Director of Finance and Operations

 

Position Type: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt

 

Location: Flexible (remote); Must be eligible to work in the U.S.

 

Salary: $110,000 - $130,900

 

Closing Date: Aug. 23, 2024

 

Candidates will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position will remain open until we have a sufficient pool of diverse candidates who meet the job requirements, at which point we may pause the review of new applications before the stated deadline. Please understand you may not be contacted for several weeks after you apply.

 

Ideal Start Date: 2-4 weeks after offer

 

About the Center for Disaster Philanthropy

 

CDP began in 2010 with the goal of pioneering the practice of strategic disaster philanthropy. Since then, it has grown in its ambition, envisioning a world where the impact of disasters is minimized through thoughtful, equitable and responsive recovery for all. CDP has a $33 million budget and a team of more than 20 staff members working remotely across the U.S.  

 

CDP is a trusted partner, expert and authoritative resource helping hundreds of individuals, foundations and corporations boost the impact of philanthropic giving in response to disaster and humanitarian crises by supporting equitable recovery and addressing root causes of vulnerabilities worldwide.

 

In 2023, CDP awarded $22.1 million through 93 grants to 91 grantee partners worldwide; demonstrated thought leadership through 14 webinars, 21 external commentaries, 128 blog posts, 34 featured speaking engagements and other events; and served 20+ philanthropic partners through consulting efforts.

 

• In 2020, CDP was a featured nonprofit for the 14^th Annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute.
• CDP has earned Charity Navigator’s Four-Star Charity rating and Candid’s Platinum Transparency seal.

 

As an organization grounded in racial and intersectional equity, our team members are deeply committed to strengthening communities most vulnerable to disasters because of systemic inequities. We are guided by our values of integrity, boldness and innovation, humility, and empathy in all we do in pursuit of our mission.

 

Bottom line: We aspire to walk the talk of anti-racism and to treat each other and our partners in ways that inspire trust, creativity, learning and care.

 

Be a part of our fast-growing team that offers countless ways to help communities thrive. Join us!   

 

Responsibilities & Duties

 

Over the last few years of CDP’s 14-year history, growth has been exponential. CDP has granted over $123 million to more than 676 nonprofits. CDP’s positioning and increased visibility bring a need for additional capacity. Over the last 12 months, CDP’s staff count has increased by about 30% with projected increases into 2025.

 

The director of finance and operations plays a critical role in the execution of CDP’s operations and supports all areas of the organization. Reporting to the chief financial and operations officer (CFOO), this role will be responsible for financial, administrative and compliance functions of the organization. The ability to cultivate relationships and the flexibility to adapt to a growing organization's changing needs and priorities are essential in this role.

 

As a fully remote workforce, CDP prioritizes employee engagement and relationship-building in service of a collaborative culture rooted in equity. To this end, in-person team retreats are scheduled throughout the year in different regions of the U.S. This role will be expected to attend 2-3 retreats per year, which average 3-5 days of travel. Additionally, this role can expect 3-4 travel days per year for conferences or site visits.

 

The successful candidate will display the following traits:

 

You want meaningful work that contributes to the betterment of society. You love being challenged, learning and growing. You have a natural collaborative style and understand that it takes a team. You are a detail-oriented self-starter with strong capacities in prioritization and decision-making. You have exceptional communication skills and the ability to multi-task. You are tenacious and not easily put off by an uphill task. You can discern between what is important and what is urgent, and you are solutions-oriented.

 

Primary responsibilities include:

 

The director of finance and operations will oversee accounting and financial reporting, treasury and cash management, payroll function and grantmaking.

This role will be supported by a full-time accounting manager and an operations associate. The director of finance and operations serve as a trusted partner of the CFOO to deliver against CDP’s priorities in alignment with its mission and values.

Accounting and financial reporting

• Oversee CDP’s accounting functions, including the general ledger, accounts receivables, accounts payables and payroll.
• Compile monthly suite of financial reports including, financial statements, budget vs actual, grant reporting and others as needed.
• Maintain Chart of Accounts, propose and document standard operating procedures, and train staff on new processes.
• Coordinate and facilitate annual audits, ensuring compliance with regulatory and donor requirements.
• Oversee tracking of grant funds, ensuring proper allocations and reporting to funders.
• Oversee filings such as 1099s, W-2s and other compliance reporting.
• Maintain current on all relevant GAAP accounting and auditing practices and policies.

 

Treasury, cash management and investments

• Oversee treasury management activities including banking relationships, positive pay, disbursement function and implementation of lockbox service.
• Prepare cash flow projections, cash balance reports and other periodic financial reports.
• Maintain detailed awareness of the financial affairs and cost-effectiveness of treasury-related activities.
• Prepare monthly investment account reconciliations, work closely with the investment advisory team on routine portfolio activities, and ensure adherence to investment policy statement (IPS). 

 

Budgeting and planning

• Assist with the development of the annual budget, including forecasting and financial planning.
• Prepare monthly summaries of budget vs actuals, by cost center.
• Review the budget with internal stakeholders quarterly to discuss variances and make any necessary changes.

 

Payroll management

• Process bi-weekly payroll, timely and accurately.
• Actively educate CDP’s staff on payroll processes, policies and procedures.
• Prepare regulatory reporting as needed.

 

Grantmaking and fund management

• Perform financial due diligence on organizations seeking grants from CDP’s disaster funds or pre-checked status seekers.
• Review grant payables requests and manage grant funds disbursements.
• Work with the fund management team on the grantmaking cycle, including process improvement.

 

Operations Management

• Manage and facilitate the annual state charitable solicitation renewal process, including maintaining relationships with registered agents.
• Lead regulatory filings including form 990 with the IRS, DC government property taxes and others as requested.
• Manage business insurance portfolio, including annual renewal process.
• Assist with ensuring organizational compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including tax, employment and nonprofit governance.
• Help identify and mitigate organizational risks, including financial, operational and reputational.
• Develop and/or implement organizational policies and procedures to ensure efficiency and compliance.

 

Supervisory and organizational support

• Supervise, coach, mentor and evaluate staff.
• Serve on committees and task forces at CDP as appropriate and as available.
• Represent CDP in a positive, professional manner in meetings and external-facing opportunities.
• Perform other duties and job-related tasks that may be assigned.

This position reports to the CFOO but works in service of the whole organization.

 

Required qualifications

• 10+ years of relevant, progressive professional experience in nonprofit accounting and/or relevant technical expertise with at least 5 years in a leadership role and supervisory experience.
• Degree in finance, accounting or business administration; or equivalent work experience.
• Proven ability to independently manage a range of operational functions, and stand-alone workstreams, including staff.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships and influence at all levels of the organization.
• Excellent problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.
• Expert skill level in the utilization of general ledger software and subsidiary ledgers (CRM, HRIS, etc.)
• Excellent MS Office skills, especially Excel.

 

Preferred skills and qualifications

• Collaborative team player with a servant leadership approach.
• Ability to think strategically about process improvement.
• Ability to work remotely with minimal direct supervision.
• Ability to build relationships with and motivate financial data users with diverse personalities and backgrounds.
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, with a proven ability to create inclusive work environments.

 

Personal characteristics

• Commitment to the values intrinsic to CDP’s mission and strategy.
• Energetic and eager to tackle new projects and ideas.
• Appetite to tackle issues constructively.
• Team player.
• Sense of humor.

 

The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other classifications protected by law in the locality and/or state in which you are working.

 

We welcome and encourage applicants with non-traditional career paths. If you don’t meet the qualifications outlined here, please apply and tell us how your experiences would equip you for the job.