Controller

Description

Department: Finance

Reports to: Director of Finance and Business Operations

Classification: Exempt, full-time with benefits

Salary range: $125,000-$145,000 depending on experience

This is an onsite, Boston-based position. Local candidates strongly preferred. No agencies, please.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Core Values

Isabella Stewart Gardner believed that art had the power to change lives and she built a beautiful, personal, and immersive Museum setting to do so. Today the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM) is a living embodiment of her bold vision; it’s a dynamic place where ideas and creativity in all its forms inspire visitors. Through exhibitions, music, programs, and performances we strive to tell new stories and challenge assumptions by engaging diverse voices and community members.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum seeks to connect past with present, develop and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships with our local communities and artists, expand and diversify our audiences, and generate opportunities for creativity. We are firmly committed to creating both an inclusive work culture and a welcoming visitor experience.

Our five-year strategic plan outlines the Museum’s core values, goals, and initiatives that serve as a renewal of Isabella’s promise for the Museum to be a place for “the education and enjoyment of the public forever.”

Position Summary

The Controller, in consultation with the Board and other senior managers, is responsible for developing, implementing and ensuring compliance with sound and prudent financial policies and practices consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the goals of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (ISGM). The individual is responsible for maintaining and continuously improving the system of financial controls, including general accounting, investment and endowment accounting, banking, payroll and benefits processing, and department management. The successful candidate will develop and maintain strong, effective working relationships with internal departments including Development, Collections, Education, Exhibitions, and more, through collaborative leadership. The Controller reports to the Director of Finance and Business Operations and is responsible for the daily supervision of, and work delegation for the Accounting Supervisor, Junior Accountant, and Finance-HR Coordinator.

Essential Functions And Primary Responsibilities

General Accounting

• Develop, administer, and ensure compliance with ISGM’s accounting policies, procedures, and systems.
• Direct the management of the general accounting function and the preparation of all financial statements including the monthly and year-end close.
• Oversee the maintenance of the general ledger and other accounting records for preparation of the financial statements and other required financial data including the chart of accounts and relevant control tables pertaining to the accounting system.
• Review and post all journal entries, including end-of-month and end-of-year entries for some accounts.
• Oversee payment of invoices, expense reports, consultants, and grants.
• Coordinate all external and internal audits. Coordinate and schedule all annual audits.
• Oversee preparation of Forms 1099 and 1096.
• Report to Director of Finance and Business Operations, Board, and other senior managers on matters relating to compliance, including GAAP and internal control standards.
• Manage grant funding accounting and reporting for government and foundation grant compliance.
• Participate in professional accounting societies; maintain current knowledge of relevant accounting standards.
  
  

Budgeting and Reporting

• Regularly monitor budget to actual performance.
• Collaborate with Director of Finance and Business Operations on revenue forecasting and payroll modeling for annual budget.
• Participate in collaborative budget meetings with other departments throughout each winter.
• Support the Director of Finance and Business Operations in written and oral presentations to the Board of Directors and Board Committees.
• Develop reports for and attend the Finance Committee’s quarterly meetings.
• Attend quarterly meetings of Risk Management & Audit Committee and Investment Committee.
  
  

Investments and Cash Management

• Develop cash management model, implement and actively manage cash needed for operations.
• Manage investment and endowment accounting.
  
  

Non-profit Compliance and Risk Management

• Oversee preparation of Form 990 returns, required disclosure filings, and all regulatory filings.
• Oversee and review estimated payment calculations.
• Conduct annual internal audit procedures, collaborate on annual risk assessment, and share results with Risk Management and Audit Committee in their quarterly meetings.
  
  

Banking

• Oversee banking relationships and overall control over cash transactions.
• Oversee the management of internal banking policies and procedures.
• Administer ISGM’s credit card program and online expense reporting system (BILL).
  
  

Payroll and Benefits Processing

• Review and approve payroll processing.
• Review and authorize 403(b) and 457(b) transfers.
• Participate in quarterly retirement plan committee meetings.
  
  

Department Management

• Supervise, manage, train, and conduct annual performance assessments for Finance team.
• Develop work plans and oversee the delegation of work within the Finance department.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  

Requirements

Required

• CPA (current or former/inactive).
• 8 years of related work experience managing accounting and financial operations.
• Strong experience with and demonstrated skill administering financial and business systems.
• Knowledge of financial accounting standards and procedures.
• An unquestioned track record demonstrating sound judgment, integrity, and ethics. Ability to earn the trust of others quickly.
• Ability to solve problems and work independently, handling and prioritizing multiple time-sensitive projects with a firm commitment to meeting deadlines.
• Ability to advance automation of systems and enhance procedures to deliver efficiencies.
• Strong ability to provide collaborative leadership and effective service to internal departments.
• Commitment to advancing ISGM’s strategic goals and values.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States.
  
  

Note: All ISGM positions require a pre-employment background check, which may include verification of employment history, education, financial, and criminal records.

Desirable

• Museum and/or non-profit experience.
• Takes initiative actively engaging with all levels of staff and across all programs and departments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional analytical skills and strong attention to detail.
  
  

Competencies

• Supervision
• Collaboration with colleagues beyond Finance
• Written and Oral Communication Skills
• Financial Software Administration and Data Management
• Familiarity with US GAAP, especially as it applies to Non-Profit Organizations
  
  

COVID-19 Protocols

All employees of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are required to provide their COVID-19 vaccination status. If you are not vaccinated, you will need to participate in an interactive process to request a religious or medical accommodation and to submit weekly test results, in addition to following other federal, state and CDC recommendations.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion is one of the core values we hold close to our business practices. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is committed to affording equal opportunities to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, genetics, military/veteran status, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable laws.

Request an Accommodation

Applicants with disabilities who are unable to fully access ISGM's online application system may contact us at hr@isgm.org for assistance with a reasonable accommodation.