Financial Controller

Overview

Financial Controller Jobs in United States at The Reynolds Foundation

Title: Financial Controller

Company: The Reynolds Foundation

Location: United States

Company Description

We believe that freedom is under coordinated attack – politically, culturally, and financially. And yet, it remains one of the most underfunded causes in global philanthropy. Without freedom, no other effort (e.g., climate, justice, education, equity) can truly succeed. That conviction is what led to the creation of The Reynolds Foundation (TRF): a private, family-funded foundation that is championing freedom and democracy around the world.

TRF invests in the leaders, systems, and institutions that promote, defend, and expand freedom and human dignity. We operate globally, often in complex environments, backing courageous people and organizations working to strengthen democratic resilience where it matters most.

As TRF continues to scale its direct grant-making operations, we are seeking a Controller to build and own the financial infrastructure that underpins our work – ensuring regulatory compliance, maintaining sound accounting controls, and enabling TRF to deploy capital quickly and responsibly in support of freedom.

Job Details 

TRF is transitioning from grant-making through a donor-advised fund to making grants directly as a private foundation. This shift requires robust financial systems, tight internal controls, and someone with deep expertise in the accounting and tax compliance landscape governing private foundations in the United States.

The Controller will serve as the foundation's senior internal finance resource, responsible for owning all accounting, payroll, tax filings, cash management, and financial controls. You will work closely with senior leadership and outside counsel to ensure TRF meets all obligations under IRS rules, applicable state regulations, and nonprofit accounting standards.

• Location: fully remote, with sporadic international travel for team meetings
• Salary: competitive, commensurate with in-house legal leadership

Who This Role Is For

We are explicitly looking for a technically strong CPA who is:

• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, with meaningful time in a private foundation or nonprofit setting
• CPA (active license required)
• Deeply knowledgeable about IRS rules governing private foundations – Form 990-PF, payout requirements, self-dealing rules, taxable expenditures, and expenditure responsibility for foreign grantees
• Capable of working independently, owning the books and filings with minimal oversight, and escalating to outside counsel and/or TRF’s legal & compliance team when required
• Deeply mission-aligned, with a personal commitment to freedom and democracy – not as branding, but as a strong conviction
• Comfortable operating across jurisdictions, with an understanding of the realities of cross-border grant-making

You might come from a private foundation, a community foundation, or a public accounting firm with a dedicated nonprofit practice. We want someone who already knows the rules, can hit the ground running, and will not require extensive training on the fundamentals of private foundation operations and compliance.

About the Team

TRF's operations and leadership teams function as the backbone of the organization, translating strategy into execution, ensuring disciplined processes, and maintaining real-time visibility into performance and risk. The Controller will be a core partner to this work: building financial systems and controls that match the seriousness and scale of TRF's mission. You will work closely with the COO and CEO, and partner with the Director of Legal & Compliance on compliance matters where finance and legal intersect.

Responsibilities

1) Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Own the monthly close process, general ledger, and financial statements prepared in accordance with nonprofit GAAP (ASC 958)
• Prepare quarterly financial reports for the Board and senior leadership
• Coordinate the annual audit with external auditors; prepare all required schedules and respond to auditor requests
• Maintain TRF's chart of accounts, expense allocations, and fund accounting structure

2) Tax Compliance & IRS Obligations

• Own preparation and review of Form 990-PF, coordinating with external CPA firm, if necessary, on preparation; ensuring accuracy and timely filing
• Track and forecast TRF's annual payout and distributable amount to ensure IRS payout compliance at all times
• Implement and maintain self-dealing screening protocols and taxable expenditure controls
• Manage state charitable registration and annual filing requirements across applicable jurisdictions
• Manage 1099 reporting, payroll tax compliance, and Form 990-T filings, as applicable

3) Payroll & Expense Management

• Run monthly payroll for all TRF employees and payment for contractors, ensuring accurate tax withholding, benefits deductions, and reconciliation
• Manage expense reporting and approval process, enforcing TRF's expense policy
• Lead the evaluation and selection of vendors for future payroll and expense payment operations for TRF

4) Cash Management & Vendor Oversight

• Manage TRF's operating cash pool and coordinate with the foundation's financial custodian on liquidity for grant disbursements and operational needs
• Maintain a complete, current register of all recurring vendor relationships, payment amounts, and contract terms
• Own the payment approvals workflow for key vendors (legal, insurance, technology, office) and flag anything requiring Board or CEO approval
• Oversee TRF's insurance portfolio – renewals, coverage adequacy, and claims coordination
• Prepare the annual operating budget in partnership with COO and CEO; monitor actuals vs. budget monthly

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• CPA (active license required)
• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3 years in a private foundation or public charity setting
• Deep knowledge of private foundation tax compliance: Form 990-PF, payout rules, self-dealing, taxable expenditures, and expenditure responsibility
• Mastery of nonprofit GAAP (ASC 958) and accounting
• Hands-on experience with Gusto, QuickBooks, and Expensify (or equivalent platforms)
• Experience managing annual audits and coordinating with external CPAs and tax counsel
• Ability to work independently and own the finance function with minimal oversight
• High integrity, discretion, and the ability to handle sensitive financial information with care
• A genuine personal commitment to freedom and democracy

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cross-border grant-making and expenditure responsibility requirements for foreign grantees
• Experience building finance systems and internal controls from the ground up at a growing nonprofit and/or startup
• Prior experience as the top internal finance, accounting, and tax person at a foundation and/or startup
• MBA or advanced degree in accounting or finance
• Multilingual

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

• All required IRS filings and tax forms are completed accurately and submitted on time
• TRF has clean, audit-ready books with a close process that runs on time and without surprises
• All financial systems are TRF-owned, cleanly separated, and fully documented
• Form 990-PF and all IRS obligations are met accurately and on time
• Payout tracking and self-dealing screening are systematic and proactive – not reactive
• Leadership has reliable, real-time visibility into TRF's financial position
• Finance is seen as a mission enabler, helping the organization move forward with fewer surprises

Why Join TRF

This is a rare chance to build the financial infrastructure of a fast-growing foundation investing in freedom and democracy worldwide. Your work will directly influence how TRF supports courageous people and operates with the discipline and integrity its mission demands.

If you're the kind of CPA who believes freedom is worth defending – not in theory but in practice – and you want your financial career to matter, we want to hear from you.