Director of Finance and Operations

Director of Finance and Operations

The Opportunity Agenda

Status: Full-time, exempt employee

Salary: $135,000 - $155,000

Reports to: President and CEO

Deadline: Resume reviews begin immediately. Best considered by mid-March.

About The Opportunity Agenda

Founded in 2006, The Opportunity Agenda (TOA) is a community dedicated to building narrative and cultural power to move our nation toward a vision of justice, equity, and opportunity for all. TOA provides expertise, knowledge, resources, and collaborative spaces for strategists, communicators, creators, and allies throughout the social justice sector to create and propagate narratives that support equity, justice, opportunity, inclusion, and belonging.

TOA is committed to narrative change work that centers the perspectives of those closest to an issue, builds community power, and supports organizing efforts to accelerate impact. Through cohort programs and opportunities for experiential learning, training, and working in communities of practice, TOA builds the public imagination and cultural will to challenge white supremacy and its pervasive impact, works in community to overcome opposition narratives that exclude and divide us, and advances narratives that support opportunity for all.

Incubated at the Tides Center and operating as an independent 501(c)3 since 2020, TOA has a budget of approximately $6 million and a team of 17, along with a cadre of strategic consultants. The TOA team works remotely and leases its office space in Manhattan where it also holds periodic in-person convenings. Visit the website to learn more about TOA.

Position Summary

The Director of Finance and Operations oversees all of TOA’s administrative functions, including management of financial management, information technology and facility management. TOA seeks a detail-oriented professional with experience leading financial analysis, managing cash flow, and handling accounting functions, budgeting, financial reporting, and audit preparation.

The ideal candidate will have passion for TOA’s mission, excellent interpersonal skills, a record as a nonprofit finance professional, and the ability to distill and communicate complex matters with clarity and confidence. The incoming Director will have excellent written and verbal communication skills, a record of managing a small team, and strong business acumen.

The Director reports to the President and has a consultative relationship with the board’s Treasurer and Finance and Audit Committee. They are a member of the five-person senior leadership team. The Director will build a department to include a part-time controller and an operations manager and partner with an outsourced human resources firm along with a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) through ADP.

Specific areas of responsibility include:

Financial Management

• Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems, ensuring compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and legal and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain responsibility for accounting functions using SageIntacct, and manage AP/AR, bank reconciliations, payroll, and track restricted and Board-designated funds.
• Provide guidance on cash projections, cash management, and expenditure management.
• Monitor grant budgets and financial reports to funders; advise program teams on allocations, expenditures, reports, and overall grant compliance.
• Analyze and present financial and statistical reports in an accurate, timely manner to staff leadership and the board of directors.
• With the President, monitor cash flow and prepare forecasts to prepare the annual budget and inform short-term and multi-year projections.
• Serve as the liaison to the board’s Finance and Audit Committee, providing accurate and current financial reports, risk analysis, and forecasts.
• Collaborate with external auditors to coordinate the year-end audit.
• Manage relationships with banks, investment advisors, and insurance companies. Negotiate contracts and pricing options with outside vendors.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and legal requirements for financial, labor, and retirement implementation and reporting.
• Develop and implement financial policies to ensure accurate and timely financial management, adequate controls, and an efficient interface between accounting and programs. Review and update manuals; train team members on new material.

Leadership, Strategy, and Operations

• Partner with the President, senior leadership, and board to assess short- and long-term organizational performance against budgets, projections, and strategy.
• Work collaboratively with the advancement and program teams to ensure compliance with all grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
• Develop and implement organizational finance and administrative policies and procedures.
• Train staff on financial management concepts and budget management, as needed.
• Serve as a liaison between TOA, subtenants, and landlord.
• Review contracts and oversee insurance policies to mitigate institutional risk; coordinate with legal counsel to manage liability, where needed.
• Hire, train, develop, evaluate, and manage the performance of departmental personnel.

Experience, Skills, and Qualities

The Director of Finance position will be a challenging and rewarding opportunity that requires a diverse set of skills and experiences. While we understand that no single candidate can possess every qualification listed below, the following are priority areas:

• No less than 10 years of responsibility for financial management functions, a portion of which should be in a nonprofit setting.
• Education in accounting, finance, or relevant fields. MBA and/or CPA is desirable.
• Knowledge of the principles and methods of accounting, budgeting, auditing, purchasing, risk management, and benefits administration.
• Knowledge of GAAP and other regulations specific to nonprofit finance.
• Experience with multiple programs and a variety of restricted funding sources.
• Systems-oriented; adept at setting up new processes and procedures and training teams on how to adopt new ways of working.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects on different timelines.
• Proficient with accounting software, financial reporting, and analysis of financial reports and trends. TOA uses Sage Intacct, BILL, and Expensify.
• Demonstrated experience producing, analyzing, and presenting all standard business financial reports, with exceptional ability to translate financial concepts, trends, reports, and forecasts to non-expert staff and board members.
• Adept at adopting new technology; comfortable using cloud-based collaborative software.
• A record of supervisory experience effectively managing a small team.
• A high level of emotional intelligence, integrity, cultural sensitivity, and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively engage and influence key stakeholders and decision-makers.

Location & Travel

TOA is headquartered in New York City. Staff work remotely, and occasional travel to the office and in-person staff retreats make residency in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions preferred.

Compensation

A salary of $135,000 - $155,000, aiming offer at the midpoint of the range. Benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, employer-sponsored 401(k), paid time off, paid parental leave, and home office reimbursement.

Application Process

TOA is conducting this search in partnership with Good Insight, a national executive search firm serving the nonprofit sector. Interested applicants should upload a resume and a detailed cover letter to www.good-insight.org/careers.

Resume reviews begin immediately. For best consideration, please apply by mid-March. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search. Please direct confidential inquiries to Kate Dykgraaf at TOA@good-insight.org.

Equal Opportunity Employer

TOA is an equal opportunity employer. We value a workplace that is diverse in terms of gender, race, class, age, geographic origin, sexual orientation, and other differences that enrich our society. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law, and those who may not meet every requirement listed in the job description.