Controller, Finance & Banking, Financial Manager

OR DISTRIBUTION
Position - Controller
Status Full-time (3 days per week in Norwalk office, 2 days remote)
Department Finance and Operations
Location Norwalk, CT

Founded by Paul Newman, Serious Fun Children’s Network is a global community of 30 independently run camps and programs across five continents. Together, these camps provide transformative experiences — always free of charge — for children with serious illnesses and their families, reaching more than 150,000 individuals annually.

Each camp and program is locally led and tailored to its community, while connected through the global Network for shared learning, support, and standards of excellence.

The Serious Fun Support Center, based in East Norwalk, CT, is a team of 33 staff who provide services that ensure program and operational excellence, create awareness, and support the continued growth of the Network worldwide.

We are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion by valuing the experiences and voices of all who carry out our mission.

The Controller is a key leader within the Finance team, responsible for overseeing all accounting operations, financial reporting, and internal controls. This role ensures accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of financial information, while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and organizational policies. The Controller partners closely with senior leadership to support strategic decision‑making, budgeting, and financial planning.

Reporting directly to the CFO, the Controller has day‑to‑day management and oversight responsibilities for the organization’s finance functions. Successful candidates will demonstrate strong accounting and analytical skills, a logical and proactive approach to problem‑solving, effective communication and collaboration across teams, and the ability to identify issues and implement process improvements that strengthen efficiency and compliance.

The Controller collaborates closely with senior leadership and Support Center colleagues, as well as Finance Directors and CFOs at Serious Fun member camps. The role also supports the CFO for Board Finance Committee presentations and contributes to initiatives that enhance Serious Fun’s strategic financial capacity.

Please keep in mind that percentages reflect relative priority, not exact time allocation.

• Financial Operations & Compliance (40%)
• Reporting, Audit, & Regulatory Oversight (30%)
• Leadership & Strategic Financial Partnership (30%)

This role is responsible for the following core areas of ownership and impact; additional duties may evolve based on organizational needs.

• Oversee daily financial operations (accounts payable, accounts receivable, vendor management, and internal financial controls).
• Lead nonprofit accounting operations, including fund accounting, revenue recognition, and grant tracking, in accordance with GAAP.
• Partner with Development to ensure proper recording and reconciliation of fundraising transactions.
• Maintain working knowledge of CRM and ERP systems (e.g., Donor Perfect, Sage Intacct) and support cross‑system integration and data integrity.

• Serve as lead contact for external auditors, ensuring timely deliverables and smooth annual audit execution.
• Manage financial reporting (monthly, quarterly, year‑end) and tax filings for Serious Fun and related entities.
• Deliver timely, accurate financial reports to support forecasting, budget planning, and decision‑making.

• Support CFO in preparation and presentation to the Board Finance Committee, Network Finance Peer Group, and other stakeholders.
• Manage, mentor, and coach finance staff to ensure professional growth and team capacity.
• Identify and implement process improvements and updated financial policies.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and camp CFOs/Finance Directors to strengthen practices across the Network.
• Stay current on nonprofit financial best practices and compliance requirements, sharing relevant updates with leadership.
• Perform other responsibilities as needed to support the finance team…