Global Controller - Finance Accounting

<strong>Overview<br><br></strong>The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.<br><br>CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.<br><br>At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication, and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skill sets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org<br><br>CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.<br><br><strong><strong> Position Summary <br><br></strong></strong>CHAI is seeking a Global Controller to lead the organization’s core financial operations and drive an ambitious finance modernization agenda. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Global Controller will oversee global accounting and consolidation, payroll, accounts payable, and external audit and compliance functions across a 30-person team, while providing support to finance teams in 35 country offices.<br><br>This is a transformational leadership role. CHAI’s finance function is at an inflection point. The organization is implementing a new ERP system, modernizing legacy processes, and building the controls infrastructure needed to support continued global growth. The ideal candidate is not just an experienced controller but a change agent who is energized by the opportunity to build and empower a team that will redesign systems from the ground up, leverage AI and automation to improve efficiency, and establish a modern, high-performing finance operation.<br><br>The Global Controller will also set the tone for a finance organization that operates as a true service partner to the broader organization building a culture of responsiveness, collaboration, and proactive support, and serving as a trusted thought partner to leaders across CHAI’s global teams.<br><br>Base Location is flexible to countries in which CHAI operates in Africa, subject to country leadership approval and work authorization. See where we work here .<br><br><strong>Responsibilities<br><br></strong><strong> Team Leadership <br><br></strong><ul><li> Lead, develop, and manage a team of approximately 30 finance professionals across accounting, payroll, AP, and audit/compliance functions </li><li> Instill a culture of customer service across the Controller’s Office, ensuring finance is considered an accessible, responsive partner to program and country teams </li><li> Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and service orientation </li><li> Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing staff; build team capabilities to support CHAI’s evolving finance function <br><br></li></ul><strong> Financial Reporting & Close <br><br></strong><ul><li> Own the global monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, driving significant reductions in close timelines through process improvement and team development </li><li> Ensure accurate, timely consolidation and reporting across all CHAI entities in compliance with US GAAP </li><li> Build and empower the accounting team to identify and eliminate manual bottlenecks and spreadsheet-dependent workflows <br><br></li></ul><strong>Finance Modernization & Systems<br><br></strong><ul><li> Serve as a key stakeholder in CHAI’s ERP implementation, ensuring all relevant requirements are represented and that the accounting, AP, and payroll teams are prepared for adoption </li><li> Champion the use of AI-driven tools and automation across functions to improve efficiency in accounting, AP, payroll, and reporting </li><li> Drive the transition of accounts payable and payroll from email and spreadsheet-based workflows to a closed, automated system </li><li> Continuously evaluate and modernize finance processes, controls, and technology to reflect best practices <br><br></li></ul><strong>Internal Controls & Compliance<br><br></strong><ul><li> Strengthen CHAI’s internal control environment, leading remediation of existing control deficiencies and building a sustainable controls framework </li><li> Ensure compliance with US GAAP, donor requirements, local statutory requirements, and CHAI’s internal policies across all entities </li><li> Oversee the global statutory audit, coordinate country-level audits across 35 offices, and manage relationships with external auditors </li><li> Ensure tax compliance and sound legal entity management across CHAI’s global structure <br><br></li></ul><strong> Finance Operations <br><br></strong><ul><li> Ensure accurate and on-time global payroll processing every pay period across all countries, driving stabilization and improvement of payroll systems and processes </li><li> Lead the AP team through the transition from manual to automated workflows, establishing clear policies, service levels, and controls for vendor payments across all CHAI offices </li><li> Provide technical guidance, oversight, and support to finance teams across CHAI’s 35 country offices, serving as a resource and escalation point for complex accounting, compliance, and audit matters </li><li> Drive development of standardized processes, templates, and training to build capability and consistency across the global finance function <br><br></li></ul><strong>Qualifications<br><br></strong><ul><li> Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field </li><li> 12+ years of progressive accounting and finance leadership experience, including at least 5 years in a controller or senior financial management role </li><li> Significant experience in a large, international nonprofit organization with multi-country operations, donor-funded programs, and project-specific funding structures </li><li> In-depth knowledge of US GAAP, nonprofit accounting, grant/contract compliance, and multi-entity consolidation </li><li> Proven track record leading finance transformation initiatives including ERP implementations, process redesign, controls remediation, or systems modernization </li><li> Experience managing teams of 20+ people across multiple functional areas </li><li> Demonstrated ability to dramatically improve financial close timelines, controls environments, or operational efficiency </li><li> Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence across a decentralized, global organization </li><li> Enthusiasm for leveraging AI, automation, and modern tools to reimagine finance operations </li><li> Familiarity with multi-currency operations and international payroll </li><li> Experience managing or coordinating statutory audits across multiple jurisdictions <br><br></li></ul><strong><strong> Advantages <br><br></strong></strong><ul><li> CPA, CMA, or equivalent professional certification </li><li> Experience with ERP implementation or migration projects (design through go-live) </li><li> Prior work in global health, international development, or a mission-driven organization <br><br></li></ul>#jobreference4 #region1 #region2 #region3 #region4

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...