Controller

Brooklyn, NY

About MESA

MESA Links is a growing network of high-performing charter schools serving diverse communities across Brooklyn. Our flagship campus, Math, Engineering, and Science Academy (MESA) Charter High School, opened in Bushwick in 2013 and currently serves 500 students in grades 9–12. Since graduating our first senior class in 2017, MESA has maintained a 94% cumulative graduation rate, reflecting our students’ academic persistence and success.

Building on this foundation, MESA Links is expanding to meet rising demand for high-quality secondary education:

• MESA South Brooklyn launched in SY 24–25 with an inaugural 9th-grade class of 130 students.
• MESA East New York currently serves grades 7–8 and will open its high school campus in SY 26–27.
• MESA Alumni Lab supports 125 young adults (ages 18–24) across NYC, helping them re-engage in education and career pathways.

Over the next five years, MESA Links is projected to double in size, requiring strong financial leadership, systems, and strategic planning to support sustainable growth.

Learn more at: www.mesacharter.org

About the Opportunity

The Network Controller is the lead financial leader for MESA Links and holds ultimate responsibility for the organization’s financial health, compliance, and operational integrity.

Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Controller serves as a core member of the senior leadership team and partners closely with school leaders, network leadership, and external financial partners. This role oversees multiple legal entities and plays a critical role in ensuring both individual school sustainability and network-wide financial strength.

As MESA continues to grow, this role offers a clear pathway to becoming MESA’s first Chief Financial Officer.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, detail-oriented financial leader who can both build strong systems and translate financial data into clear insights that support decision-making at the executive and board levels.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Planning

• Develop and maintain multi-year financial models and forecasts to support long-term sustainability and expansion.
• Provide strategic financial analysis and recommendations related to growth, staffing, capital investments, and program design.
• Ensure effective stewardship of resources in service of student outcomes and academic priorities.

Budget Development & Management

• Lead the annual budgeting process for the network and individual schools.
• Monitor budget-to-actual performance monthly, proactively identifying and addressing variances.
• Oversee cash management and philanthropic grant tracking.

Accounting Operations & Internal Controls

• Establish and maintain accounting policies, internal controls, and procedures that ensure accurate reporting and asset protection.
• Ensure the organization’s Fiscal Policies & Procedures (FPP) manual is followed with fidelity.
• Partner with Charter School Business Management (CSBM) to oversee accounts payable and receivable, payroll, bank reconciliations, general ledger maintenance.
• Ensure timely month-end and year-end closes in accordance with GAAP and nonprofit standards.

Financial Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare clear, accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Present financial information in accessible language to leadership, the Board of Directors, and finance committees.
• Analyze trends and performance to support strategic planning and continuous improvement.

Compliance & Audit Readiness

• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local financial regulations, including charter-school-specific requirements.
• Lead the annual audit process across all legal entities, coordinating with external auditors and internal stakeholders.
• Manage or oversee the merger of legal entities as needed to meet compliance requirements.
• Maintain systems and documentation to support ongoing reporting and audit readiness.

Partnership & Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison to external financial partners, including CSBM, banks, auditors, and government agencies.
• Collaborate closely with school-based operations teams to ensure cohesive and efficient financial practices across campuses.

Candidate Profile

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; CPA or MBA preferred
• 10+ years of progressive experience in accounting or financial management, preferably in education or nonprofit settings
• Demonstrated success leading audits, regulatory compliance, and complex financial operations across multiple entities
• Strong technical and analytical skills, with exceptional attention to detail and a high bar for accuracy and accountability
• Ability to clearly communicate financial information and insights to non-finance stakeholders, including school leaders and board members
• Proven ability to build strong working relationships and collaborate effectively across multiple teams, campuses, and external partners
• Proficiency with Intacct, QuickBooks Online, Excel, and related financial systems; knowledge of charter school finance practices a plus
• Deep alignment with MESA’s mission, values, and educational philosophy, and a clear understanding of why resource allocation decisions matter in schools

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $160,000 – $180,000, commensurate with experience

This is a full-time position with competitive benefits.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

MESA is committed to attracting, hiring and retaining a diverse and inclusive staff. It is MESA’s policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, national origin, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status, uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.