Controller (Client Success Lead)

About this role

Role: Virtual Controller Team: Client Accounting Services Reports to: Manager, Client Accounting Services Start date: Why work with us/Summary This is an incredible opportunity for an accomplished finance professional, having held controllership or finance management experience in industry with previous audit experience. We are a CPA firm that focuses on impact over profit. We are a people-first company committed to work-life balance with very rare overtime, targeting mid- to above-market salaries. We have ambitious goals for growth, and we want the right people to join us on this journey. Who we are We’re a group of activist accountants, brought together by a shared need for purpose. Since 2008, Humanity Financial has been serving clients in the social purpose space and has grown to become Canada’s leading accounting firm doing what we do. We work exclusively with non-profits, charitable organizations, First Nation governments, and Indigenous communities. Our clients are making communities healthier, more resilient, more economically just, and environmentally sustainable. And that’s just the beginning. We exist to build financial capacity for our incredible clients – whether that is to dive in with catch-up and clean-up work, to support their funder and board reporting, or to serve as a completely outsourced finance department. Our team includes a group of talented bookkeepers, accountants, controllers, and CFOs. Though our head office is located on the traditional, shared, and never surrendered lands of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, we are a remote-first company with team members across different communities in Canada, and an extended bookkeeping team in the Philippines. Who we’re looking for We are a growing company and we’re looking for experienced controllers to join us as Virtual Controllers within our Client Accounting Services team. A detailed overview of responsibilities and duties follows: Client Reporting & Compliance: The Virtual Controller oversees a client’s daily accounting operations and ensures accurate, complete, and high-quality financial reporting. This role develops positive and productive working relationships with clients, working closely with them to understand their financial needs and develops solutions that support the achievement of their vision, mission, and purpose.

Meet with new and current clients to review and document their existing financial processes and policies, making recommendations for change where they can be improved

Review and make recommendations on how to improve the budgeting and reporting systems to improve the usefulness of the financial reporting to stakeholder groups

Review monthly bookkeeping, working papers, and journal entries prepared by bookkeepers and preparers for accuracy and completeness

Review year-end working papers and financial statements prepared by bookkeepers or preparers

Prepare more complex working papers and provide oversight and direction for bookkeepers or preparer team

Develop more complex financial reports in accounting software, and related working papers in preparation for year-end filing

Provide support, training, and direction throughout the year to our clients’ bookkeepers as required

Prepare financial funder reports for non-profit and charity clients

Monitor client compliance deadlines, including corporate tax instalments, GST returns, PST returns, all payroll-related remittances, and year-end corporate taxes

Coordinate, plan and implement (or oversee the implementation of) in scope work (ie. Budget development) so that the work of the finance team aligns to organizational timelines, goals or deliverables

Client Advisory Services: The Virtual Controller is a trusted advisor and is constantly seeking to deliver the highest level of client satisfaction. This role ensures that service quality exceeds expectations while at the same time ensuring that client engagements achieve budgeted goals/objectives.

Work with clients to develop individual and master fund/funder and program or project budgets

Generate budget-versus-actual reports and work with management to analyze the source of the variances to assist in their internal and external reporting and decision-making

Work with Executive Directors, Board of Directors, and management to develop appropriate internal controls for their organization

Help clients identify and document appropriate financial management roles and responsibilities and create financial management job descriptions

Leverage the strengths of the client’s finance team, providing training to support individuals in achieving their optimal potential and organizational goals

Work directly with external accountants and auditors to ensure a smooth and successful year-end process for clients

Work in alignment to Humanity Financial’s standard operating procedures and provide recommendations for change where the efficiency and effectiveness of internal financial systems and processes can be improved

Client Management: The Virtual Controller is responsible for client satisfaction and the day-to-day management of a client file, ensuring that services are delivered on time, on budget and within scope of the engagement agreement.

Onboard new clients

Develop, implement, and manage project plans for assigned projects

Manage and strengthen client relationships; act as the point-person for any technical accounting, compliance, or operational issues

Create ‘raving fans’ by becoming the client’s trusted advisor

Business Management: The Virtual Controller contributes to the achievement of Humanity’s business goals and objectives, and from time to time may also support business development efforts by participating in meetings with the Manager CAS around a potential engagement, or an expanded engagement with a client.

Understand, contribute to, and meet established key performance indicators and budgets for assigned client files

Recommend and implement strategies…