District Partners has been retained by a mission-driven, national professional services organization to identify a Controller who will play a pivotal role in scaling the firm’s financial infrastructure during a period of meaningful growth and evolution.

This organization partners with public sector entities, foundations, and cross-sector leaders to drive measurable impact in communities nationwide. As the firm continues to transition into a more structured and scalable operating model, this hire will sit at the center of finance, systems, and operational decision-making.

This is not a “keep the books” Controller role. You’ll step into an environment where:

• Core systems are in place—but need refinement, optimization, and ownership
• Finance is expected to be a strategic partner to operations and delivery teams
• There is real opportunity to shape how financial data informs growth, pricing, and execution

The Controller will own the full accounting function while also acting as the architect of financial systems and reporting infrastructure. You’ll work closely with leadership and a fractional CFO to ensure financial data is accurate, actionable, and aligned with business operations.

This role is highly visible and will directly influence how the organization tracks project performance and profitability, aligns staffing with financial outcomes and scales efficiently while maintaining financial discipline.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who enjoys building, improving, connecting systems and not just maintaining them. If you’re a Controller who enjoys connecting accounting, systems, strategy and wants a role where your work directly influences how an organization grows, District Partners would welcome a confidential conversation.

What You'll Do:

Accounting & Financial Leadership

• Own general ledger integrity, month-end close, and financial reporting
• Ensure accurate application of U.S. GAAP, including revenue recognition and accruals
• Maintain audit-ready financials and structured close processes
• Partner with leadership on financial insights, forecasting, and decision support

Project-Based Financial Operations

• Oversee project accounting, including job costing, margin analysis, and burn rate tracking
• Translate project activity into clear financial performance metrics
• Provide visibility into profitability across engagements, teams, and service lines

Systems & Process Optimization

• Take ownership of the firm’s financial tech stack (including QuickBooks Online and project-based tools)
• Improve integration between accounting, project tracking, and billing workflows
• Identify inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions that enhance data accuracy and usability
• Build reporting frameworks that support real-time decision-making

Planning, Forecasting & Growth Support

• Develop financial models tied to staffing, utilization, and pricing strategies
• Support budgeting and scenario planning tied to organizational growth
• Ensure compliance with contract-based and grant-related financial requirements

What You'll Have:

• 7+ years of progressive accounting experience, ideally within professional services, consulting, or project-based environments
• Strong technical accounting foundation with deep experience in accrual accounting and revenue recognition
• Demonstrated ownership of full-cycle accounting and financial reporting
• Hands-on experience with QuickBooks Online and integrated financial/project systems
• Strong understanding of how labor, subcontractor costs, and utilization drive margins
• Experience building or improving systems, workflows, and reporting structures
• Ability to operate both in the details and at a systems/strategic level
• Strong communication skills—able to translate financial data into business insights

Preferred:

• CPA or advanced degree
• Experience in a mission-driven, consulting, or education-related organization
• Exposure to government or grant-based funding environments
• Experience supporting a scaling organization or operational transformation

Why This Role:

• True ownership of the entire finance function in a growing organization
• Opportunity to build and optimize systems, not inherit something fully built
• High visibility with leadership and direct impact on business decisions
• Fully remote environment with strong flexibility
• Mission-driven work with tangible real-world impact