Convergent Research is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that is the parent of a series of the coolest moonshot science projects you’ve ever heard of - brain mapping, non-model organisms (think microbes that pull CO2 out of the atmosphere or can scrub radiation, etc.), mapping the pharmome, investigating what proteins make up cells. We currently have an annual budget north of 30MM/year and expect this to grow. We receive private and federal grants. We track all the projects separately. We report everything on one 990. We frequently apply for new grants and report back to our funders. We also help 4 (and soon more) nonprofit biotech startups run their business.We need someone to steer the financial part of this boat. We’re looking to hire a seasoned controller to work with our external accountants and auditors. That person will get to help design a scalable system to support many future FROs, work to help coach these projects on financial literacy, and make sure that we’re super duper compliant.You are (skills)

• Detail Oriented. Unusually excited to balance things to the penny. You complete your whole checklist. You notice when your sister in law mentioned that she has an important meeting next month and you follow up after to see how it went
• Experienced with complex accounting. This isn’t your first rodeo. You have favorite stories about having multiple entities with different GL codes and different approval process. You’re comfortable with the tradeoff between different enterprise financial systems, database query tools, and spreadsheets. You’re comfortable with financial planning for 30MM+/year
• Comfortable with nonprofits. You’ve got the easy stuff down pat - filed a 990, deeply understand GAAP and have strong intuitions on nonprofit policies. You’ve also done the fun parts: budgets for a variety of funders, sponsored research accounting, grant reporting, etc
• Team player. You will need to collaborate closely with the Convergent Research operations team, individual FROs and our funders. You have a demonstrated ability to clearly communicate complicated financial issues verbally and in writing to individuals and groups at all levels within and outside of the organization.
  
  

You will (duties)

• Handle our budgets - Each program will develop its own budget. But you’ll work with our Head of Operations to develop the budget tools + processes. Then you’ll make sure that these all make it into our central platform
• Manage our finances - Oversee financing strategies and activities, cash management and banking relationships
• Oversee compliance + Controls - We don’t want to just be compliant - we want to be excellent. Work with our advisors to develop the best processes and controls and then ensure that they’re followed. This includes appropriate internal controls and financial procedures
• Close our books - Actually, we work with a team of accountants who will actually close the books. But you’ll oversee that process and make sure that all of our internal teams have the information they need
• Oversee the financial part of grants applications - You’ll put together the financial packets for grant applications (government and private.) This will include pulling relevant financial information as well as drafting appropriate budgets. You’ll likely also work with our team to negotiate indirect cost rates.
• Create financial reports - Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations and our board of directors.
• File our taxes and oversee our audit - Coordinate audits and proper filing of tax returns with our external partners. Make sure we comply with local, state, and government reporting requirements and tax filings
• Run payroll - Our HR team can help, but you’ll hit the final “go” on payroll
• Update our systems - Evaluate and implement financial systems, tools, and processes to support our growth
• Work with ops, hr + legal - We’re a small team here - you’ll likely work closely with operations, HR and legal to get things done.
• Oversee the accounting team - We use an external non-profit accounting firm. You’ll play first violin in that relationship and make sure that we’re working together well.
• Be a coach - We’re unique in that we’re actually running a series of small companies. That means that we have 5 (and soon more) executive teams who need to understand reports, update budgets and query information. You’ll be responsible for helping leaders with a wide variety of experiences - academics, executives, students, startup employees, federal program administrators etc - run their businesses! (Don’t worry, we have a whole team who does most of this coaching, but you’ll likely be our financial subject matter expert.)
  
  

In 6 months you will have (6 month goals)

• Learned a lot. We’ll get you up to date on our theories of change, what all the different programs we are doing, the history behind the company and more.
• Made key decisions. We’re doing some shuffling on the back end. You’ll walk in and right away help us choose new banking partners, new software and new systems
• Built strong relationships with our external accounting team, our CPA, our executives and the FRO leaders.
  
  

Convergent Research aims to help fill a structural gap in today's R&D system. We enable fundamental research that requires unusual levels of scale and coordination yet is not rapidly monetizable by industry. We’re bringing together top talent from academia, industry, and startups to build a new model for innovative R&D. As an incubator within the Schmidt Futures Network, we identify high-impact scientific or technical research and development opportunities, ultimately defining and launching these projects as Focused Research Organizations.Convergent Research, LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that proudly pursues and hires a diverse workforce. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion or religious belief, ethnic or national origin, nationality, sex, gender, gender-identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state, or federal law or Company policy. We strive for a healthy and safe workplace and strictly prohibit harassment of any kind.