Controller

About Portledge School:

Portledge School was founded in 1965 and is located on the beautiful North Shore of Long Island. Approximately fifty minutes (28 miles) from NYC by train, Portledge is nestled on a pastoral 63-acre tree-lined campus that is known for its cherry blossoms in spring.  Enrolling approximately 535 students in grades PN-12, Portledge offers a competitive college preparatory program in a warm, inclusive community. We seek to inspire our students to realize their individual potential by developing critical thinking skills and moral courage necessary for lifelong learning in an increasingly complex world. Portledge is fully committed to a culturally diverse faculty and student body. 

Job Description:

This is a full-time, 12-month position reporting to the Chief Financial Officer. 

Core Responsibilities:

• Oversee and assist in the day-to-day operations, including accounts payable/receivable, general ledger entries, bank reconciliations, and payroll processing to support the school mission on a daily basis

• Prepare quarterly and annual financial statements including balance sheets, income statements, and statements of cash flow for internal and external constituents. 

• Provide monthly budget variance reports to department and section heads. 

• Prepare and file all NYS reporting, including BEDS, Mandates Services, MST Grants and ATM Grants annually.

• Stay abreast of all changes in NYSED regulations, reporting requirements and grant offerings.

• Manage the audit process, including coordinating with the external auditors and providing necessary documentation.

• Assist External Auditors with 990 preparation

• Ensure compliance with all applicable accounting standards and regulatory requirements (e.g. GAAP, FASB, NYSED, and/or local regulations)

• Attends SLT administrative meetings

• Prepare financial dashboard for Finance Committee and Board reporting

• Develop and maintain strong internal controls to safeguard the schools assets and update the business office policies and procedures manual as needed.

• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to school leadership on key business decisions.

• Attends special events held by the school

• Promote the school to all constituents wherever possible

• Maintains a professional relationship with vendors, bankers, and other external stakeholders and be a positive role model for students.  

• Serve on ad hoc board task forces/committees, if asked to do so

• Maintain familiarity with all school rules and policies, organizational structure, and terms of employee contracts (as outlined in school publications)

• Serve on school planning committees and task forces when asked to do so

• Prepare all NYS reporting requirements 

• Respond to all communications within 24 hours by the same format communication was initiated

Additional Responsibilities:

• Compile and supervise all parental communication regarding financial matters

• Reconcile accounts on a monthly basis

• Supervise Auxiliary Program Director and Portledge Bookstore

• Preparing and filing state sales tax returns.

• Is accountable to the school head and works with appropriate board committees

• Manage the school’s resources in a prudent and careful manner consistent with the mission and goals of the school

• Understand and support the mission standards and policies of the school; contribute to their  formulation and evaluation; is able to interpret them to others

• Conduct oneself with honesty, integrity, and dignity in managing the school’s resources and encourage integrity in colleagues, vendors, parents and students.

• Attend all regular business meetings of the board of trustees in order to provide complete and accurate financial information as necessary to assist the board in meeting its fiduciary 

• Oversee and maintain school checking accounts and provide up-to-date reports on the accounts to appropriate school personnel

• Protect the school by advising the risk management committee; maintains adequate liability, professional and casualty insurance; conserves financial and other school resources; and seeks legal and other counsel as necessary

• Works with the HOS and CFO to prepare and monitor the annual budget in a way that best balances and serves the needs of the school

• Responds promptly to parent inquiries about student accounts

• Is aware of possible conflicts of interest that may arise in conducting the school’s business and refrains from accepting duties, incurring obligations, receiving gifts/favors of monetary value, or engaging in private business or professional activities where there is a conflict between the Chief Financial Officer’s private interests and the interests of the school

• Serve on the finance committee

• Work with the Director of Development and Associate Director of Development to ensure all donations are properly recorded. Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or related field preferred

• Financial management experience within an educational institution or organization preferred

• Ability to anticipate project needs, discern work priorities, and meet deadlines with little supervision

• Familiarity and enthusiasm for the school’s mission

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; detail-oriented

• Desire to be part of a collaborative team with the capacity to work well individually

• Exceptional initiative, work ethic, and self-accountability

• Ability to comfortably, warmly, and effectively engage with large and small groups of adults and/or students in professional or social settings

• Belief in the value of all types of diversity with a commitment to social justice and equity

• Anti-racism/anti-bias training preferred

• Knowledge of Blackbaud Financial Edge, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides

Salary Range: $115,000 - $130,000

Salary : $115,000 - $130,000