Position Title: Controller
Reports To: Executive Director
Location: Lake Elsinore, CA (Remote or Hybrid)
Status: Part-Time or Fractional
About The Happier Life Project (THLP)
The Happier Life Project is a peer-led recovery nonprofit building an inclusive, community-powered model for healing and reintegration. We serve individuals and families impacted by substance use, incarceration, trauma, and mental health challenges—meeting people where they are and walking with them toward a self-defined happier life.
With deep roots in Riverside County, we’re expanding our impact through the creation of a permanent, multi-tenant Recovery Campus—offering integrated support services, peer workforce development, and community-based revenue generation.
Why We Need You:
Our team has grown. Our funding sources are expanding. We need structure. We need clarity. And we need someone who can see around corners. This isn’t a "keep the books running" gig—it’s a chance to build the financial backbone of an organization doing meaningful work.
What You’ll Own:
Strategic Finance & Structure
- Establish and maintain internal financial controls and processes.
- Assess current financial systems; recommend improvements.
- Design or optimize financial tracking for multi-grant reporting.
Accounting & Reporting
- Oversee general accounting (with external bookkeeper or software).
- Create monthly and quarterly reports for leadership and Board.
- Assist with annual audit prep and filing requirements (990, etc.).
Grant & Fund Management
- Track and report on restricted vs. unrestricted funds.
- Ensure compliance with grant reporting and budget usage.
- Create simple, understandable dashboards for program leads.
Cost Optimization
- Evaluate vendors and make cost-saving recommendations.
- Partner with the team to implement more efficient financial tools or platforms (think QuickBooks, Divvy, Ramp, Bill.com, etc.).
Advisory & Collaboration
- Serve as financial thought partner to the Executive Director.
- Translate financial data into strategic insights.
- Occasionally present to the board or finance committee.
Who You Are:
- Experienced nonprofit finance professional (Controller, Director of Finance, or high-level accountant).
- You understand the nuances of restricted funding and multi-grant budgeting.
- You’re a systems thinker who loves to clean up inefficiencies.
- You balance strategy with hands-on execution.
- You communicate complex financial concepts in plain English.
- Bonus: You’ve worked with small orgs or start-up nonprofits and helped build financial structure from scratch.
Preferred Tools:
QuickBooks, Excel, Bill.com, Divvy and grant tracking software.