Controller

POSITION SUMMARY

The controller will act as Binaytara's principal advisor on accounting, financial planning, and compliance - bringing senior leadership, structure, and professional standards to our accounting team. This is a hands-on leadership position: you will own the books for the U.S. organization, the Nepal branch, and our capital projects — while setting budgets, forecasting cash, managing the annual audit, and giving the Executive Leadership and Board the financial clarity to steward a rapidly growing non-profit with projects spanning in multiple countries. You will also improve and establish the systems, controls, and professional standards that a growing organization requires.

You will lead a small finance team, strengthen internal controls and systems, and translate complex activity — conference revenue, donor-restricted gifts, a capital campaign, and international operations — into accurate, decision-ready reporting.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial leadership & strategy

• Serve as the Executive Leadership (EL)'s primary financial partner; provide analysis and recommendations that inform organizational strategy, staffing, and program investment decisions.
• Prepare and present financial statements, dashboards, and forecasts to the EL, Board of Directors, and Finance/Audit Committee.
• Establish and maintain financial policies, procedures, and internal controls appropriate to a rapidly growing nonprofit.

Accounting operations & month-end close

• Own the general ledger and the full accounting cycle, including a timely, accurate monthly and annual close.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll accounting, including reconciliations and journal entries.
• Ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, including nonprofit standards under ASC 958 (net assets with and without donor restrictions, and release of restrictions).

International operations

• Maintain & consolidate the books for the U.S. organization, the Nepal branch, and capital projects (the cancer hospital and research institute).
• Ensure appropriate documentation, controls, and reporting over international spend and construction-related disbursements.

Budgeting, FP&A & treasury

• Lead the annual budgeting process and ongoing re-forecasting across departments and programs.
• Produce program, conference, and campaign level P&L, variance analysis, and management reporting.
• Support EL with cash-flow forecasting, operating reserves, and oversight of any invested funds.

Grants, restricted funds & capital campaign finance

• Track and report on donor-restricted gifts, grants, and pledges, ensuring funds are recorded, released, and spent in accordance with donor intent and grant terms.
• Support the capital campaign with pledge-to-cash tracking, gift-range reporting, and campaign financial statements.
• Safeguard restrictions: ensure donor-restricted capital gifts are not used to fund operating payroll or unrelated operating costs, consistent with ASC 958.

Conference & program revenue

• Improve and apply revenue-recognition practices for our conferences, including registration, sponsorship, and exhibitor revenue.
• Partner with conference sponsorships and operations teams to produce reliable event-level financial results and margins.

Audit, tax & regulatory compliance

• Manage the annual financial statement audit and serve as primary liaison to external auditors; coordinate preparation of the Form 990 and any single-audit requirements.
• Oversee 1099 filings, sales/use tax where applicable, and multistate charitable-solicitation and business registrations (coordinating with outside counsel/advisors as needed).
• Monitor & support compliance with regulatory and reporting obligations arising from international operations.

Systems, controls & process

• Administer and optimize the accounting/ERP system and its integration with other organizational systems
• Design and enforce internal controls, approval workflows, and documented SOPs; drive automation and process improvement as the organization scales.

Team leadership & mentorship

• Directly supervise, coach, and develop the accounting/finance staff — including technically capable team members who will benefit from senior leadership and structure — setting goals, reviewing work, and building the team's professional depth.
• Recruit, structure, and mentor finance interns, providing meaningful learning experiences and clear supervision.
• Foster a culture of accuracy, accountability, service to program teams, and continuous improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressively responsible accounting/finance experience, including 3+ years in nonprofit fund accounting.
• Demonstrated people-leadership experience — directly building, managing, and developing accounting/finance staff. This role requires a proven leader, not solely a strong individual contributor.
• Strong command of U.S. GAAP and nonprofit accounting under ASC 958 (net asset classification, restricted funds, revenue recognition).
• Experience owning month-end/year-end close and managing an external audit and Form 990 process.
• Proficiency with a modern accounting/ERP system and advanced Excel skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex financials into clear guidance for non-finance leaders and a board.

Preferred

• Active CPA license.
• Multi-entity and/or consolidation experience; exposure to international operations or foreign-currency accounting.
• Experience with grant compliance, capital campaign finance, or restricted-fund-heavy organizations.
• Comfort leveraging modern tools and automation — including AI — to improve accounting efficiency and reporting.
• Master's degree (MAcc/MBA) or relevant advanced credential.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Ownership and integrity — treats the organization's resources as a trust.
• Comfort operating both strategically (advising the ED/Board) and hands-on (reconciling, closing the books).
• Clear communication and the ability to partner across program, development, and operations teams.
• Sound judgment in ambiguity; knows when to escalate or engage outside expertise.
• Organized, deadline-driven, and calm amid a high volume of concurrent activity.

The job description outlines the general nature and level of work expected and is not an exhaustive list of responsibilities. Employees may assume additional responsibilities as needed.