Controller

Community College Preparatory Academy

Controller

Department: Finance And Compliance

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer

Status: Full-time; exempt

Location: Washington, DC / campus based

Salary band: $110,000–$140,000 annually

Supervisory responsibilities: Directly supervises the Business Manager and other assigned finance staff, subject to the Chief Financial Officer’s final assignment of duties.

Our mission

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Community College Preparatory Academy (CCPrep) creates an innovative and rigorous learning environment for adults who are under-credited or have aged out of traditional K–12 pathways. We respond to each learner’s strengths and barriers while preparing students for employment, postsecondary education, industry credentials, and lifelong learning.

The opportunity

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Protect CCPrep’s mission through accurate accounting, disciplined internal controls, timely reporting, and financial information leaders can trust.

Why this role matters for students

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Sound financial stewardship keeps resources available for instruction and student support, helps prevent disruption, and gives the Board a clear view of sustainability.

Cognia connections Culture of Learning, Leadership for Learning, Engagement of Learning, and Growth in Learning | Standards 2–3, 5, 11, 15, 17, 24, 26–27. These responsibilities apply within this position’s assigned authority.

Essential responsibilities

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• Lead general ledger, month-end and year-end close, reconciliations, accounts payable/receivable, payroll accounting, and cash controls.
• Prepare accurate financial statements, budget-to-actual reporting, forecasts, and supporting schedules in accordance with GAAP and charter school requirements.
• Maintain internal controls, accounting policies, chart of accounts, and segregation of duties appropriate to organizational scale.
• Coordinate audits, tax filings, grant reporting, and documentation requests.
• Review restricted funding, contracts, purchasing, capital assets, and revenue recognition for appropriate treatment.
• Supervise finance staff and strengthen financial workflows, documentation, and quality review.
• Partner with program leaders to connect spending and resource recommendations to documented learner needs, access barriers, and approved instructional improvement priorities.
• Provide reliable cost and resource data for program reviews and improvement decisions; explain financial constraints and options without substituting cost measures for learning outcomes.
• Track approved funding for instructional materials, digital access, assessment, and learner interventions; identify processing delays or restrictions that could interrupt learning.
• Collaborate with academic and operational leaders to maintain financial processes that support learners and staff reliably through changing conditions.
• Use documented learner needs and institutional priorities to inform equitable recommendations for human, material, digital, and fiscal resources.
• Administer and continuously improve the financial-system environment—including QuickBooks, RAMP.com, banking and card platforms, payment services, payroll interfaces, and grant-reporting portals—with documented approvals, segregation of duties, reconciliations, access controls, and reliable audit trails.

What strong performance looks like

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• Monthly close and reconciliations are completed within the approved calendar with immaterial unresolved items.
• Financial reports are accurate, consistent, and decision-ready for management and the Board.
• Audit and filing requirements are met on time, with corrective actions tracked to closure.
• Cash, restricted funds, payroll, and significant balance-sheet accounts are actively monitored.
• Specific annual targets and milestones will be established for this position’s performance plan that aligned with the approved school operating plan.
• Resource reports allow leaders to assess whether approved funds reached priority learning and support needs in time.
• Program reviews receive accurate cost information and documented resolution of financial barriers within the role’s authority.
• Budget and service records connect resource decisions to learner needs, instructional priorities, operational continuity, and timely resolution of barriers.
• Financial platforms reconcile to the general ledger and approved source records; user access and payment authority are current, and exceptions are resolved within established close and reporting timelines.

Minimum qualifications

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• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a closely related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or an equivalent combination of education and directly related experience.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience, including project, program, or staff leadership.
• Demonstrated skill with data, documentation, cross-functional communication, and service-oriented problem solving.

Preferred qualifications

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• Advanced experience with QuickBooks Online and electronic payables, banking, card, payroll-interface, and grant-reporting systems such as RAMP.com and EGMS, or comparable platforms.
• CPA or active progress toward CPA.
• Nonprofit, grant, education, or public-funds accounting experience with strong knowledge of GAAP.
• Graduate degree or recognized professional certification related to the function.
• Experience in adult education, workforce development, public charter education, or a nonprofit setting.
• Experience establishing practical controls, dashboards, and continuous-improvement workflows.

Core ways of working

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• Centers adult learners, values their backgrounds and abilities, and respects their voice and choices.
• Communicates clearly, follows through, and raises risks early.
• Uses evidence, protects confidentiality, and documents work so others can rely on it.
• Collaborates across units and uses resources responsibly.
• Uses feedback and role-appropriate evidence to test improvements, apply professional learning, and review results.

Work environment and essential capabilities

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Primarily campus and office based, with sustained computer use and frequent interaction with staff, students, vendors, or partners. Some evening, weekend, or off-site work may be required. Essential duties must be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

Application and employment conditions

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To learn more and apply, visit ccprep-academy.org/careers/. Questions or accommodation requests may be directed to (202) 770-3252.

CCPrep provides equal employment opportunity without regard to any characteristic protected by federal or District of Columbia law. Qualified applicants and employees may request reasonable accommodation for the application process or to perform essential job functions.

Any required background, credential, driving-record, or employment-history review will occur in accordance with applicable law and at the appropriate stage of the hiring process. Employment may be contingent on satisfactory completion of job-related screening.

This description identifies the role’s principal responsibilities and essential functions. It does not create an employment contract and may be revised to reflect lawful, mission-related organizational needs. Related duties may be assigned when consistent with the role’s purpose and qualifications.