Title: Charter School Controller

Division: School Support Office

Location: School Support Office (Richmond)

Reports to: President

Status: Full-time, Exempt, (During the Academic Year)

Salary Scale: $110,000-125,000 - Managing Director (based on years of experience and expertise)

Accounting Code:

About Caliber Public Schools

Caliber’s Mission is to achieve educational equity by shifting the experiences, expectations and outcomes for students in historically underserved communities. Our strengths-based educational program validates, affirms, respects and supports students, families and staff members to reach their full potential. Caliber graduates will be academically college ready; have emotional intelligence or ‘EQ’; be critical thinkers, and have the skills and desire to be changemakers in their communities and the world..

Caliber’s four graduate pillars-Heart, Smart, Think, Act-guide our work. Caliber teaches computer science as a core academic subject K-8th grade to directly challenge the inequitable presence of women and underrepresented minorities in the computer science industry. We are a community-based organization and celebrate the diversity of the communities we serve. Our parents are active partners; frequently engaging through school events, restorative practices, and academic support.

As we grow, we are looking for educators and leaders who want the opportunity to use their voice to build something new; to be a part of a team that's building something from the ground up. Our first school, Beta Academy in Richmond, CA, opened in 2014 and ChangeMakers Academy in Vallejo, CA opened in fall 2016. We plan to open additional schools in future years as we grow to nearly 4,000 seats TK-12 in the Bay Area.

Position Summary

The Controller will work within the Caliber Public Schools school support organization (SSO) team and will be oversee all accounting functions for Caliber’s central office, our two schools in Richmond, CA and Vallejo, CA, and 5 other schools operated by other charter management organizations that Caliber supports.

You will work alongside leaders at Caliber and the other organizations to develop and implement fiscal policies, procedures, and systems that ensure the accurate accounting of financial activity. You will oversee a team of accounting and payroll professionals who carry out day-to-day bookkeeping activity (A/P, A/R, payroll, etc.). And you will be responsible for ensuring that financial reports are created and distributed to leadership teams, and external constituents (government agencies, funders, etc.) on an accurate and timely basis throughout the school fiscal year.

This is a CFO-track role and will be an active member of Caliber’s leadership team with a seat at the table on major decisions that impact the organization and its mission.

Essential Job Functions:

The Controller will be responsible for:

Overall leadership of accounting policies and systems:

• Maintaining and ensuring adherence with the organization’s fiscal policies and procedures.
• Establishing and implementing internal controls over accounting transactions.
• Maintaining and recommending improvements to the accounting systems (e.g., Sage Intacct, Bill.com, Divvy, etc.) that are used by the accounting team and other leaders across the organization.
• Maintaining our Chart of Accounts consistent with that used by California public schools.
• Ensuring that we have consistent and accurate digital and physical files for all vendors, contractors, and funding sources.
• Acting as a primary point of contact with banking and other financial institutions.

Leading the day-to-day accounting needs of the organization in the following areas:

• Overseeing the accounting staff who are responsible for day-to-day bookkeeping activity (A/P, A/R, credit cards, bank reconciliations, etc.).
• Ensuring that all activity is booked in our accounting systems in an accurate and timely manner, with appropriate accounting objects and coding.
• Coordinating with HR personnel at Caliber and partner organizations to ensure that payroll and benefits costs are accurately recorded in the accounting system.
• Tracking revenues from public and private sources to ensure receipt of all funds due to the schools.
• Maintaining expertise regarding restricted funding sources to ensure that funds are used in a manner that is consistent with their allowable uses.
• Prepare journal entries for all non-cash accruals or other inter-divisional or inter-fund allocations.
• Maintain fixed asset ledger and depreciation schedules.
• Managing the monthly closing process, including reconciling all balance sheet accounts on a monthly basis and identifying and correcting any coding discrepancies.

Preparing periodic financial reports for Caliber and partner organization leaders and Boards, as well as external constituents, including but not limited to:

• Monthly reports for budget owners across Caliber and partner organizations to allow for proactive decision making about school finances.
• Financial variance analyses for Caliber and partner organization Board meetings.
• Expenditure reports for restricted public grants (typically quarterly).
• Triennial budget variance reports for government oversight.
• Quarterly and annual banking and debtholder covenant reporting.
• Periodic grant financial reports as required by private donors.

Leading the year-end closing and audit processes alongside Caliber and partner organization auditors.

• Track and close out end of year revenue and expense accruals to match the appropriate fiscal period.
• Ensure the successful and timely completion of audit reports for the State and information returns to the IRS and FTB.

Qualifications

Required:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years of relevant accounting &/or financial analysis experience in the non-profit or school sector
• Experience working with enterprise accounting software systems.
• Knowledge of generally acceptable accounting principles (GAPP)

Other:

• Legal authorization to work in the U.S.
• Within 60 days of hire, provision of TB (tuberculin) clearance, as mandated by the California Education Code
• CA DOJ and FBI fingerprint (Livescan) clearance prior to the first day of school
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination OR approved medical or religious exemption

Preferred:

Education:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license

Experience:

• Experience with Caliber’s tools preferred (Sage Intacct & Bill.com in particular).
• Knowledge of legal provisions governing charter school and non-profit financial transactions strongly preferred.

Skills:

• Ability to recruit, supervise, develop, and motivate a team.
• System-level thinking to take our already highly automated processes and make them even more efficient
• Strong aptitude with MS Excel/Google Sheets and ability to work in a highly automated and data driven accounting environment.
• Strong customer-service orientation and understanding of the support needs of a school environment
• Ability to adhere to strict confidentiality regarding sensitive information.

Values:

Caliber staff…

• are committed to a culture of feedback, development and continuous improvement.
• validate and affirm the identities, strengths and passions of each person.
• know that It is everyone’s collective responsibility to work in service of and alongside our school communities.
• approach situations and people with empathy and kindness.

COVID-19

Caliber Public School is committed to the health and safety of its employees, those we serve and our local communities. For this reason, Caliber requires that all employees be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Employees may also request and receive approval for an exemption from this policy. Exemptions are granted to accommodate a medical condition or sincerely held religious belief. Employee’s granted exemptions are expected to adhere to all weekly testing and safety measures.

Caliber Public Schools provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Questions? Email careers@caliberschools.org

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at careers@caliberschools.org