Controller

Position Overview

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Controller to lead day-to-day finance operations, including accounting, payroll, and financial reporting. As a key financial partner and leader within the Finance team, the Controller plays a key role in supporting Board and Finance Committee presentations and collaborates closely with the Executive and Leadership teams.

This position oversees a team of three and holds functional responsibility for internal controls, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and both internal and external financial reporting. The Controller partners with the VP of Finance to develop budgets aligned with the Aquarium’s strategic direction and ensures systems and procedures are in place to support effective program implementation and audit readiness.

Beyond core financial operations, the Controller serves as a resource to program leaders—educating teams on financial processes and exploring ways Finance can better support their work. This role also collaborates with senior leadership, People & Culture, and IT to strengthen integration across Finance, HR, and technology functions.

As the Aquarium’s technical expert in GAAP, the Controller ensures timely, accurate, and compliant reporting to internal stakeholders and external partners—providing the financial clarity needed for sound decision-making and continued organizational growth.

Essential Functions

Financial Oversight & Compliance

• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, reporting systems and payroll, ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Maintain internal control and safeguards for receipt of revenue, program budgets, actual expenditures and payroll.
• Coordinate and lead preparation for all tax and audit activity, including the 990, financial statement audit, 403b audit and A-133 audit when required, with the Seattle Aquarium’s external independent accounting firm.
• Serve as the primary GAAP expert, IRS compliance expert and OMB federal grant expert, staying abreast of changes relevant to the Aquarium as they occur.
• Manage and track the performance of invested assets in keeping with policies and investment guidelines.
• Assist the VP of Finance with the annual commercial insurance renewal.

Reporting & Budgeting

• Prepare monthly and annual financial reports in an accurate and timely manner for a variety of audiences including the Finance Committee, program staff, various internal departments and external stakeholders like the bank and the City; clearly communicate variances between expectation and actual results. 
• Identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Assist The Seattle Aquarium 's leadership in the annual budgeting and planning process.
• Oversee all financial, project/program, and grants accounting. Provide financial reporting materials for Philanthropy in order to respond to government, corporate, and foundation grant reporting requirements

Strategic Collaboration & Risk Management

• Identify and communicate to the VP of Finance areas of risk.
• Support the VP of Finance in engaging the board's finance committee around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.
• Collaborate with program managers to assess the financial efficacy of program operations and establish finance and administrative systems to support program operations.
• Manage organizational cash flow forecasting by working in partnership with the program managers.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide supervision, oversight and leadership of the Finance and Accounting staff, with an eye towards opportunities for growth.
• Leverage strengths of the current Finance & Administration team members, help to adjust responsibilities as needed, and develop and implement training programs in order to maximize staff growth opportunities and reach organizational goals.
• Continuously assess and improve accounting, payroll and reporting operations for opportunities for improvement, specifically with an eye towards operational efficiency, while maintaining appropriate internal controls and balancing the need for accuracy.

Organizational Values & Culture

• Participate in advancing and integrating into their work Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

This is an extraordinary opportunity for an experienced leader with at least seven years of experience in accounting and finance—ideally beginning in accounting and audit, and progressing to roles involving the gathering, evaluation, presentation, and reporting of financial information to executive teams and external stakeholders. Experience within a complex nonprofit organization with multiple programs is strongly preferred.

Other qualifications include: 

• Proven integrity, credibility, and a strong commitment to the Seattle Aquarium’s mission; a proactive, hands-on strategic thinker who partners closely with the VP of Finance to lead financial operations.
• Experience coordinating audit activities and managing reporting, budget development, and analysis, accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments.
• A track record in grants management as it relates to compliance and reporting of government, corporate, and foundation grants is essential.
• Deep knowledge of the OMB’s Uniform Guidance and other regulations and specific compliance activities related to federal grants.
• Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; advanced knowledge of accounting and reporting software with special familiarity with online banking, MS Excel, PowerPoint and MIP.
• Committed to building and supporting a diverse team through thoughtful recruitment, mentoring, training, and delegation.
• Keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, which allows for strategic data interpretation vs. simple reporting.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to senior management, board, or other outside partners.
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including finance and non-finance managers.
• Demonstrates an understanding of the Aquarium’s mission and S.A.L.I.S.H Values, including Regenerative and Equity work.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business or related field
• Minimum seven years of experience in accounting and finance 
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) strongly preferred

Working Conditions:

• This role follows a hybrid schedule, with regular on-site presence at the Seattle Aquarium campus expected after the initial training period, which will require more frequent in-person availability.
• Work is highly collaborative in nature and requires the ability to meet in person with adequate notice and video conference via Teams on short notice.
• Occasional evening or weekend hours for special events or time sensitive deadlines such as month end close, year-end close, audit / tax prep.
• Most on-site work is performed in a typical office setting with frequent interruptions. 
• The role involves extended periods of sitting and occasional exposure to outdoor elements. The Aquarium operates across a multi-building campus with both indoor and semi-covered areas, requiring travel between locations in varying weather conditions.

Salary and benefits: 

$120,000 - $130,000/year. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.

How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.

Interested candidates should upload a résumé to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately. 

SeattleAquarium.org/careers 

Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.