Director of Accounting

The Director of Accounting leads the accounting function and its team of eight. Reporting to the CFO, this leader owns the month-end close, the general ledger, payroll and accounts payable oversight, grant ledgers, and the audit process. The accounting itself is not complex. The challenge is volume, structure, and scale. This leader will build the systems, processes, and team that let accurate work happen on time without burnout.

This is a hands-on role. The right person leads the team and does the work alongside them. They are organized, steady through change, and good with people. They see where the department needs to go and build the path to get there.

• Lead and rebuild the team. Supervise five direct reports and a department of eight. Set clear expectations, coach, and hold the team accountable.
• Put the right people in the right seats. Assess the current structure, fill gaps, and hire as the organization scales.
• Lead from inside the work. Roll up your sleeves during close, payroll, and audit. Model the standard you expect.
• Steady the department. Reduce overload through clear workflows, deadlines, and communication. Rebuild trust and morale.
• Grow people. Cross-train staff, document procedures, and create real paths for promotion from within.
• Lead through change. Guide the team through growth, new school launches, and evolving processes.

• Build the close. Design and own a structured month-end close process. Target: complete, reconciled books within 10 to 15 days of month end.
• Maintain the general ledger. Ensure accurate accruals, reconciliations, fixed assets, and intercompany and management-fee allocations between the management organization and each school.
• Manage volume across entities. Standardize the chart of accounts, close calendar, and reporting formats across all schools.

• Oversee payroll. Own payroll accuracy and timeliness. Payroll reports directly to this role.
• Oversee accounts payable. Lead the AP Supervisor and team of three. Build workflows that keep up with volume.
• Strengthen controls. Maintain internal controls over cash, payroll, procurement, and disbursements.

• Maintain grant ledgers. Track restricted funds and ensure spending matches approved budgets.
• Support drawdowns. Oversee federal grant reimbursements and drawdowns and reconcile grant activity to the ledger.
• Partner with the grants lead. Work cross-functionally on grant budgets, allowability, and reporting. [Confirm division of duties]

• Get the most out of Workday. Partner with the internal Workday team. Identify where the system and processes need to go and build the plan to get there.
• Automate the routine. Replace manual, spreadsheet-dependent work so the team spends time on analysis and review.
• Support new school launches. Set up accounting for new schools, including entity setup, opening balances, and first-year audit readiness.

• Partner on board reporting. Provide accurate financial statements and analysis to the CFO and Director of FP&A, who lead board work.
• Translate the numbers. Explain financial results in plain language to school leaders and colleagues new to finance.
• Lead the audit. Serve as primary contact for external auditors. Manage PBC lists, work papers, and fieldwork.
• Meet state and authorizer deadlines. Ensure timely, accurate financial filings in each state.
• Build relationships. Work closely with FP&A, HR, operations, and other directors. Learn the whole business.

First 3 to 6 months A documented month-end close process is in place. Payroll and AP run on predictable workflows.…