Controller

Sunlight reflection may be the only available option, alongside dramatic emissions reductions, adaptation, and rapid scaling of carbon removal, to rapidly limit many climate impacts over the coming decades. But we don’t know nearly enough about it to make a scientifically-informed decision about potential deployment – and we’re not on a trajectory for rapid, legitimate decision making.

Reflective is a global, non-profit research organization aiming to radically accelerate the pace of sunlight reflection research. We equip the world with the data and tools needed to make informed decisions about sunlight reflection, fast enough to matter.

What you'll do

As Reflective's Controller, you'll own the financial backbone of the organization — running our financial controls, leading budgeting and forecasting, managing all cash in and out, overseeing spend and contracts, and producing the reporting leadership, the Board, and our funders rely on. This is a hands-on, build-it role: you'll put in place the systems and discipline that let us move quickly and responsibly with significant capital, and you'll be the person who knows, at any moment, where we stand financially.

Responsibilities

Financial Planning, Forecasting Reporting

Partner with the CEO and leadership team on the financial side of fundraising including building and maintaining the annual operating budget.

Build dashboards and reporting cadences that allow for timely, accurate financial reporting for leadership, the Board, funders, and the broader team.

Own cash-flow forecasting, runway modeling, and runway risk flagging — surface trade-offs early.

Track actuals against budget by function and program, and surface variances early.Own cash-flow forecasting, runway modeling, and budget to actuals reporting and flag risks and trade-offs early.

Translate the strategic plan and program roadmaps into financial plans, scenarios, and re-forecasts as priorities shift.

Meet restricted-fund and funder reporting obligations credibly, not just procedurally.

Financial Management Administration

Manage all cash inflows and outflows — incoming grants and donations, vendor payments, and outgoing grant disbursements — and ensure commitments are tracked, paid correctly, and reflected in forecasts.

Manage financial administration across the lifecycle of all external relationships from contracting to ongoing payments, invoices, and financial reporting across grant agreements (inbound and outbound), vendor and consultant agreements, statements of work etc.

Hold function and program leads accountable to their budgets.

Oversee banking relationships, payment controls, and treasury management.

Build repeatable contracting processes and templates, and interface with external counsel on terms, compliance, and risk.

Financial Controls Oversight

Own accounting operations end-to-end — general ledger, month-end and year-end close, reconciliations, and the integrity of our books.

Design, document, and enforce internal controls and approval workflows for expenses, corporate cards, reimbursements, and procurement that scale as we grow.

Manage the external accounting relationship and lead the annual audit and 990 processes.

Ensure compliance with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, and the requirements of restricted and unrestricted philanthropic funding.

Who you are

Minimum Qualifications

You have 6+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, including a controller, assistant controller, or equivalent senior role.

You've owned the full accounting cycle — close, reconciliations, audit, and reporting — for an organization, not just a piece of it.

You have deep, hands-on expertise in financial controls, budgeting, forecasting, and cash management, and strong command of GAAP.

You're exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, with strong documentation practices, while moving at the pace this organization requires.

You have excellent judgment — you're usually right, you know which details matter, and you pivot quickly when something's off.

You're a clear communicator who can translate financial complexity into plain language for non-finance colleagues, the Board, and funders.

You're low-ego, high-trust, and solution-oriented in the face of complexity and rapid change.

Preferred Qualifications

CPA, or an MBA / advanced finance degree.

Experience with nonprofit and fund accounting, grant administration, and the annual 990 and audit processes.

Experience standing up finance systems and controls from scratch, or scaling them through rapid growth.

Experience managing contracting and procurement, and working with external counsel.

You've worked at an organization that deploys capital externally (grantmaking, VC, government grant programs) or builds in the physical world (hardware, manufacturing, research).

This role can be fully remote, but we have a preference for candidates who can work in-person from the SF Bay Area office 3 days per week.

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