Controller

About the role

At Island Health, you'll play a vital role in supporting our mission to care for those who care for others. As our Controller, you will lead the hospital's accounting operations and ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the organization's financial records and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Supervise all accounting staff, including Account Payable Coordinator, Payroll Coordinator, Staff Accountant, and Senior Accountants, providing functional leadership to finance operations processes.
• Financial Reporting, Close, and GAAP Compliance: Lead monthly, quarterly, and annual close to produce timely, accurate, and complete financial statements in accordance with GAAP and applicable state/federal requirements.
• Oversee general accounting activities including general ledger, revenue recording, accounts payable/receivable support, and related reconciliations.
• Ensure consistent application of accounting procedures and effective bookkeeping practices across the department.
• Analyze complex financial data, resolve inconsistencies, and provide clear, actionable reporting to leaders (and Board-facing support as needed).
• Attend monthly Finance Committee meetings and take minutes.
• Payroll Accuracy, Controls, and Risk Reduction: Oversee payroll accounting processes to ensure payroll is accurate, fully supported, and properly recorded in the general ledger, with timely reconciliations and issue resolution.
• Partner with the Office of Talent Management to ensure reliable employee data flow (e.g., hires, terminations, job changes, leave), and to strengthen end-to-end internal controls that reduce payroll error risk.
• Design verification and review controls (pre- and post-payroll), including reconciliations, exception reporting, and documentation standards to reduce manual error and rework.
• Accounts Payable Timeliness and Process Reliability: Oversee AP workflows to ensure invoices are processed accurately and on time, aligned with approval policies, contract terms, and cash management priorities.
• Strengthen invoice routing/approval, matching/validation, vendor file controls, and exception handling to reduce delays and payment errors.
• Implement efficiency improvements and clear SOPs that reduce cycle time, prevent duplicate/incorrect payments, and improve throughput—especially during staffing transitions.
• Internal Controls, Audit Readiness, and Documentation: Maintain and continuously improve the internal control structure through documentation, education, monitoring, and enhancements.
• Evaluate and document accounting policies and emerging reporting issues; prepare written support ("white papers") and audit-ready documentation for key judgments and controls.
• Career Development and Continuous Improvement: Establish and monitor performance dashboards for finance operations (e.g., close timeliness, reconciliation completion, AP cycle time, payroll corrections/error rates) and lead continuous improvement efforts.
• Promote a proactive, collaborative team culture emphasizing respect, quality, customer service, innovation, and teamwork.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or related field required (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive accounting experience; healthcare/hospital experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading month-end close, reconciliations, financial reporting, and internal controls.
• Strong understanding of payroll accounting and AP workflows, including risk controls and process design.
• Proficiency with accounting systems/ERPs and advanced Excel skills.

Qualifications

• Strong quantitative, project management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Strong writing and documentation skills, including ability to support accounting interpretations and internal control/audit requirements.
• Ability to research, analyze, interpret complex data, and formulate recommendations; ability to identify and resolve inconsistencies.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly across varying levels of expertise and prepare high-impact presentations for leadership/stakeholders as needed.
• Systems-thinking and comfort operating in ambiguity; collaborative relationship-building across departments and external partners.
• Ability to interpret contract/legal documentation and apply it to financial processes (especially AP and payroll controls).

Skills

• Strong quantitative, project management, communication, and leadership skills.
• Strong writing and documentation skills, including ability to support accounting interpretations and internal control/audit requirements.
• Ability to research, analyze, interpret complex data, and formulate recommendations; ability to identify and resolve inconsistencies.
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly across varying levels of expertise and prepare high-impact presentations for leadership/stakeholders as needed.
• Systems-thinking and comfort operating in ambiguity; collaborative relationship-building across departments and external partners.
• Ability to interpret contract/legal documentation and apply it to financial processes (especially AP and payroll controls).

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Generous Paid Time Off and Extended Illness Benefits
• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Vested Retirement Contributions and Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition Reimbursement and Student Loan Repayment Programs
• Employee Recognition Events and a supportive, community-focused team