Controller in Livingston

Newark Academy seeks a skilled, collaborative, and highly-organized Controller to lead the school’s accounting operations and financial reporting functions. The Controller will play a central role in maintaining the integrity of the school’s financial systems, ensuring accurate and timely reporting, strengthening internal controls, and overseeing key compliance responsibilities. This role will serve as the lead on the annual audit, Form 990, and tax compliance processes, while managing accounting staff and supporting strong business office operations across the institution.

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Responsibilities:

• Accounting Operations and Reporting
  • Lead day-to-day accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, student billing, cash receipts, deposits, and reconciliations.
  • Manage the monthly close process and prepare accurate monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial reports.
  • Produce budget-to-actual reports, cash analyses, variance reporting, and dashboard summaries for school leadership.
  • Maintain the chart of accounts and ensure accurate coding and approval of financial transactions.
  • Monitor cash activity and support effective cash reporting and oversight.
• Audit, Tax, and Compliance Leadership
  • Serve as the lead on preparation for the annual financial audit, including schedules, workpapers, reconciliations, and coordination with external auditors.
  • Lead preparation of the school’s Form 990 and support completion of other required federal, state, and local tax filings and compliance reporting.
  • Maintain permanent finance files and ensure organized, timely documentation for audits, filings, and regulatory review.
  • Resolve reporting issues with applicable agencies, as needed.
  • Recommend and maintain accounting policies, procedures, and internal controls that protect school assets and support accurate reporting.
• Budgeting and Financial Analysis
  • Support the CFO with preparation and monitoring of the annual budget and ongoing forecasts.
  • Prepare monthly departmental budget reports and variance analyses for administrators and budget managers.
  • Identify trends, discrepancies, and follow-up items in a timely manner.
• Team Leadership
  • Train and support accounting staff across core business office functions.
  • Help ensure strong coverage and cross-training across payables, receivables, budgeting, and billing.
  • Promote consistent procedures, accountability, and high standards of accuracy and service within the Business Office.
  • Partner effectively with colleagues across the school to support sound financial practices and responsive service.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Master’s degree in accounting, or CPA required.
• CPA strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 5–7 years of nonprofit accounting experience, including management of accounting staff.
• Independent school or higher education experience strongly valued.
• Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting, financial reporting, audit processes, and tax compliance.
• Strong proficiency with Excel, Microsoft Office, and computerized accounting systems.
• Experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge and related systems is highly beneficial.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and ethical judgment.

Salary: Salary range $115,000-130,000. Salary is dependent on numerous factors, including but not limited to education and experience.

Benefits: Including, but not limited to: Paid time off (PTO), paid holidays, retirement, medical, dental, and vision insurance, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance as well as a variety of other benefits.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement: Newark Academy seeks and celebrates diversity in its faculty, staff and student body. In admission and employment practices, scholarship aid and educational programs, Newark Academy upholds applicable state and federal laws and regulations prohibiting unlawful discrimination.