Financial Controller

Status: Full-time

Locations: Alsip and Chicago Heights offices

Who We Are

At Sertoma Star Services, we're on a mission to empower individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and those living with mental illness to reach their goals and lead fulfilling lives. With a strategic presence in South Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, we proudly serve over 2,000 consumers through a diverse range of vocational, educational, therapeutic, and residential programs.

Sertoma Star Services’ roots trace back to the merger of two dynamic social services organizations, New Star and Sertoma Centre combining over 125 years of expertise in providing cutting-edge, person-first services. Our united commitment is straightforward: to transform lives through delivering comprehensive services, choices, and opportunities to those we support in an environment that promotes self-advocacy and personal success.

By joining the Sertoma Star Team you will have a unique opportunity to challenge limits and change lives. Together, we can shape a brighter future for those we serve.

Your Role

As the Controller, you will lead and oversee the organization’s accounting and financial activities, ensuring alignment with the agency’s mission, vision, and values. You will collaborate with leadership to develop and execute financial strategies, manage budgets, and support organizational goals. Key responsibilities include assessing financial performance, maintaining effective accounting systems, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and managing cash flow and payroll functions. You will oversee the preparation of financial statements, audits, and reports while providing insights to guide decision-making. Additionally, you will play a vital role in maintaining accurate client and agency financial records, managing expenditures, and supporting operational success through thoughtful financial stewardship and strategic planning.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight of all accounting and finance activities. Responsible for executing the initiatives that support the mission, vision and values of the agency.
• Assess and evaluate the overall financial performance of the agency with regard to short-term and long-term operational goals, budgets and forecasts; provide insight and recommendations to Chief Financial Officer.
• Assist with the development of effective accounting systems, policies and procedures for agency wide accounting and financial operations, ensuring application of appropriate internal controls and requirements of applicable licensing, funding, accreditation and other state/federal regulatory agencies.
• Collaborate with agency leadership to establish the organization’s financial goals and annual budget. Ensure department goals and yearly financial objectives support the mission, vision and values of the agency and are executed as defined by the strategic plan.
• Assist with the development of the annual operating budget for the agency and related entities, including departmental cost centers in conjunction with the Chief Financial Officer and other agency staff. Ensure agency is operating within established budget, closely monitoring and managing expenditures and overseeing variance analysis of departmental spending.
• Oversee the timely preparation and communication of financial statements for submission to administration, Board of Directors, Funders, Foundations and required governmental agencies.
• Oversee the month-end close process, including general ledger accounts, balance sheet accounts, and overhead cost allocation.
• Serve as a key point of contact for all auditors; responsible for preparation for year-end analyses and coordination of audit.
• Oversee cash management and prepare weekly cash management report for review by the Chief executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer.
• Oversee the Payroll function.
• Work in conjunction with other management staff to maintain inventory and depreciation schedules for all agency assets.
• Oversee the Client Accounting function including Representative Payee Accounting and Client Payroll ensuring funds are managed according to each client’s needs and preferences in conjunction with established care plans, family members, and relevant stakeholders input.
• Ensure the proper functioning of all accounting systems, databases and financial software. Provide regular maintenance and backup of all accounting systems as needed.
• Active participant in Agency committee’s and with external meetings and conferences.
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting required; Master’s in Accounting, MBA and/or CPA preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of work experience, including experience in managing all accounting functions and systems.
• Minimum of three (3) years’ experience in managing and supervising staff and multiple aspects of the accounting and financial functions of a company/agency. Experience in not-for-profit agency desired.
• Successful experience in working in a highly organized, goal-directed team environment. Ability to adapt to change while managing multiple demands.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, with ability to relate to others effectively.
• Effective leadership, supervisory and organizational skills.
• Employee is required to remain compliant with all state/federal, position, agency, accreditation, and funding source training/licensing requirements including but not limited to CPR and First Aid post hire.
• Employee is required to possess the skill and ability to utilize all applicable technology and computer programs related to his/her position. High proficiency in use of computers in the accounting/financial functions.
  
  

Benefits

• Generous paid time off
• 13 Paid holidays
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance Plans
• Employer Paid Insurance: Basic Life/AD&D and Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• 403(b) with company match
• Tuition assistance
• Eligibility for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
  
  

Health, Safety, and Culture

Sertoma Star is an equal opportunity employer that embraces the uniqueness of every person. Sertoma understands that in order for you to work effectively and be an advocate of inclusivity, we must foster an environment that is respectful and sensitive to persons of all gender identities and from every cultural, socioeconomic, ethnic, religious, and racial background. Our open-door, team-building concept supports both agency goals and employee success.