Global Controller

About the Global Finance Function

Evidence Action’s Global Finance team is based in Washington, DC, and supports our high-impact programs across 9 countries. Our team is committed to empowering programs to achieve their highly impactful goals by processing and recording financial transactions, providing useful insights through reporting and analysis, assisting with financial planning and budgeting, and ensuring compliance and quality financial stewardship. We operate in a nearly paperless environment, using Sage Intacct (a cloud-based accounting system), Microsoft Excel and Google Workspace.

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you would hold a strategic position at Evidence Action; responsible for managing all accounting and auditing functions that support the delivery of Evidence Action’s mission. Working with both global and country based teams, you will oversee Evidence Action’s global financial operations.

Position Location

This role can be hybrid or remote, with our preference for you to be based in Washington, D.C. This role will require ~10% travel nationally and internationally as needed.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Financial & Team Leadership

• Provide leadership to the global finance team, support to the regional finance teams, and offer strategic analysis, insights and thought partnership with the CFO to improve resiliency and sustainability.
• Lead the Global Finance team of 6, including 3 direct reports, identifying areas for growth, and effectively coach their learning. 
• With the CFO, manage cash resources and investments to ensure liquidity to meet day to day needs while earning income on surplus funds within the approved policy and within acceptable risk parameters.

2. Process & Policy Improvement

• Continuously evaluate and improve existing finance processes, systems, and structures to support internal controls.
• Manage the finance policies and handbook to ensure that policies are appropriate and being complied with by both Finance teams and staff in compliance with GAAP.
• Introduce appropriate changes to optimize the systems and improve efficiencies across evolving tools and technologies. 

3. Compliance, Audit & Reporting

• Lead the annual global audit process, liaising with external auditors, collaborating with regional finance teams to ensure successful and timely completion of annual country audits in 6 countries. 
• Manage the annual 990 tax filing process and the state charitable registrations.
• Supervise the global office’s cash management, general ledger, payroll, and periodic close functions, ensuring timely and accurate monthly closing of the accounts and preparation and distribution of GL and spend reports to programs.
• Ensure compliance with donor requirements and grant agreements by overseeing donor financial reporting, and managing donor grant audits
• Manage the global payroll function within the US and salaries paid though PEO’s / EORs.
• Support the CFO in preparing reports and financial information for the Audit & Finance Committee and Board.

Requirements

• You have 10-15 years’ experience working in a finance role within a nonprofit with a global footprint; and have at least 5 years’ leadership experience. You hold a Bachelor’s degree in a related field.

• You have led the annual audit process, the global consolidation, and the 990 filing within a nonprofit organization.
• You are familiar with accounting software (we use Sage Intacct), have intermediate proficiency in analyzing data in Excel (ex. using pivot tables, navigating complex spreadsheets, etc.) with experience leveraging technology as a tool to improve processes and drive efficiencies.
• You are a team player and can work across a matrixed environment with leadership and staff across diverse, global environments.
• You are strategic in thinking and planning; turning open ended problems into solutions.
• You can iterate in real time, employ data for decision making, and pivot where necessary to find success. 
• You have a passion for the mission of Evidence Action and for creating value in international development.
• You have experience leading teams in a growth-oriented role, with 5+ years supervising direct reports. 
• You have experience working with multi-currencies and multiple entities, and understand the management, legal, and regulatory challenges of nonprofits operating outside the US - we operate in several countries in Africa and South Asia.

About Evidence Action

Evidence Action is a global nonprofit organization with an approach distinctive in international development - we exclusively scale interventions that are backed by strong evidence and can be delivered with exceptional cost-effectiveness. Our programs have grown since our founding in 2013 to reach over 515 million people annually. We deliver high impact for every dollar spent, as recognized by GiveWell, The Life You Can Save, and Charity Navigator.

We do development differently. We take a data-driven approach to identifying, scaling, and continuously improving programs which deliver immense impact, ensuring these solutions measurably improve the lives of millions. Our Deworm the World Initiative has helped governments in Africa and Asia deliver over 1.8 billion childhood deworming treatments, improving health, education, and incomes. Dispensers for Safe Water provides sustained safe water access to over 10 million people in rural Africa, preventing childhood illness and deaths. 

We drive innovation: Our Accelerator builds the next generation of exceptional programs, taking an approach most similar to a venture capital model. We are ruthless in exiting programs which do not meet our criteria; those that advance deliver outsized impact for millions of people. 

We are global. Across nine countries in Africa and Asia, our 700+ people are united by a tremendous passion for our mission and impact. We are strong because of our diversity of experience, geography, and background - with over 90% of our people in the countries where our impact is focused. 

We have big ambitions. Over the next decade, we’re setting our sights higher: We aim to reach over 600 million people globally to fulfill our vision of a world where hundreds of millions of people in the poorest places have better opportunities and their lives are measurably improved. We believe in bold and urgent action - because poverty doesn’t wait, and neither should we. 

We need great people. Our success to date is due to the collective work of our amazing staff. To achieve our ambitious goals, we are looking for people who share our passion for evidence, cost-effectiveness, and scale. We seek individuals who take an entrepreneurial approach, enjoy tackling hard problems, and have a bias to action and results. If our vision and approach excite you as much as it does us, we invite you to join us. 

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of a U.S. employment visa at this time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. for roles based in the U.S.

Evidence Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

The expected role range for this US position is listed below. We consider multiple factors when determining the base salary for a role, including but not limited to: role scope, program budgets, internal equity, and a candidate’s qualifications and/or prior experience.

Note: Pay and benefits will be commensurate with the role specifications, local statutory requirements, and the cost of labor in the markets where we operate. 

The expected pay range for this full-time role is $145,000-170,000 per year.

For US based roles, Evidence Action provides comprehensive benefits including international health care, HSA/FSA options, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement plans with a matching component, generous and flexible leave options, as well as other employee perks on a reimbursement basis. For more information visit our careers page or ask our recruiting team!