Chief Financial Officer

Job Description

The Role:

Location: Washington, D.C.

Reports to: President & Chief Executive Officer (Gina Lagomarsino)

Team: 4 direct reports (Grants Administration, Controller, Director of Finance and Director Business Operations). Oversight of a team of 16-18 finance and grants administration professionals in the US; work closely with staff internationally.

Position Summary:

The Chief Financial Officer is a member of the Executive Leadership Team responsible for leading and overseeing financial integrity and strategy for this complex organization. The CFO will partner with the CEO and other leaders to ensure the overall success of the organization, supporting our mission, vision and values by managing the financial planning and analysis, accounting, reporting and control/compliance functions. S/he must be a roll-up-sleeves “do-er” equally comfortable with daily details and global strategy. The successful CFO will be able to adapt to a continually evolving organization and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented environment.

S/he is directly responsible for keeping the CEO fully apprised of key current financial needs and risks as well as recommending strategic financial improvements as the organization grows. The CFO is a true thought partner and problem solver alongside peers on the Executive Leadership Team, proactively formulating creative solutions to complex finance-related challenges and opportunities that align with the organization’s programmatic priorities, mission and core values. S/he is a trusted strategic thinker who applies analytical rigor and creativity to leverage our existing and future resources to maximize program impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Partnering with the CEO, other members of the Executive Team and broader Management Team, the finance department and staff, the CFO will focus on the following current priorities:

• Lead financial systems improvements, building a robust financial infrastructure that enables actionable financial forecasting and strong data analysis to drive strategic decision making, efficient donor reporting, and integration of real-time finance and accounting information to sustain future growth. This will require exceptional project and change management skills and a collaborative, cross-functional work style.
• Hire, train, motivate and manage a best-in-class finance team that can partner effectively with project teams and train managers in financial management and compliance to support programmatic excellence.
• Remain current with accounting and compliance requirements and regulations of a wide range of donors, with emphasis on the US government and key foundations pertinent to R4D’s project portfolio and evolving funding landscape.
• Collaborate with executive and program leadership to think creatively about how best to structure grants and contracts to maximize operational flexibility in an environment of limited unrestricted funding.

In addition to these key priorities, the CFO is responsible for the following:

Organizational Leadership

• Serve as a trusted thought partner and advisor to the CEO, contributing to organizational strategy and supporting informed institutional decision-making.
• Lead by example in advancing the mission and serve as a standard bearer of organizational integrity, technical competence and emotional intelligence.
• Bring strategic, collaborative thinking to the finance function; develop and implement innovative, financially sound initiatives in direct support of R4D’s mission and objectives.
• Ensure strong design, roll-out and maintenance of key organizational processes and information systems related to finance, with emphasis on collaborative design, effective communication and change management.
• Build effective relationships across the organization, lead through influencing and explaining rather than an authoritarian approach.
• Demonstrate and embrace the mission and vision of R4D in all internal and external activities.

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Lead annual budgeting process that supports executive team to prioritize key core activities within available resources. Work with executive team to develop reasonable annual spending and revenue targets.
• Develop and implement a sophisticated rate strategy to maximize cost recovery across a diverse range of funders and minimize potential losses due to donor-imposed rate caps.
• Develop and implement project budgeting frameworks that ensure appropriate resourcing for program and support functions, comply with donor rules and minimize complexity and management burden.
• Lead routine reforecasting of budgets throughout the fiscal year. Regularly provide progress reports utilizing predictive models, forecasting and financial analyses to inform planning and operational decision making. Recommend course-corrections.
• Lead financial policy development as a member of the Executive Leadership and Management teams.
• Serve as a resource for members of senior management, counseling them on fiscal control, federal regulatory compliance, and department business performance, including cost allocation.

Grants & Contracts Management

• Provide strategic direction to key business development processes and support effective project budgeting. Negotiate with funders where possible to align with organizational budgeting approaches.
• Ensure strong support for project and portfolio-level financial management, such as processes for updating projects budgets, tools for making staffing decisions, processes to identify and address variances, and financial management training for project managers.
• Mange effective donor reporting function and project close-out system.

Operations, Procurement and Information Technology

• Oversee key organizational operations functions such as facilities, office management, IT, payroll and business insurance, ensuring customer-service, efficiency and effectiveness. Lead global growth and scale of these functions.
• Oversee compliant and user-friendly procurement function.

Accounting and Reporting

• Ensure an effective and robust financial accounting and reporting infrastructure: oversee the accounting department, maintain accounting systems and supervise R4D’s finance staff.
• Ensure maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and the IRS; oversee the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements.
• Regularly interpret financial reports for R4D’s senior leadership and board of directors highlighting potential risks and suggesting mitigating actions.
• Coordinate audits and serve as primary contact on all audits (external, independent and donor-specific)
• Ensure proper filing of 990s and other IRS documents.
• Responsible for global risk assessment and internal controls, ensuring accurate financial reports and compliance with laws and regulations, including GAAP.
• Remain up to date on nonprofit audit best practices and state and federal law regarding nonprofit operations.
• Identify and execute activities to improve and maintain accounting systems and functions that support R4D’s current global business model and anticipated future growth in other countries.

Financial Management

• Oversee cash flow planning and ensure availability of funds as needed.
• Oversee cash, investment, and asset management.
• Oversee financing strategies and activities; steward banking relationships.

Governance

• Partner with CEO and executive team colleagues to communicate effectively with the Board of Directors including the finance and audit committees providing full accounting of R4D’s fiscal position, performance and compliance. Prepare and deliver Board reports including actionable qualitative assessments and recommendations to accompany standard financial reports and presentations.
• Coordinate management requirements and response for external, internal and project audits
• In collaboration with project leaders and executive team, support the continued evolution and maintenance of R4D’s global projects including in-country engagement and offices.
• Oversee reporting preparation and submission for government and regulatory purposes in the US and abroad

R4D uses a variety of tools to support its operations including Great Plains accounting software, Unanet timekeeping and ADP Payroll. Jamis ERP implementation is planned for 2019

The Person:

The successful candidate will be an energetic, mission-driven and collaborative senior leader with a track record of building diverse, high-performing teams that excel at both the tactical and strategic levels. The CFO will be self-aware, demonstrate high EQ, and will be positive, resilient, and proactive. Among the competencies and attributes we seek, we would like to highlight:

Team Leader

• A leader who is aware of his/her own limitations and eager to hire complementary skillsets, able to attract and recruit top talent, motivate a team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity and manage performance with a relentless commitment to high standards.
• Leads teams to develop financial policies and operating processes and ensures effective implementation across a diverse organization, emphasizing communication and chance management.

Relationship Builder

• Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
• Models collaborative leadership. Projects authority and commands respect while also listening and understanding other perspectives, encouraging engagement, not projecting a harsh or authoritarian style.

Results Orientation

• A creative problem solver who works to understand organizational needs and aligns the organization around clear financial goals. Is tenacious and accountable in driving results while also able to tolerate ambiguity and navigate the challenges of nonprofit financing.
• A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in his/her approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always prioritizing R4D’s strategic interests.
• Operates collegially in a global, multi-cultural context while simultaneously instructing on and enforcing adherence to compliance requirements and standards throughout the organization.

Education & Experience:

Successful candidates will bring a range of experiences and qualifications including:

• A graduate degree in business, finance or accounting
• 15+ years senior-level financial experience, including 5+ years managing the finance function of a US Government-funded organization
• Demonstrated ability to hire, lead, coach and develop staff
• Ability to think creatively, problem solve and innovate where constructive to maximize organizational resources
• Management experience with international rules and regulatory environments affecting international donor grants, federal grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, currency exchanges, etc.
• 5+ years serving as member of senior leadership team and/or serving as a proactive and collaborative business partner to the CEO
• Strong analytical skills and experience interpreting a strategic vision into an operational model
• Tech-savvy with understanding of finance systems that support and meet complex organizational and finance needs
• Significant experience building new systems and implementing policies and procedures in line with Cost Accounting Standards, Federal Acquisition Regulations, NICRA calculations, and related compliance requirements across US and foreign government funding agreements
• Working knowledge or IFRS and/or GAAP accounting standards and experience with donor and external audits
• An effective communicator at all levels within an organization, with strong oral and written skills and a willingness to share information
• CPA or Chartered Accountant certification preferred
• Ability to think critically and creatively, contributing to the success of the organization in areas that may lie outside of the strictly accounting function

About the Organization

The Organization:

Results for Development (R4D) is a leading non-profit global development partner. We collaborate with change agents around the world — government officials, civil society leaders and social innovators — to create strong systems that support healthy, educated people. We help our partners move from knowing their goal to knowing how to reach it. We combine global expertise in health, education and nutrition with analytic rigor, practical support for decision-making and implementation and access to peer problem-solving networks. Together with our partners, we build self-sustaining systems that serve everyone and deliver lasting results. Then we share what we learn so others can achieve results for development, too.

Founded in 2008, R4D has grown rapidly during its first decade, with a diverse set of programs in global health, education, and nutrition and funders that include USAID, bilateral donors, multi-lateral development institutions, and foundations. The current annual budget is $30M and the organization has offices in the United States (140 staff), Ethiopia, Tanzania and the UK. Outside the U.S., we employ 21 staff in 10 countries.

We have a unique and vibrant culture at R4D and we want to keep it that way. Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of our work environment and help advance our mission. Diversity—of ideas, identities, perspectives and backgrounds—is vital to who we are and what we do. We seek people who embrace these values and will help reinforce them. Our work culture is collaborative, creative and entrepreneurial. We operate based on trust and respect and actively avoid silo thinking, turf politics and negativity.

R4D encourages diversity across all levels and units of our organization. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or protected status.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact:

Tory Clarke
Partner, Bridge Partners
tory.clarke@bridgepartnersllc.com

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