```Job Overview: As the leader of the finance team at the Topeka Zoo & Conservation Center, our Director of Accounting & Controller supports the organization by ensuring the financial health of the organization. We’re seeking an experienced controller to oversee this highly detailed team. The ideal candidate will have experience as an accountant, preferably in a senior role. As a strong communicator and skilled financial analyst, this individual will streamline our budgeting, payroll, tax, audit and financial reporting processes. The controller will create, manage, and analyze operations and capital improvement budgets and produce thorough financial-status reports for senior managers, CEO, and the Friends of the Topeka Zoo Board of Directors to help improve our operational efficiency and aid in our continued growth.

Essential Functions:

As the leader of the accounting team, the financial controller is responsible for closely monitoring the Friends of the Topeka Zoo’s financial health. You maintain, manage, and analyze financial statements, payroll, budgets, tax compliance issues, and more. You are looked to as the financial expert, maintaining, correcting, and producing accurate financial statements, reports, and accurate data for the Executive Board, specifically the Treasurer.

Core

· Individual streamlines our budgeting, payroll, and financial reporting processes.

· Produce thorough financial-status reports for senior managers to help improve our operational efficiency and aid in our continued growth.

• Provide comprehensive financial updates to senior managers by evaluating, analyzing, and reporting appropriate data points
• Guide financial decisions by applying company policies and procedures to current economic landscape
• Develop, implement, and maintain financial controls and guidelines
• Achieve budgeting goals with proper scheduling, analysis, and corrective actions
• Maximize payroll efficiency through innovative process development
• Help develop and support short- and long-term operational strategies
• Maintain internal safeguards for revenue receipts, costs, and team and organizational budgets and actual expenditures
• Establish financial and operating benchmarks, prepare budgets (operation, personnel, and capital), program monitoring, and reporting standards on biweekly, monthly, and annual basis
• Implement consistent accounting policies, practices, and procedures across all programs, adhering to national and local legal standards.
• Develop and enforce internal controls to maximize protection of company assets, policies, procedures, and workflows.
• Oversee and support finance manager with dynamic leadership that creates an environment of trust and productivity
• Responsible for cash management and risk management, and inventory oversight.

· Ensure that monthly bank reconciliations are complete and accurate.

• Provide financial analyses as needed, for capital investments, pricing decisions, and contract negotiations
• Annually work with outsource auditor to complete the external audit and assist with any single audit requirement.
• Monitor debt levels and compliance with debt covenants

· Comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and all tax filings

· Manage the general ledger and record journal entries as needed and make monthly adjustments to the Balance Sheet

· Manage depreciation and deferred income schedules

· Produce and insure accurate monthly financials for the CEO, Treasurer and Board before the monthly Executive Board meeting.

Qualifications: (Knowledge, Skill, and Ability)

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in business, accounting, or related financial field
• Four or more years of experience as a senior-level accounting or finance manager
• Professional certification preferred, CPA (certified public accountant)
• Three years’ experience with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
• A strong communicator and skilled financial analyst
• Strong understanding of banking processes and financial data analysis

Supervisor

• Hire, train, guide, encourage, develop, and coach staff
• Create and hold staff accountable for performance objectives that align with the overall mission and values
• Daily performance management
• Train and cross-train staff to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the Finance Department and specific tasks for their roles
• Ensure uniformity of processes, tasks, and expectations
• Provide counsel and support to staff
• Ensure issues are addressed consistently and fairly
• Leadership and mentor for staff
• Position tasks
• Oversee and manage the annual evaluation and compensation review process for staff (direct reports)
• Implement work procedures and processes to increase efficiency and productivity
• Monitor, review, and approve expense invoices
• Manage employee policies and issues
• Ensure staff coverage to meet the needs
• Regular visits with staff to evaluate day-to-day operations
• Regularly advise leadership
• Regularly represent the organization at community events and networking functions

Administrative

· Maintain and update files, and files.

· Communications (email, phone, written correspondence)

· Record expenditures and transactions

· Manager payables and bank deposits

· Provider oversight for cash handling

· Perform reconciliation processes for bank and credit card statements

· Make needed tax payments

· Conduct fund transfers as needed

Performance Measurements & Primary Accountability:

· Accurate and timely processing of work

· Collaborative relationships are developed and maintained with customers and staff (internal and external)

o Team player that accomplishes work tasks in collaboration with others

o Ability to change while accepting and supporting management decisions

· Achievement of objectives as outlined by leadership

· Arrive and depart from work timely per schedule

• Working knowledge of national and local tax regulations and compliance reporting
• Familiar with managing payroll, with focus on streamlining accounting processes
• Exemplary history of financial project management
• Familiar with grant accountability, experience with audits, and appropriate preparing and presenting budgets

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Lift and move items up to 40 lbs.
• Sit, stand, and walk for extended periods of time
• Ability to concentrate on detailed information
• Ability to work on the computer for hours at a time
• Bend, kneel, and reach items
• Frequent use of hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls
• Must be able to speak and listen effectively
• Vision abilities for close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception

· Ability to exercise care to avoid accidents.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

· Casual office setting with little discomfort due to such factors as noise, heat, dust, or other adverse factors

· This is a non-smoking work environment, including all premises and other such areas

· Travel may be required, along with that entails standard travel risks

This job description does not state nor implies that these are the only activities to be performed by the team member holding this position. Staff is required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related responsibilities as requested by management.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is possible that requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals. However, no accommodation will be made which may pose serious health or safety risk to the team member or others or which impose undue hardships on The Practice. An individual seeking accommodation should contact Human Resources immediately.

I can perform this job without accommodation

I need an accommodation to perform this job

Job descriptions are not intended to and do not create employment contracts. Team members can be terminated at any time, for any reason not prohibited by law.

FOTZ is an at-will employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $85,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience level:

• 3 years
• 5 years

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus opportunities

Ability to Relocate:

• Topeka, KS: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person