Controller

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer
Direct Reports: Assistant Controller, Accounts Payable Manager, Payroll and Accounting Associate

POSITION SUMMARY: Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller is responsible for directing finance and accounting operations and organizational oversight of accounting, payroll, budgeting, and accounts payable for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. With a team of 3-4 full-time employees in Payroll, Accounts Payable, and Accounting, provide the organization with effective strategies and best practices to ensure sound financial management, effective processes and strong internal controls.

RESPONSIBILITES: 

1. Oversee the accounting and finance operations, providing strategic analysis, executive support, and optimization of financial systems and processes.
2. Manage the accounting and payroll team, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across areas of responsibility.
3. Drive the annual budgeting process and serve as a subject matter expert, consulting with department leaders and providing insight to executive leadership to ensure an effective process and a balanced budget.
4. Ensure financial reporting is completed accurately on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis.
5. Oversee accounts payable processes, expense reimbursements, credit card allocation processes, and appropriate and required documentation of  processes.
6. Oversee company retirement plan contributions and upload funds to retirement plan, ensuring compliance.
7. Oversee internal audit processes and serve as primary liaison with external auditors during audit periods.
8. Ensure that all financial operations are conducted in compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and state and federal laws and regulations.
9. Coordinating with the public accounting firm, ensure the preparation of 990 tax returns for SLSO, Encore and SLSET.
10. Provide insight and reporting during insurance renewal processes, retirement plan year-end and compliance testing time periods.
11. Support grant application processing, including completion of financial information sections of grant reports.
12. Develop new and updated processes and policies to ensure the organization streamlines and stays up to date on the latest best practices, requirements and laws.
13. Work closely with other teams to understand challenges and identify ways to improve organizational support.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, or related field.

• 8+ years of advanced accounting experience, with a proven track record in a leadership/management role.

• Minimum of 3 years of non-profit accounting experience.

• Active CPA license required. Public accounting experience preferred.

• Experience managing payroll preferred.

• Strong ability to motivate a team and achieve successful results through others. Proficient in Word and Excel. Accounting software such as Financial Edge preferred.

• High degree of accuracy and ability to meet deadlines.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively interact with all levels in the organization.

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work with confidential data.

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Celebrated as one of today’s most innovative, exciting, and enduring orchestras, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 146th year with the 2025/26 season and its eighth with Stéphane Denève, The Joseph and Emily Rauh Pulitzer Music Director. Widely considered one of the leading American orchestras, the Grammy® Award-winning SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community engagement—all in service to its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.

The 25/26 season marks the reopening of the orchestra’s historic home following a two-year transformational expansion and renovation designed by acclaimed architecture firm Snøhetta. The Jack C. Taylor Music Center, with a renovated Powell Hall at its heart, builds on the institution's momentum as a civic leader in convening individuals, creators, and ideas.

The core of the SLSO’s artistic foundation is its dynamic partnership with Denève, whose energetic musicianship, visionary storytelling, and collaborative spirit have facilitated strong connections with local and visiting artists, as well as advanced the SLSO’s role as a leader in music education. The SLSO musical family also includes two resident choruses: the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, founded in 1976, performs choral-orchestral music from the Baroque era to today; and the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus, founded in 1994, focuses on the performance and preservation of music from the African diaspora. The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, founded by Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin in 1970, is the region’s premier training orchestra for high school and college students.

An integral part of the vibrant St. Louis community, the SLSO enjoys a long history of robust and enduring collaborations with dozens of artists and organizations locally and around the world. Orchestra musicians regularly share music each year at schools, medical facilities, places of worship, and community spaces. In addition to dozens of orchestral performances held at Powell Hall each year, the orchestra presents chamber music in collaboration with The Sheldon and at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. The SLSO has also served as the resident orchestra for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for nearly 50 years.

Beyond the St. Louis region, the SLSO's impact is realized through concert broadcasts on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3, acclaimed recordings, regular touring activity, and a digital portfolio that includes a robust online education platform with interactive programs, activities, and learning opportunities for all ages.

Since the arrival of Marie-Hélène Bernard as President and CEO in 2015, the SLSO has aligned its mission to make music more accessible, fostering a culture welcoming to all.

The SLSO embraces a world in which every life is enriched through the power of music. We are committed to cultivating a culture of inclusion and access where employees can grow and thrive. The collective sum of our employees’ individual differences, experiences, knowledge, self-expression, and talent are represented in our culture, innovative spirit and the SLSO’s achievements. In recruiting for our team, we welcome candidates’ uniqueness in culture, social identities, expression, and viewpoints. The SLSO is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.