Controller, Finance

About Music Will

Music Will runs the largest nonprofit music education program in the U.S. public school system. We transform lives by transforming music education.

Using genres including rock, pop, Latin, and hip hop, our program empowers teachers to build music programs as diverse as the kids they serve. As a result, students see themselves reflected in their classes, which strengthens their connection to their school, their peers, and their community. Music Will also donates necessary instruments and curriculum, meeting a key need of many school music programs. 

Since 2002, Music Will has served more than 1,800,000 students in more than 6,000 schools in over 1,000 cities and communities across 50 states with highly inclusive and culturally responsive music education. Today, over 1 million kids currently participate in Music Will programs, and we’ve set an ambitious goal to serve 11 million students annually by 2030. Learn more here: www.musicwill.org. 

Summary of the Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Chief Finance & Operating Officer (CFOO), the Controller is the organization's senior hands-on accounting leader, responsible for the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of Music Will's financial reporting and accounting operations.

The Controller will own the monthly close, maintain strong accounting processes and internal controls, oversee cash-flow reporting and forecasting, support budgeting and rolling forecasts, and manage the annual audit and related financial reporting requirements. The role will ensure compliance with GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards, including restricted revenue, grants, and revenue recognition.

This role will also serve as a practical business partner to department leaders, translating financial information into clear, useful insights while supervising and developing the team member responsible primarily for accounts payable and accounts receivable.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the monthly close process, ensuring accurate and timely recording, reconciliation and reporting of financial transactions, including cash activity, pledges, journal entries, accruals, restricted funds, and grants.
• Ensure accounting practices and financial statements comply with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and applicable nonprofit accounting standards, including revenue recognition, restricted contributions, grants, and functional expense reporting, while maintaining accurate financial documentation, established accounting policies, and a strong internal control environment.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger, chart of accounts, and subsidiary ledgers while administering and continuously improving Sage Intacct and related accounting processes, systems, and controls.
• Develop and maintain cash-flow reporting and a rolling 13-week cash-flow forecast to support liquidity and cash-management decisions.
• Lead monthly financial forecasting and update full-year revenue and expense projections in partnership with the CFOO and department leaders, including collaboration with the Development team on fundraising projections, grants, and restricted revenue.
• Partner with department managers to review monthly budget-to-actual performance, understand variances, and update projections.
• Lead the annual organizational budget process, including developing templates and assumptions, consolidating departmental budgets, and preparing financial reports for review.
• Ensure accurate and timely preparation of monthly financial statements and reports, including maintaining supporting financial documentation and preparing workpapers for the annual external audit and Form 990 preparation.
• Manage the annual external audit process, including preparing audit schedules and supporting documentation, coordinating with external auditors and finance partners, responding to audit requests, and tracking audit recommendations to ensure timely resolution of findings and implementation of process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with applicable financial and regulatory requirements, including annual charitable registrations, federal and state tax-exemption requirements, and sales and use tax obligations, coordinating with external partners as appropriate.Maintain and strengthen accounting policies, financial documentation, and internal controls while identifying financial risks and recommending practical process improvements.
• Supervise and develop the Operations Coordinator responsible primarily for accounts payable and accounts receivable activities.
• Provide clear financial analysis, reporting, and insights to the CFOO, department leaders, and Finance and Audit Committee to support informed organizational decision-making.

Skills, Experiences, and Qualifications

About You

Strong candidates will bring a diverse set of skills, characteristics, and experiences, both professional and lived. At Music Will, we strive to mitigate inherent biases that influence hiring practices by focusing on a holistic view of potential candidates and understanding that no single candidate will offer every desired skill and characteristic.

The ideal candidate would be described as:

• A hands-on accounting leader who balances attention to detail with an ability to understand and communicate the broader financial picture.
• Mission-aligned, relationship-oriented, and committed to fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment.
• A clear and proactive communicator who listens actively and can translate complex financial information into accessible, actionable insights.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and dependable, with the ability to establish structure, maintain accuracy, and promote accountability.
• A practical and solutions-oriented problem solver who identifies opportunities to strengthen financial processes and improve efficiency without unnecessary complexity.
• A supportive and accountable people leader who values mentorship, professional development, and building strong working relationships across teams.
• A service-oriented professional who understands that finance is a support function dedicated to serving and empowering the needs of staff across the organization.

Required Skills and Experiences

• 7-10 years of progressive accounting and finance experience, including significant nonprofit accounting experience.
• At least 3 years of management and/or leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP and not-for-profit accounting, including restricted contributions, grants, revenue recognition, and functional expense reporting.
• Demonstrated ownership of monthly close, reconciliations, financial statement preparation, and general ledger integrity.
• Experience managing an annual external audit and preparing audit schedules and supporting documentation.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash-flow modeling, and budget-to-actual analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective internal controls and accounting policies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance audiences.
• Proficiency with accounting and financial systems and Microsoft Office/Google Workspace, particularly Excel/Sheets.
• Experience specifically with Sage Intacct.

Preferred Skills and Experiences

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field.
• CPA or other relevant accounting certification
• Experience specifically with Quickbooks and Bill.com.
• Experience with Salesforce or another CRM and with finance/CRM integrations.
• Experience supporting charitable registrations, sales and use tax compliance, and Form 990 preparation.
• Experience working in a national, remote nonprofit organization.
• Passion for music, music education, or youth development.

Compensation

The starting salary range for this position is $114,506-$121,241 per year. Music Will is committed to offering a competitive and equitable compensation package that reflects our values, supports our team, and aligns with our organizational compensation philosophy. 

Salary ranges are established based on market benchmarking and internal equity across roles at similar levels. To support internal equity and consistency, compensation decisions are made within this framework and are not negotiated outside of the defined salary range.

New hires are typically placed between 85% and 90% of the salary range, depending on relevant skills, qualifications, and directly applicable experience. While starting salaries are determined within this framework, employees have the opportunity to grow within their range over time through performance-based increases and organizational adjustments, and into new salary bands through promotions.

Benefits

• Benefit package (medical, dental, vision), up to 100% paid for employee coverage
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account options
• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance
• 403(b) Retirement Savings Plan with 3% match after 90 days of service
• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program
• Discretionary Time Off policy, 10 paid holidays, and company-wide office closure from December 24 through January 1
• Flexible work arrangements
• Monthly remote work stipend
• Employee Music Enjoyment stipend

Additionally, we provide employees with a laptop, monitor, docking station, and peripherals for business use.

Location and Travel

This is a full-time position, based remotely. Occasional travel will be required, including being on site for Music Will's annual Benefit event each spring, the annual Modern Band Summit each summer and our annual staff retreat.

You must reside and be authorized to work in the United States to be considered for this position.

Working at Music Will - Our Workplace Values

Our organizational values are our fundamental beliefs and guiding principles that shape our culture, influence our decision-making, and define how our team interacts, works, and leads. Our values are:

• Belonging: We create welcoming spaces of acceptance and forge authentic relationships.
• Integrity: We act with transparency, consistency, and accountability, upholding our commitment to youth thriving.
• Growth: We embrace curiosity, reflection, and creativity to promote personal and collective development.
• Joy: Together, we build a culture that inspires and promotes well-being and fun.

Music Will is committed to recruiting and maintaining a diverse staff; individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We promote a healthy and safe workspace as we work together to foster success for generations to come. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, parenthood, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

This employer participates in E-Verify.

Applications will be accepted until November 13, 2026.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications. These tools assist our team but do not replace human judgment – final hiring decisions are always made by people. For more information about how your data is processed, please contact us at [email protected].