial systems. Strong donor stewardship, internal controls, accurate financial reporting, and responsible management of philanthropic resources are therefore essential.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller will lead AFMDA’s accounting function and serve as a close partner to the CFO as the organization strengthens the financial infrastructure needed to support its size, fundraising complexity, and continued growth. The role manages a team of approximately four and combines hands-on technical accounting leadership with responsibility for financial reporting, close, audit, controls, payroll, cash management, and accounting operations.

The Controller will also play a central role in modernizing Finance. AFMDA uses NetSuite as its accounting platform and Raiser’s Edge as its fundraising CRM. The successful candidate will bring strong experience with restricted and unrestricted contribution revenue and will work closely with Development and Data to improve reconciliation, systems integration, automation, and data integrity.

ROLES + RESPONSIBILITIES:

Accounting, Reporting & Controls:

• Lead general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, cash activity, reconciliations, fixed assets, contribution accounting, and related accounting operations.
• Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close and oversee accurate, timely GAAP-compliant financial statements and management reporting.
• Maintain strong accounting policies, documentation, segregation of duties, approval processes, and internal controls.
• Oversee domestic and international payments and provide the CFO and senior leadership with reliable financial information and analysis.

Fundraising & Contribution Accounting:

• Ensure proper accounting for unrestricted gifts, donor-restricted contributions, campaign gifts, program specific funding, capital contributions, and related net assets.
• Record, monitor, reconcile, and release donor restrictions in accordance with donor intent and applicable accounting standards.
• Partner with Development and Data to reconcile Raiser’s Edge, NetSuite, banking activity, and other fundraising and financial systems.
• Strengthen gift reconciliation, cash-receipt, lockbox, and reporting processes so management has a clear view of available and committed resources.

Audit, Systems & Process Improvement:

• Lead the annual financial-statement audit, coordinate audit support, and serve as the primary day-to-day liaison with external auditors.
• Support Form 990 and other federal, state, and regulatory filings and partner with the CFO on accounting judgments and financial risk.
• Serve as a senior owner of NetSuite and strengthen data integrity and workflows across financial, fundraising, banking, and payment systems.
• Identify opportunities to automate manual processes and thoughtfully apply emerging technologies, including AI, to improve productivity, analysis, controls, and reporting.

Team Leadership & Partnership:

• Lead, manage, and develop an accounting team of approximately four professionals, with clear expectations and accountability.
• Build productive relationships across Finance, Development, Data, and the broader organization.
• Translate accounting requirements into practical solutions for non-finance colleagues while maintaining appropriate financial discipline.
• Handle sensitive financial and organizational matters with sound judgment, discretion, and confidentiality.

The position is a hybrid role with two days on-site in Manhattan.

The annual salary range is up to $200,000, plus benefits, with additional room for closely aligned candidates.

MISSION CRITICAL OBJECTIVES | YEAR ONE

• Strengthen and scale the accounting function . Build more disciplined, efficient, and scalable processes and infrastructure.
• Serve as the CFO’s trusted accounting and systems partner. Bring technical judgment, discretion, reliability, and practical problem solving.
• Improve systems, integration, and automation. Optimize NetSuite and the flow of information across Finance, Raiser’s Edge, Data, and banking platforms.
• Strengthen fundraising and contribution accounting. Ensure accurate accounting for restricted and unrestricted revenue, donor designations, releases from restriction, and fundraising reconciliations.
• Modernize transaction processing and controls. Improve accounts payable, cash receipts, banking, international payments, lockbox activity, and related workflows.