Controller

Description Are you an accounting professional who enjoys collaborating with others and making a meaningful difference in education? The J127 Education Foundation is seeking a Controller to support financial operations for the Foundation and its schools: Merritt Academy, First Steps Academy, and The Appletree School. Reporting to the Director of Finance, the Controller will take a hands-on role in managing general ledger accounting, financial reporting, and the monthly and annual close processes for our multi-entity nonprofit organization. This full-time position, based in Fairfax, Virginia, will help ensure accurate financial records, strong internal controls, and reliable information for school and Foundation leadership. You will work closely with the Finance team to prepare budgets, analyze financial results, coordinate audit schedules, and improve accounting processes that support our schools’ continued success.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year-end accounting close activities, ensuring timely and accurate journal entries, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Maintain the accuracy and integrity of the general ledger, including accruals, prepaid expenses, allocations, and adjusting entries.
• Prepare and review bank, balance sheet, and general ledger reconciliations, investigating discrepancies and resolving outstanding items.
• Maintain fixed asset, depreciation, and lease accounting schedules, including right-of-use assets and lease liabilities; reconcile payroll activity and related liabilities to the general ledger.
• Coordinate intercompany and interfund accounting, allocations, and reconciliations across the Foundation’s schools and operating funds, and maintain investment accounting entries and supporting schedules.
• Prepare financial statements and supporting reports, analyze significant fluctuations, and communicate findings clearly to the Director of Finance and school leadership.
• Coordinate preparation of year-end audit schedules and Form 990 supporting documentation, respond to external auditor requests, and assist with related adjustments.
• Partner with the Director of Finance and school leaders to develop annual operating budgets, personnel and benefit projections, enrollment-based revenue analyses, and financial forecasts.
• Prepare budget-to-actual reports, investigate significant variances, and provide clear explanations to support informed financial decisions.
• Maintain compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), nonprofit accounting standards, and internal financial policies; recommend improvements to accounting procedures and internal controls.
• Provide technical guidance to accounting colleagues, review routine schedules and workpapers, and coordinate assignments with the Director of Finance to support deadlines and appropriate segregation of duties.
• Streamline accounting processes, standardize documentation, and support special financial analyses and projects as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field required
• CPA designation required
• At least 4 years of progressive accounting experience, including substantial general ledger, financial reporting, and monthly and annual close responsibilities.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, accrual accounting, reconciliations, and financial statement preparation; nonprofit, education, or independent school accounting experience preferred.
• Experience preparing budgets, personnel projections, and variance analyses, with the ability to independently investigate and resolve accounting discrepancies.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookup functions, formulas, and financial schedules.
• Experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT or comparable accounting software preferred; familiarity with Blackbaud Tuition Management and Paylocity is a plus.
• Experience with fund accounting, multi-entity reporting, investments, lease accounting under ASC 842, independent audits, and Form 990 preparation preferred.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities and meet recurring deadlines.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and the ability to build positive working relationships with accounting colleagues, school administrators, and external auditors.
• A high degree of integrity, discretion, and professionalism when handling confidential financial and personnel information.

We seek candidates who exhibit professionalism, pride in work, initiative, a strong work ethic, and who support parents as partners in education. We support our staff’s passion for learning by providing a tuition reimbursement program as well as many professional development training opportunities. Additional benefits include:

• Competitive pay
• Health, dental and vision insurance options for eligible employees
• Vacation and sick leave
• Retirement plan with employer matching
• Life insurance
• Discounted tuition rate for child(ren) attending any J127 Education Foundation school