Corporate Controller

About Us

Social Finance is a national nonprofit and registered investment adviser (SF Advisers, LLC). We work with the public, private, and social sectors to create partnerships and investments that measurably improve lives. Since our founding in 2011, we have mobilized over $500 million in new investments designed to help people and communities realize improved outcomes in workforce and economic mobility, health, and housing.

We are driven by the belief that social and economic systems should enable all people to thrive, and the conviction that we can create the most meaningful and measurable change in our communities when governments and markets work together. Our organization is built upon five core values: people, performance, integrity, collaboration, and inclusion.

Our work spans four areas: Impact-first Investing, Workforce and Education Investments, Advisory & Public Sector Practice, and the Social Finance Institute. Our Impact-first Investment team designs, launches, and manages investments that provide solutions for effectively deploying impact capital across a range of social outcomes. Our Workforce and Education Investments team designs, launches and manages financial solutions focused on addressing workforce challenges, including skills acquisition and training access. Our Advisory team partners with government and philanthropy leaders to implement data-driven programs for advancing social impact. And through the Social Finance Institute, we aim to build the field and change systems through actionable research, communities of practice, and educational outreach.

The Opportunity

The Corporate Controller is the senior accounting leader at Social Finance and the Chief Financial Officer’s closest partner in running the corporate finance function. You will own the integrity of our financial reporting, and you will lead the planning, budgeting, and analysis work that shapes how the organization deploys its resources.

This role is built for someone who has a strong technical accounting foundation and now wants to spend a substantial share of their time strategically leading and planning: building the budget, running the forecast, modeling scenarios, leading a team, and helping business and operational leaders make sharper decisions with better information. You will lead and manage a team of 4, oversee an annual operating budget of approximately $30 million across multiple entities and active donations and grants, recoverable grants, government awards, and sit on the firm’s Management Team.

It is a good fit for candidates who want to apply accounting and finance expertise in a mission driven setting, and who are equally comfortable setting direction and getting the details right.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Corporate Controller leads the Corporate Finance group across planning and analysis, nonprofit accounting, tax, reporting, audit, and risk management. Responsibilities fall into four areas.

Planning, analysis, and management reporting

Lead the annual organizational operating budget process from start to finish, partnering with business practice and functional leaders to build, challenge, and finalize their plans

Own budget to actual reporting and variance analysis, including the written narrative that explains what the variances mean and what should change as a result

Build and maintain the multiyear financial model and rolling forecast, including scenario analysis for new investments, contracts, and hiring decisions

Prepare project budgets and pricing for contract and grant based proposals, and track realized margin against what was proposed

Develop recurring management reporting and metrics that give business leaders a clear, current view of their financial position

Prepare quarterly reporting materials for the Board, Finance Committee, and Audit Committee

Accounting operations and close

Oversee the finance team’s day-to-day accounting operations, covering:

revenue contracts, the production of invoices, and revenue recognition

expense contracts and commitments, with authorization protocols as necessary

timely transaction posting to the general ledger

payroll processing

monthly balance sheet reconciliations

Own the month end and year end close, and work to shorten the close calendar without compromising accuracy

Maintain accurate and timely accounting of revenues and expenditures across all lines of business

Manage all accounts and financial reporting systems to ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP

Grants, compliance, audit, tax, and risk

Oversee federal grants financial management, reporting, and compliance, including Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) requirements and the annual single audit

Monitor financial activity on grant programs and prepare expenditure reports for program managers as needed

Manage the annual financial statements audit for all entities

Manage federal and state nonprofit tax filings and registrations for Social Finance, Inc. and affiliated entities

Develop and monitor internal controls, policies, and procedures

Own the enterprise risk management function, including maintaining the organizational risk register, coordinating periodic risk assessments with practice and functional leaders, and reporting key risks and mitigation plans to the Management Team and Audit Committee

Team, systems, and continuous improvement

Lead, coach, and develop a team of 4, including goal setting and ongoing performance management

Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Corporate Finance function through better process design, fuller use of systems including Sage Intacct, Rippling, Roghnu, Power BI, Tableau, Bill.com, Expensify, etc. and thoughtful adoption of automation and AI tools where they measurably improve accuracy or free up capacity

Upgrade processes with an eye for achieving efficiency and clarity

Lead or support special projects and ad hoc analysis as needed

In your first year, success looks like

A clean financial statement audit and single audit with no material findings

A monthly close within 15 days

A rolling forecast and management reporting package that business and operational leaders use to make real decisions

At least two meaningful process improvements implemented in the close or reporting cycle

Work Arrangement

This position is based in our Boston headquarters and requires a minimum of two days per week onsite on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the balance of the week flexible.

Firm Building

The Corporate Controller is a Director level role. In addition to leading the Finance Team, every Social Finance Director serves on the firm’s Management Team and contributes to the building and development of our staff, our firm, and our field. These responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

Serving as a Development Manager to members of the Corporate Finance team members, the role at Social Finance responsible for a colleague’s coaching, goal setting, and career growth

Supporting the firm’s talent management efforts through recruiting, coaching, goal setting, mentoring, and ongoing performance management

Supporting internal capacity building efforts

Representing the firm in public forums and contributing to publications

Qualifications

Social Finance is seeking a dynamic finance leader with strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Qualifications and requirements include:

Unquestionable work ethics and focus on ownership and accountability

Degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related business field, or equivalent experience; CPA or MSA preferred

8+ years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including substantial time in financial planning and analysis: budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and variance analysis

Demonstrated ownership of an annual budget process and a recurring management reporting cycle for an organization or a subs