Our School

French American International is a PK-12 independent school in San Francisco. Founded in 1962, the school is a multicultural, multilingual educational institution with over 1,100 students across an urban campus in the heart of the city. Guided by the principles of academic rigor and diversity, the French American International School offers programs of study in French and English to prepare its graduates for a world in which the ability to think critically and to communicate across cultures is of paramount importance. Our international community brings together people from many backgrounds. Together we strive to create a shared culture that develops compassionate, confident, and principled people who will make the world better.

Our Mission

Our international community brings together people from many backgrounds. Together we strive to create a shared culture that develops compassionate, confident, and principled people who will make the world better. We base our community on these values: Respect, Integrity, Inclusion, Collaboration, and Curiosity.

Opportunity

Working at French American International opens up a myriad of opportunities – both personal and professional. Critical to our Strategic Plan in creating a proud, engaged community, we appreciate our faculty and staff by fostering a community of ongoing learning, respect and collegiality and by providing competitive compensation and benefits. It is also of paramount importance to us that we continue to foster an environment of diversity, equity and inclusion as we build a school community of individuals who are an actual representation of the world we live in .

Position Overview

The Finance Controller is a key part of the business team in ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the organization, from day-to-day transactions to long-term financial strategy. We are looking for an exemplary individual to join us in this leadership role.

The Controller is a key member of the business team. You will be pivotal in ensuring the financial health and stability of the organization with functional responsibility for financial audits, accounts payable, monthly reconciliations and close processes, as well as ensuring accurate financial records and accounting policies that are consistent with school values. 

The Controller will oversee the Senior Accountant and work closely with the CFO to manage day-to-day accounting operations. 

The ideal candidate will be a representative of the school’s mission, embracing our Core Values of Respect, Integrity, Inclusion, Collaboration and Curiosity in their daily work.

Responsibilities

• Manage the timely completion of month-end close out procedures and produce journal entries including but not limited to staff salaries allocations, indirect cost allocation, month-end adjustments for prepaids and accruals. 
• Maintain control of the following areas: general ledger, accounts payable, expense reports, billing, and journal ledger. Ensure that all financial transactions are processed accurately, in a timely manner, and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
• Review and analyze monthly financial transactions and prepare budget variance, projections and forecast reports for the CFO.
• Assist the CFO in preparation of annual budgets, quarterly board reporting and forecasting of activities.
• Lead the annual audit, serving as point of contact for external auditors, ensuring that key schedules and sample selections are prepared, preparing audited financial statements, and supporting schedules.
• Lead the annual 990 processes, serving as point of contact to external preparers, ensuring all key schedules are provided, managing the review process among various stakeholders, and making sure filings are timely.
• Maintain financial systems of accounts.
• Act as backup for processing transactions related to payroll, accounts payable, revenue and expense, fixed assets, cash, bank reconciliations, and allocations.
• Conduct regular financial reviews, identifying areas for improvement and implementing necessary changes.
• Develop, implement, and maintain internal controls and financial policies and procedures.
• Provide guidance and support to the business team, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment.
• Stay up-to-date with changes in accounting regulations and best practices, and recommend improvements to financial processes.
• Supervise accounting staff as required.
• Perform any additional duties as assigned by the CFO.

Are you the right person?

If you have a track record of working in finance or accounting with schools or non-profit organizations, have strong people and project management skills with knowledge and expertise in financial and grants management, we would love to hear from you! 

Exceptional candidates who can demonstrate strong skills in most of the following areas are encouraged to apply:

• 7-10 years of finance and accounting experience, including finance, accounting, audit, grants administration and analysis.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance or equivalent related experience.
• Knowledge of non-profit fund accounting
• Familiarity with advanced accounting systems; Blackbaud, Sage Intact, etc. 
• Knowledge of other accounting systems - RAMP, Expensify, SAP Concur highly desired. 
• Past payroll experience highly desirable.
• Intermediate to advanced skills in excel to include PIVOT Tables and V-Look-ups.
• Proactive, hands-on manager who will own, in partnership with the CFO, responsibility for the business office.
• Strategic thinker who possesses solid business acumen and is able to organize and manage multiple priorities.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with both internal and external stakeholders. 
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to perform multiple tasks and meet critical deadlines while maintaining accuracy and quality.
• Proven ability to make complex and time-sensitive decisions in the best interests of the school.
• Ability to both collaborate with globally-situated diverse groups of people, and to work well independently.
• Passion for the school’s mission and values.

Work Authorization:

• Must be authorized to work in the United States

To Apply:

Please submit a resume, cover letter 

Salary Range for this position: $145,000 - $165,000 depending on experience and qualifications.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY

 French American International School is committed to providing an open, fair, inclusive, non-discriminatory environment for all individuals across differences of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, socio-economic status, ethnicity, age, physical ability, or medical condition. We seek to increase the presence, representation and inclusion of U.S. historically under-represented people of color, international, bilingual and bicultural students, faculty and staff; and, to provide an environment that will attract and retain individuals identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and intersex (LGBTQQI)