Vice President of Accounting (Controller)

Position Description

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the VP of Accounting is a senior leadership role at Rocketship responsible for all aspects of financial reporting, compliance, and stewardship. The role has primary oversight of the Rocketship Accounting team - nine professionals who have functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable and receivable, cash management, internal and external financial reporting, fiscal compliance, grants accounting, and audit management.

Essential Functions

• Financial Reporting & Accounting Operations

• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring accuracy and full compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements. Includes general ledger, lease accounting, payroll, retirement benefits, cash management, bank reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, grant accounting, and internal /external reporting.
• Oversee the monthly, quarterly and annual closes and collaborate with the finance team accordingly.
• Serve as a key point of review and accountability for financial entries by approving all check runs, payroll, and journal entries.
• Collaborate with the Directors of Finance to prepare and present financial statements, in accordance to GAAP, in a clear, accurate and timely manner and to ensure that charter authorizer deadlines are met.

• Technical Accounting

• Oversee all bond-related accounting and compliance, including bond accounting, quarterly bond reporting, bond covenant compliance (debt service coverage and days cash on hand), and bond payments to lenders and trustees.
• Oversee technical accounting for the network’s diverse revenue streams — including state apportionment, federal and private grants, and contributions — ensuring proper net asset classification, functional expense allocation, and revenue recognition (ASC 958 / 606).

• Audit, Compliance & Governance

• Maintain internal controls and safeguards over all accounting and cash management functions. Ensure proper implementation and provide training accordingly.
• Manage a Director of Audit to oversee all required audits, including annual financial statements, retirement plan audits, the federal Single Audit under Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), and other special audit projects as required.
• Report to the Audit Committee of the Board on cyclical audit and compliance agenda items and to the Board on financial statement updates.

• Treasury & External Financial Relationships

• As necessary, manage cash and investments as well as Rocketship Public School’s external relationships with auditors, lenders, bondholders, insurers and other financial institutions;
• Successfully represent Rocketship’s financial needs, interests and results with internal (school leaders, regional leaders, executive team) and external stakeholders and develop trust and leverage influence with external organizations and allies (i.e. banks, bond holders, Launchpad board, funders, etc.);

• Systems & Process Improvement

• Evaluate accounting and payroll related systems and interfaces, and work collaboratively with stakeholders to implement upgrades when needed. Continuously identify and implement opportunities to streamline processes.
• Manage the implementation and ongoing support for Rocketship’s procurement and accounts payable platform, RAMP, including supporting school and network staff in the appropriate usage of the platform.

• Team Leadership & Development

• Lead a high-performing, representative accounting team and sustain a culture of high performance and service orientation among team members;
• Attract, hire, train, manage and motivate an accounting team of highly skilled and driven individuals who execute at the highest level of excellence and consistent with the culture and mission of the organization;
• Ensure the accounting team is viewed as a positive support to the organization’s mission that are fully aligned with Rocketship’s Core Characteristics (Innovation, Pursuit of Excellence, Authenticity, Community, and Tenacity), and not as bureaucratic obstacles to serving the needs of the students.

Required Qualifications

• A belief in the mission and education model of Rocketship Public Schools with the ability to work in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial, flexible and autonomous environment.
• CPA and/or MBA (preferred)
• A minimum of 8 years of broad accounting experience serving as a senior leader in a non-profit or for-profit entity overseeing audit activities and managing reports, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, and general ledger, ideally in a complex, multi-revenue stream, multi-site, multi-regional environment.
• Non-profit accounting experience required; charter school experience preferred.
• Must have a strong understanding of GAAP (FASB ASC 958).
• Experience with bond accounting, bond covenant calculations and lease accounting.
• Strong understanding and oversight of the accounting function, with the ability to strategically advise the CFO and the Board on the financial strength of the organization and identify opportunities to strengthen internal controls.
• Robust understanding and oversight of all compliance matters including, but not limited to, overseeing internal and external audits and ensuring that they are accurate, prepared in a timely manner, and there are no significant negative findings of any kind.
• Excellent communication skills especially with critical data, influencing and negotiation skills to interact effectively with all levels of the organization and the school network including presentations to team, senior management, board or other internal and outside partners.
• Strong understanding of Federal and State grant compliance requirements.

How to Apply

Rocketship has engaged DGW Group to lead the search for our VP of Accounting role. Interested candidates should apply by July 16, 2026.