CONTROLLER at Childrens Law Center of California – Monterey Park, California

POSITION TITLE: CONTROLLER

Department: Finance

Reports to: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Salary: $120,000-$150,000 annually (based on experience and qualifications)

Job Snapshot

CLC is seeking a strategic and highly detail-oriented Controller to lead our Finance department. We are a 500+ employee-focused nonprofit organization with an annual budget exceeding $70 million. Reporting to executive leadership, the Controller serves as a key financial architect, providing overall supervision and strategic direction for financial and payroll operations to ensure alignment with CLC’s mission and financial goals. The successful candidate will be a seasoned leader capable of managing complex grant-funded budgets, overseeing high-level audits, and mentoring a diverse professional staff.

While this position is primarily remote, the successful candidate will be expected to be present at our Monterey Park headquarters 2-3 days per week or as needed.

Your Impact on the Mission – Excellence in Advocacy

• Leadership & Strategy: Provide overall supervision and strategic direction for the payroll team, ensuring all departmental deliveries are met with excellence.
• Team Management & Mentorship: Lead and supervise a payroll team of 3, providing consistent guidance, training, and professional coaching to both payroll and finance staff.
• Payroll Oversight: Review and approve bi-weekly payroll, lead bi-weekly payroll debrief meetings, and manage high-level relationships with Paylocity and HR.
• Budgetary Ownership: Oversee the development and management of the annual payroll and benefit budgets, including the creation of accurate and timely monthly projections.
• Financial Oversight: Ensure the accurate monthly reconciliation of all payroll and benefit-related accounts.
• Strategic Reporting: Prepare and issue monthly reports to the Executive team that provide clear insights and analysis of organizational standing, moving beyond raw data to offer actionable financial intelligence.
• Audit & Compliance: Provide lead support for special projects, including 403b, Workers' Compensation, and other payroll-related audits and projects.
• Reporting Support: Provide support for the monthly FFDRP grant billing, annual 990 tax return, and annual financial audit to ensure timely and accurate completion.
• Process Improvement: Identify and implement systemic improvements to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and compliance across all financial functions.
• Collaborative Mentorship: Lead bi-weekly debriefs and performance meetings; provide technical training to the payroll and finance teams as needed.
• Organizational Liaison: Act as the primary financial liaison between payroll, finance, HR, the grant team and external firms.
• Continuous learning: staying informed and adapting evolving social dynamics to better engage and collaborate with colleagues from all backgrounds.

The Assets You Possess/Essential Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive in nonprofit or fund accounting, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within a large organization with budgets of $50 million+.
• 5-7 years of management experience, with a proven track record of supervising and mentoring two or more staff members.
• Capable of operating with a high degree of independence, making critical financial decisions that align with GAAP, CLC’s strategic goals, and contract compliance while maintaining strict accountability for departmental outcomes.
• Comprehensive expertise in financial reporting, analysis, budgeting, financial controls, grant management, and investment/retirement administration.
• Extensive experience in payroll strategy, labor distribution, and grant-related personnel allocation.
• Advanced proficiency in Financial Edge and Paylocity is highly preferred.
• Proven ability to communicate complex financial data to the Board of Directors and diverse stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of GAAP, 403b compliance, and federal/state labor regulations.

Perks + Benefits Employees of CLC Enjoy:

Health + Wellbeing

• Employee Assistance Program
• Company-Sponsored Benefits (Medical, Dental, Life Insurance) *
• Up to 6% employer matched retirement plan*
• Generous Parental Leave + Additional Leave Options*
• Fitness/Wellness Program*
• Health Care & Dependent Day Care FSA *
• Transit + Parking Benefits *

Growth + Development

• Durfee Professional Development funds are available for all employees, in good standing, who have been with CLC for at least two years.

Flexibility + Additional

• Flexible working environment (depending on position requirements)
• Paid vacation/sick/holiday time
• CLC will pay the current year’s mandatory bar dues for all attorneys actively employed on the date bar dues are owed and who have no known plans to end employment with CLC within 30 days of the due date. CLC will also pay bar dues for new admittees who are actively employed on their initial payment due date and have no known plans to end employment with CLC within 30 days of the due date.

* Must meet eligibility requirements upon open enrollment

About CLC

CLC is the largest children's legal services organization in the nation, advocating for tens of thousands of children and youth in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Placer County foster care systems. We are a powerful voice for our clients, fighting in and out of the courtroom for family reunification, permanence, educational opportunity, health and mental health services, self-sufficiency, and overall well-being. We want all of California’s children to have the support they need to succeed. We work to accomplish this goal through direct legal representation for children, multidisciplinary advocacy and support, and public policy.

CLC recognizes the importance of bringing together a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and talents across all roles, and we encourage candidates with varied backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. CLC is committed to fair and welcoming practices in recruitment, hiring, promotion, and retention.

Equal Employment Opportunity Commitment : All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, individual with disability, medical condition, marital status, ancestry, military status, veteran status, protected veteran status, genetics or any other legally protected group status or non-job related characteristic of an individual as directed by law.

Equal Employment Opportunity—Reasonable Accommodation Assistance: Children’s Law Center of California is committed to maintaining an environment of equal opportunity. If you need a reasonable accommodation to access the information provided by this organization, please contact HRdepartment@clccal.org further assistance regarding job postings.