Senior Director, Controller

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The Senior Director, Controller serves as the organization's principal accounting officer, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer and acting as the senior accounting and financial reporting leader for NSC. This position is accountable for the accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial reporting, accounting operations, and transaction processing activities.

The Controller leads a team of 8–12 accounting and transaction processing professionals and oversees the full accounting function, including financial close, billing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, fixed assets, grants accounting, revenue recognition, and procurement-related transaction processing. The role also maintains primary responsibility for U.S. and Canadian federal, state, provincial, and local tax compliance, annual audit management, Form 990 preparation, and the organization's internal control environment.

As a key member of the Finance leadership team, the Controller partners closely with FP&A, Procurement, Human Resources, Technology, Legal, and program leadership to strengthen financial stewardship, operational effectiveness, and the long-term sustainability of the organization.

Currently, this is a remote-first position, and this position may be required to periodically work on-site at our office and the frequency would depend on the department/division's requirements. Therefore, candidates must either reside within a reasonable distance to commute to our office or be willing to travel to our office in Herndon, when required.

Financial Accounting & Reporting

• Direct all accounting operations in accordance with U.S. GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards.
• Lead the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close processes, targeting a 7-business-day close cycle.
• Ensure accurate preparation of internal and external financial statements and related disclosures.
• Oversee account reconciliations, journal entries, and general ledger activities.
• Develop, document, and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Provide financial analysis and reporting to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Ensure proper accounting treatment of grants, contributions, contracts, subscriptions, and service revenue.
• Interpret and communicate financial operating results to NSC leaders in a timely and accessible manner.

Transaction Processing Operations

• Direct billing processes to ensure timely and accurate invoices are provided to customers
• Direct accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, employee expense reimbursement, and cash application functions.
• Establish service-level standards and performance metrics for transaction processing activities.
• Ensure timely processing of vendor payments, customer invoicing, collections, and payroll.
• Develop and implement the organization's cash management and payment processing strategy.
• Drive continuous improvement and automation initiatives to increase efficiency and accuracy.
• Oversee financial systems and workflows supporting transaction processing, including procurement-to-pay and order-to-cash processes.

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Maintain a strong internal control environment, including robust segregation of duties.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit regulations, U.S. federal grant requirements, and applicable U.S. and Canadian state/provincial regulations.
• Oversee documentation and periodic testing of key financial controls.
• Monitor compliance with organizational policies and delegated authority requirements.
• Coordinate responses to audit findings and implement corrective action plans.
• Support enterprise risk management initiatives related to financial operations.

Audit & Tax Management

• Serve as the primary liaison with independent auditors for annual financial statement audits and Single Audits (where…