Application Guide

How to Apply for Controller

at Reflective

🏢 About Reflective

Reflective is a philanthropically-funded initiative dedicated to advancing sunlight reflection research and technology development, a cutting-edge field with potential to mitigate climate change. As a mission-driven organization, it offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful environmental impact while working remotely with a collaborative, impact-focused team.

About This Role

As the Controller, you will be the financial backbone of Reflective, responsible for all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and internal controls. Your work will directly support the organization's mission by ensuring transparent, accurate financial reporting to leadership, the Board, and funders, enabling informed decision-making and sustained funding.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with reviewing cash balances and approving vendor payments, followed by a check-in with the finance team on grant reporting deadlines. Midday, you could present a financial dashboard to the leadership team, then spend the afternoon refining internal control documentation and preparing for the upcoming audit. The remote setup allows for flexible hours, but regular virtual meetings ensure alignment with the team.

🚀 Application Tools

Generate Cover Letter

AI-powered, tailored for Reflective

Interview Prep

Practice questions for this role

🎯 Who Reflective Is Looking For

  • A seasoned finance professional with 6+ years of progressive experience, including a controller role, ideally in a nonprofit or research organization, with deep expertise in GAAP and nonprofit accounting.
  • Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, with a track record of designing and enforcing robust internal controls and leading successful audits and 990 filings.
  • A clear communicator who can translate complex financial data into actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders, including board members and funders.
  • Comfortable with hands-on cash management, grant accounting, and contract oversight in a fast-paced, remote environment.

📝 Tips for Applying to Reflective

1

Tailor your resume to highlight nonprofit accounting experience, especially with grants, donations, and 990 filings, as this is a key requirement.

2

In your cover letter, explicitly mention your experience with internal controls and audit leadership, and connect it to Reflective's mission of transparency.

3

Include specific examples of how you've built financial dashboards and reporting cadences that improved decision-making in previous roles.

4

Demonstrate your remote work readiness by mentioning tools you've used for collaboration (e.g., Slack, Zoom, cloud-based accounting software) and your home office setup.

5

Research Reflective's philanthropic funders and mention them in your application to show genuine interest and understanding of their funding model.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Emphasize your passion for climate change and alignment with Reflective's mission, as this is a philanthropically-funded initiative driven by impact.", 'Highlight your experience with nonprofit financial management, particularly grant accounting and funder reporting, to show you understand the unique requirements.', 'Showcase your ability to build financial controls and processes from scratch or improve existing ones, as Reflective may be a growing organization.', 'Provide a concrete example of how you communicated financial insights to a non-finance audience, such as a board or funders, to demonstrate your communication skills.']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read about Reflective's specific sunlight reflection technologies and recent research milestones to understand the science behind the mission.
  • → Look into the philanthropic organizations funding Reflective (e.g., names of foundations or donors) to understand their reporting requirements and values.
  • → Review any publicly available financial reports or 990s from similar philanthropically-funded research initiatives to understand common practices.
  • → Learn about the remote work culture at Reflective by checking their website or any employee testimonials to see how they operate.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you design internal controls for a remote, research-focused nonprofit with multiple funding sources?
2 Describe your experience with grant accounting and reporting to philanthropic funders. How do you ensure compliance?
3 Walk us through how you would build a financial dashboard for our leadership team. What metrics would you include?
4 How do you manage cash flow in an organization with irregular funding inflows (grants/donations) and ongoing expenses?
5 Tell us about a time you led an audit and prepared a 990. What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Failing to highlight nonprofit accounting experience or assuming it's similar to for-profit; this role specifically requires knowledge of grant accounting and 990s.
  • Being too vague about your experience with internal controls or audits; provide specific examples and outcomes.
  • Not demonstrating an understanding of the mission-driven nature of the role; Reflective is philanthropically-funded, so candidates should show passion for climate change, not just financial expertise.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Reflective!

← Back to Job Listing Apply Now →