DESCRIPTION
North Cross School seeks a detail-oriented, strategic, and forward-thinking Controller to manage our business office, accounting operations, financial reporting, and compliance into an exciting next chapter. This individual will report directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The position is open immediately with a negotiable start date.
Inheriting a well-structured business office and following strong institutional governance, the incoming Controller will step into a position of strength. With record-breaking enrollment, stable financial foundations, and an agile executive leadership team, this role is a premier opportunity for a seasoned finance professional to maintain operational excellence, continuously evaluate and optimize accounting systems and accounting roles, introduce modern technologies to eliminate accounting redundancies, and enforce documented best practices across both day and boarding operations.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Accounting Systems, Role Efficiency & Technology Innovation
- Continual Accounting Systems & Role Evaluation: Regularly evaluate the efficiency, workflows, and alignment of core accounting software systems, financial tech platforms, and accounting staff roles/responsibilities to ensure optimal productivity and balanced workload distribution.
- Accounting Redundancy Reduction: Proactively identify and eliminate accounting redundancies, duplicate financial data entry, and manual bookkeeping bottlenecks across business office routines and school-wide departmental financial interactions.
- Accounting Technology Adoption: Research, vet, test, and implement accounting software applications, automated reconciliation tools, and fintech solutions as needed to maintain high accounting efficiency and leverage modern financial technology.
Accounting Best Practices, Governance & Internal Controls
- Document & Standardize Accounting SOPs: Establish, document, and maintain comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and accounting policies for the business office and across all school departments and academic divisions.
- Continuous Accounting Governance: Regularly evaluate and audit accounting workflows, approval hierarchies, cash-handling practices, and internal controls to ensure alignment with GAAP, regulatory compliance, and evolving accounting industry best practices.
- Cross-Organizational Implementation: Train and guide department heads, division leadership, faculty, and administrative staff on institutional accounting policies, expense management via RAMP, and proper financial stewardship.
Capital Projects & Fund Accounting
- Capital Project Accounting: Establish, maintain, and oversee dedicated project accounting protocols, construction budget tracking, vendor draw schedules, and financial reporting for the school's more frequent and growing capital projects.
- Endowment & Restricted Funds: Manage restricted and unrestricted fund accounting, tracking capital campaign contributions, grant funds, and annual endowment draw allocations in partnership with the CFO.
Financial Management & General Ledger Operations
- General Ledger Operations: Oversee day-to-day business office and general ledger activity, ensuring all journal entries, reconciliations, and financial records are executed accurately and efficiently.
- Accounts Payable & Vendor Operations: Direct accounts payable workflows and vendor disbursements utilizing RAMP, ensuring seamless processing, appropriate approval routing, and policy compliance.
- Financial Reporting: Prepare timely, accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in Araize Financial Software compliant with GAAP for review by the CFO.
- Payroll & Treasury: Oversee payroll and benefits accounting and daily treasury operations.
Compliance, Audit & Tax
- Audit Leadership: Lead the preparation for the school's annual independent financial audit, serving as the primary operational liaison to external audit firms.
- Tax & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure strict compliance with local, state, and federal reporting mandates, including the accurate and timely completion of IRS Form 990, 1099s, W-2s, and tax filings.
Team & Operational Leadership
- Empower Business Office Staff: Manage, mentor, and inspire the business office administrative staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, precision, efficiency, and customer service for faculty, staff, and school families.
- Board & Committee Support: Support the CFO in preparing comprehensive financial statements, schedules, and presentations for the Head of School and the Board of Trustees’ Finance and Audit Committees.
WHO YOU ARE
- Independent School / Non-Profit Experience: Proven track record of success within independent school, higher education, or non-profit fund accounting environments.
- Accounting Efficiency & Technology Mindset: Demonstrated ability to continually evaluate and optimize accounting systems, financial software workflows, and accounting team roles, with a track record of adopting modern technologies to streamline financial processes and eliminate operational redundancies.
- Accounting Process & Policy Leadership: Experience in creating, codifying, documenting, and evaluating standard accounting procedures (SOPs) and financial policies across multi-departmental organizations.
- Capital Project Experience: Experience managing capital project accounting, construction budget tracking, and draw schedules.
- Technical & Accounting Systems Savvy: Direct experience or high proficiency with core financial and accounting platforms—specifically Araize (financial software) and RAMP (accounts payable management)—along with advanced proficiency in Excel and financial data management.
- Financial Expertise: Deep working knowledge of GAAP, fund accounting rules, internal controls, non-profit tax regulations, and audit management.
- High Integrity & Discretion: Exceptional moral compass and professional discretion in managing confidential employee, student, and donor financial records.
- Exceptional Communication: Outstanding interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate complex accounting policies and financial concepts clearly to non-finance colleagues and department heads.
- Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; Certified Public Accountant (CPA) credential or Master’s degree preferred.
WHAT MAKES THIS OPPORTUNITY UNIQUE
- A Culture of Momentum: Step into a position of strength at an institution celebrating record enrollment, healthy reserves, and robust fundraising momentum.
- Capital & Campus Growth: Work within an institution that recently completed the $13M+ North Cross Legacy Campaign and continues to invest actively in growing capital improvements across campus.
- A Nimble & Innovative Environment: Work alongside a supportive CFO and collaborative executive team that actively encourages continuous accounting process improvement, financial technology innovation, and role optimization.
- The Roanoke Advantage: Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, Roanoke offers a high quality of life, a vibrant culture, and an outdoor-centric lifestyle.
ABOUT NORTH CROSS
As the premier nonsectarian, independent school in the Roanoke Valley serving over 600 students in JK3 through 12th grade, North Cross enjoys a healthy enrollment, an engaged parent and alumni community, a joyful and dedicated student body, and an outstanding teaching faculty. The school's fundraising contributes over $1,000,000 to the operational budget. Our most recent capital campaign, The North Cross Legacy Campaign, raised over $13 million, which transformed the campus with a renovated Upper School, a new Student Commons and Library, as well as an Administrative wing. A beautiful new green space in the heart of campus connects all academic divisions.
North Cross boasts a strong reputation for its impressive academic programming and robust arts and athletic programs. Foundational to the student experience is North Cross's Honor Code, its student leadership initiatives, and its international programming. As a mission-driven institution, North Cross is committed to character education and developing leaders in local and global communities. Its emphasis on global programming includes an international campus in Shanghai as well as an international and domestic boarding program located in downtown Roanoke.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter detailing their interest and fit for the role, a current resume, and a list of three professional references directly to:
North Cross School
Chief Financial Officer - Dominic Basile
North Cross School 4254 Colonial Avenue | Roanoke, Virginia | 24018
540.989.6641 |
Pay: $55,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 403(b)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
