Global Controller - Finance Accounting

Overview

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.

At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication, and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skill sets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with the majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Position Summary

CHAI is seeking a Global Controller to lead the organization’s core financial operations and drive an ambitious finance modernization agenda. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Global Controller will oversee global accounting and consolidation, payroll, accounts payable, and external audit and compliance functions across a 30-person team, while providing support to finance teams in 35 country offices.

This is a transformational leadership role. CHAI’s finance function is at an inflection point. The organization is implementing a new ERP system, modernizing legacy processes, and building the controls infrastructure needed to support continued global growth. The ideal candidate is not just an experienced controller but a change agent who is energized by the opportunity to build and empower a team that will redesign systems from the ground up, leverage AI and automation to improve efficiency, and establish a modern, high-performing finance operation.

The Global Controller will also set the tone for a finance organization that operates as a true service partner to the broader organization building a culture of responsiveness, collaboration, and proactive support, and serving as a trusted thought partner to leaders across CHAI’s global teams.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership

• Lead, develop, and manage a team of approximately 30 finance professionals across accounting, payroll, AP, and audit/compliance functions

• Instill a culture of customer service across the Controller’s Office, ensuring finance is considered an accessible, responsive partner to program and country teams

• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and service orientation

• Recruit, mentor, and retain high-performing staff; build team capabilities to support CHAI’s evolving finance function

Financial Reporting & Close

• Own the global monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, driving significant reductions in close timelines through process improvement and team development

• Ensure accurate, timely consolidation and reporting across all CHAI entities in compliance with US GAAP

• Build and empower the accounting team to identify and eliminate manual bottlenecks and spreadsheet-dependent workflows

Finance Modernization & Systems

• Serve as a key stakeholder in CHAI’s ERP implementation, ensuring all relevant requirements are represented and that the accounting, AP, and payroll teams are prepared for adoption

• Champion the use of AI-driven tools and automation across functions to improve efficiency in accounting, AP, payroll, and reporting

• Drive the transition of accounts payable and payroll from email and spreadsheet-based workflows to a closed, automated system

• Continuously evaluate and modernize finance processes, controls, and technology to reflect best practices

Internal Controls & Compliance

• Strengthen CHAI’s internal control environment, leading remediation of existing control deficiencies and building a sustainable controls framework

• Ensure compliance with US GAAP, donor requirements, local statutory requirements, and CHAI’s internal policies across all entities

• Oversee the global statutory audit, coordinate country-level audits across 35 offices, and manage relationships with external auditors

• Ensure tax compliance and sound legal entity management across CHAI’s global structure

Finance Operations

• Ensure accurate and on-time global payroll processing every pay period across all countries, driving stabilization and improvement of payroll systems and processes

• Lead the AP team through the transition from manual to automated workflows, establishing clear policies, service levels, and controls for vendor payments across all CHAI offices

• Provide technical guidance, oversight, and support to finance teams across CHAI’s 35 country offices, serving as a resource and escalation point for complex accounting, compliance, and audit matters

• Drive development of standardized processes, templates, and training to build capability and consistency across the global finance function

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field

• 12+ years of progressive accounting and finance leadership experience, including at least 5 years in a controller or senior financial management role

• Significant experience in a large, international nonprofit organization with multi-country operations, donor-funded programs, and project-specific funding structures

• In-depth knowledge of US GAAP, nonprofit accounting, grant/contract compliance, and multi-entity consolidation

• Proven track record leading finance transformation initiatives including ERP implementations, process redesign, controls remediation, or systems modernization

• Experience managing teams of 20+ people across multiple functional areas

• Demonstrated ability to dramatically improve financial close timelines, controls environments, or operational efficiency

• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence across a decentralized, global organization

• Enthusiasm for leveraging AI, automation, and modern tools to reimagine finance operations

• Familiarity with multi-currency operations and international payroll

• Experience managing or coordinating statutory audits across multiple jurisdictions

Advantages

• CPA, CMA, or equivalent professional certification

• Experience with ERP implementation or migration projects (design through go-live)

• Prior work in global health, international development, or a mission-driven organization

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