About Achievement First

Achievement First (AF) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supporting 39 public charter schools across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. For more than 25 years, AF has been recognized as one of the top tuition-free public charter school networks in the country. We are committed to creating schools of academic excellence within nurturing environments — schools that prepare students to be college-ready and to pursue and succeed in whatever paths they choose in life.

The majority of AF students are Black and Latinx children from low-income families, many of whom will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Across our network, we employ more than 2,200 staff members — 64% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color — who collectively educate nearly 15,000 students in Brooklyn and Queens, NY; New Haven, Bridgeport, and Hartford, CT; and Providence and Cranston, RI.

Our mission is to prepare every student to excel in college, career, and life; deepen their understanding of self and community; and lead lives of purpose. We believe in the limitless potential within our students and their power to shape a more just society. That belief drives our deep commitment to student achievement: we aim to set a high bar for learning and create warm, demanding classrooms where rigorous instruction is paired with the care, encouragement, and consistency every student deserves.

We are looking for a strategic and dynamic Controller to join our Finance team.

Your Impact

The Controller provides strategic and operational leadership for Achievement First’s Finance team. This role oversees accounting, payroll, accounts payable, and compliance functions, ensuring financial integrity across all schools and the network organization. The Controller serves as a key partner to the CFO, providing timely, accurate, and transparent financial reporting, managing audits, and ensuring adherence to GAAP and all regulatory requirements. The Controller also drives continuous improvement in financial systems and processes to support Achievement First’s mission and growth.

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer you will be responsible for:

Team Management

• Lead and manage the Finance and accounting teams, overseeing performance management, professional development, and team goal-setting.
• Clarify roles, responsibilities, and growth opportunities for team members; strengthen both technical and adaptive skills.
• Maintain and enforce accounting policies and procedures across all entities, ensuring compliance at school and network levels.
• Oversee annual independent audits, aiming for unmodified opinions without findings.
  
  

Accounting Leadership

• Direct all accounting operations, including accounts payable, receivable, payroll, debt, and lease management.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP and regulatory requirements across accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems.
• Manage the monthly and annual close processes, reporting calendar, and timely reconciliations.
• Oversee grants and program accounting, ensuring expenditures align with budgets and compliance requirements.
• Maintain the chart of accounts and document retention systems.
• Serve as advisor to the CFO on financial systems and process improvements.
  
  

Financial Reporting

• Produce timely and accurate financial statements, reports, and dashboards; communicate findings to CFO and senior leadership.
• Provide cash flow reporting, forecasting, and cash management solutions across all entities.
• Ensure accurate, timely submission of local, state, and federal reports and tax filings.
  
  

Audit & Compliance Management

• Manage and coordinate annual external audits, AUPs (agreed-upon procedures), and all regulatory reviews.
• Prepare and oversee tax filings, including IRS Form 990, Form 720, and others as required.
• Monitor emerging regulations and proactively manage compliance risks.
  
  

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• Licensure: Certified Public Accountant (CPA) required.
• Experience:
• Significant experience in public accounting.
• Prior experience as a Controller or equivalent leadership role strongly preferred.
• Knowledge & Skills:
• Deep technical knowledge of accounting, audits, GAAP, and compliance.
• Proven leadership and people management skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication abilities.
• Experience with grants management and nonprofit finance preferred.
  Alignment with Achievement First’s mission and values.
  
  

Travel Expectations

This is a hybrid role. The expectation is that the person in the role would be able to come into the Network Support office (NYC, CT, or RI) two to three days per week, plus additional travel to regions outside your home region. This role requires regular in-person presence at schools and/or offices across the region. Achievement First does not provide relocation assistance for this position.

On-site and travel expectations may evolve as organizational needs change.

Compensation

Achievement First sets salaries are set through a lens of equity, and based on the requisite skills, education, and experience relevant to the role. The salary for this position is $170,258. In order to uphold our commitment to equity, Achievement First does not negotiate pay. Additionally, Achievement First offers to all regular, full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes paid time off, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match, and paid Family Leave.