Senior Finance Manager

About CDI

The Constructive Dialogue Institute (CDI) is a non-profit dedicated to equipping the next generation of Americans with the skills to communicate and collaborate across lines of difference. We work with U.S. colleges and universities by providing curricular programming for students, professional development for faculty and staff, and strategic guidance to leadership. Our goal is to foster constructive dialogue at every level of the institution and to create the conditions for lasting organizational change. CDI was co-founded by psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the bestselling author of The Righteous Mind and The Anxious Generation.

CDI is at a pivotal moment of growth, having more than doubled the number of partners we work with in 2024, and with plans to double our reach again in 2025. As an emerging thought leader in bridge-building and dialogue, we’re excited to carry this momentum forward, broadening our reach to empower even more learners to engage constructively across differences.

Summary

CDI is looking for an experienced nonprofit finance professional who can bring both rigor and adaptability to our financial operations as we grow. As our first dedicated finance hire, you will play a critical role in refining systems, ensuring compliance, and building financial strategies that support our expanding revenue streams and evolving needs. This role will also oversee a part-time Operations Coordinator, who supports finance-related operations, including accounts payable and receivable

We are seeking someone who thrives at both day-to-day financial management and big-picture thinking—maintaining clean, accurate books while also improving forecasting, financial workflows, and cross-team integrations. You’ll oversee budgeting, reporting, bookkeeping, and compliance while ensuring CDI remains well-positioned for long-term growth.

This is a high-autonomy role with room to shape both CDI’s growth and your own career trajectory. As a small but fast-growing team, we value problem solvers and systems thinkers—someone who can spot inefficiencies, introduce smarter workflows, and bring a fresh perspective to our financial strategy. This is an exciting opportunity to own and improve financial operations while growing alongside the organization.

Responsibilities

Financial Management & Reporting

• Maintain and improve accounting policies, financial workflows, and internal controls.
• Own financial forecasting, regularly updating projections based on revenue pipelines, expenses, and grant cycles.
• In collaboration with the Sr. Director of Operations, lead the annual budgeting process.
• Develop and oversee spend management and procurement processes, ensuring efficient resource allocation and cost control.
• Prepare and automate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports, including board reports and ad hoc analyses.
• Co-lead monthly financial review meetings.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Manage CDI’s annual tax (990) filings and audit process, including preparation of schedules and materials, and coordination with our CPA firm.
• Manage CDI’s insurance policies, ensuring timely renewals, maintaining documentation, and recommending adjustments as needed.
• Handle state business registrations and charitable solicitation filings, keeping CDI in good standing across all relevant jurisdictions.
• Ensure CDI is in compliance with IRS nonprofit requirements.
• Ensure GAAP-compliant revenue recognition, particularly for grants, deferred revenue, and multi-year contracts.

Cash, Revenue & Grant Management

• Monitor cash flow and reserves, recommending strategies for cash management and liquidity planning.
• Oversee earned and deferred revenue schedules, ensuring accurate tracking and recognition.
• Partner with the Growth team to sync revenue data across QuickBooks Online (QBO), HubSpot, and Stripe.
• Oversee grant tracking and reporting, ensuring compliance with donor restrictions and funding requirements.
• Maintain accurate donor financial records, including restrictions, anonymity, and historical giving data.
• Prepare and manage grant budgets and financial reports for funders.
• Review financial terms of sales contracts to ensure proper revenue recognition and compliance.

Bookkeeping & Systems Oversight

• Oversee CDI’s external bookkeeping firm, reviewing financial records for accuracy and completeness.
• Oversee Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable, ensuring accuracy and timeliness while overseeing the work of junior Operations staff on day-to-day processing.
• Maintain and improve key financial schedules, including prepaid expenses, restricted net assets, and pledges receivable.
• Identify and implement improvements to financial workflows, reporting automation, and data accuracy.
• Ensure CDI’s financial systems and integrations support efficiency and accuracy across departments.

Qualifications

• Experience: 6–10 years in finance or accounting, including 3–5 years in a nonprofit setting.
• Financial Expertise: Strong background in fund accounting, budgeting, forecasting, revenue recognition, audits (990), compliance, and financial operations supporting fundraising and program revenue.
• Attention to Detail: You take pride in accuracy and precision, ensuring clean books and clear financial reporting.
• Systems & Tech-Savvy: You have experience optimizing financial workflows, implementing automations, and working across systems like QuickBooks Online (QBO), Google Sheets/Excel, and integrations (e.g., Stripe, HubSpot).
• Leadership & Collaboration: You can manage a high volume of tasks independently, mentor junior team members, and effectively communicate financial concepts to non-financial colleagues.
• Problem-Solving Mindset: You enjoy tackling complex reconciliation challenges and proactively improving processes.
• Bonus: Experience managing royalties/revenue-sharing models or working in a fast-paced startup or scaling environment.