Interim Controller
Employment Type: Contract (6 months)
Location: Toronto, ON (2 days in office)
Rate: $65 - $75/hr
Industry: Not-for-Profit
Position Type: Existing Vacancy
---
About the Opportunity
Our client, a not-for-profit organization, is seeking an experienced Interim Controller to stabilize and elevate their finance function during a critical transition period. Reporting to the Senior Director, you will step into a complex, high-volume environment with outdated practices, limited documentation, and significant backlog in reconciliations and month-end close activities.
You will lead the close of the December year-end and audit, shorten the month-end timeline, clear outstanding reconciliations, and build a reliable forecast process. This is an opportunity for a seasoned, hands-on Controller to bring structure, process discipline, and pragmatic automation to a legacy organization that is ready for change.
---
Key Responsibilities
- Take ownership of the full-cycle accounting function and act as Interim Controller
- Lead the completion of the December year-end, including preparation for and coordination of the external audit and related filings.
- Drive the month-end close process, reducing the close timeline and ensuring accuracy and completeness.
- Clear the backlog of bank and other key account reconciliations.
- Assess the current finance processes, documentation, and controls; identify gaps and implement practical improvements and interim workarounds.
- Develop, implement, and maintain a rolling forecast to monitor financial performance, including addressing the prior-year deficit and providing better visibility to leadership.
- Utilize existing systems effectively and recommend enhancements or process changes to optimize their use.
- Prepare, review, and refine financial reports and analysis for management and the Board as required.
- Bring discipline to documentation by creating or updating SOPs, process maps, and accounting policies where none currently exist.
---
What You Bring
- Extensive experience as a Controller or Senior Finance Consultant, ideally with hands-on ownership of full-cycle accounting, year-end, and audit processes.
- Strong background in not-for-profit or membership-based organizations, with familiarity in NFP accounting and related compliance considered a strong asset.
- Demonstrated success working in ambiguous, under-documented environments where processes are manual, inconsistent, or not standardized.
- Proven ability to manage and reduce lengthy close timelines and clear significant reconciliation backlogs involving thousands of transactions.
- Solid technical accounting skills, with experience preparing and reviewing reconciliations, journal entries, and financial statements.
- Practical experience with Microsoft Dynamics and strong Excel skills
- Track record of identifying opportunities for automation and process improvement, and implementing pragmatic solutions and workarounds.
- Experience developing and maintaining financial forecasts and monitoring performance for organizations that have recently operated in deficit.
- Comfortable working in a high-change environment, including team turnover and leadership transitions, while maintaining stability in financial operations.
- Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with stakeholders across finance and operations, as well as support hiring and transition to a permanent Controller.
- Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves mindset with the ability to “hit the ground running” and quickly add value.
---
Next Steps
We do appreciate all interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Clarity Recruitment is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible recruitment process and workplace. If you require accommodation, please let us know in advance and we will work with you to meet your needs.
Please note: We use AI-assisted tools for notetaking during the screening process.
---
About Clarity Recruitment
Clarity is an executive search and recruitment firm specializing in Finance & Accounting talent across Canada - from accountants to CFOs. Additionally, Clarity partners with organizations to hire exceptional talent in HR, Operations, and IT, helping build the teams that power business success. Our process is designed to minimize risk, maximize alignment, and move quickly. With dedicated practices in Executive Search, Full-Time Search, and Project & Interim Consulting, we help organizations grow with confidence. Visit findingclarity.ca to learn more!
JOB ID 3545054