Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Company: District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH)
Location: Washington, DC
Job Function: Finance
Background
Founded in 2006, the District Alliance for Safe Housing (DASH) is DC’s largest provider of safe housing and trauma-informed services for survivors experiencing homelessness due to domestic and sexual violence. DASH meets survivors where they are, eliminating barriers that prevent them from accessing safe housing so that they rebuild their lives on their own terms.
Summary
Reporting to and partnering with the President & CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will provide executive leadership for all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities across DASH and DASH Properties, LLC. The CFO position is a new role for DASH and is an exceptional opportunity for a mission-focused finance specialist seeking to work in partnership with a committed team of passionate professionals leading the evolution of a fast-growing, highly respected nonprofit organization. The CFO is a strategic partner, a critical thinker, and willing to challenge DASH’s status quo to reach new growth and vision levels.
Responsibilities
Systems Building and Refinement (20% in first year, less over time as systems are firmed up)
- Build, manage, and maintain an agile finance infrastructure and system within a dynamic, fast-evolving environment.
- Partner with the Chief People & Culture Officer to procure specialized finance IT systems that meet the needs of the organization.
Financial and Operational Management (30% of time):
- Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems, ensuring compliance with appropriate GAAP, regulatory and grant funder requirements, and OMB audit requirements.
- Oversee and maintain internal control safeguards.
- Oversee annual IRS Form 990 and audit preparation and liaise with external auditors.
- Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and DASH’s board of directors.
- Lead development and presentation of financial metrics both internally and externally.
Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations (30% of time):
- Assess organizational performance against both the annual budget and DASH’s long-term strategy. Develop systems to provide critical financial and operational information and make actionable recommendations on strategy and operations.
- Engage the board finance committee around issues, trends, and changes in the operating model(s) and operational delivery to develop short-, medium-, and long-term financial plans and projections.
- Oversee long-term budgetary planning and costs management in alignment with DASH’s strategic plan.
- Provide financial leadership to inform effective governance models over DASH’s growing business and program complexity.
- Develop and utilize financial business plans and forward-looking, predictive models and activity- based financial analyses to provide insight into the organization’s operations.
- Represent the company to financial partners, including financial institutions, investors, foundation executives, auditors, public officials, etc.
Team Management (20% of time, increasing over time as the team is built out):
- Attract, develop, coach, and retain high-performance team members, empowering them to elevate their level of responsibility, span of control, and performance.
- Supervise the Finance team to ensure that policies, procedures, and practices are consistently developed, implemented, and maintained.
- Support and lead the Finance team staff in cross-team engagement to train and develop financial acumen throughout the organization.
- Guide larger, cross-divisional teams outside of direct span of control within DASH program and divisional areas.
Other duties as assigned or required.
Requirements
The following outline DASH’s key priority areas for the CFO role:
- Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in accounting or finance. MBA and/or CPA preferred.
- 7-10 years of broad finance experience, including 5+ years in a nonprofit setting. Experience managing the finance function (accounting, budgeting, control, and reporting) within an entity with complex program offerings and diverse financing sources (state, federal and private funding).
- Advanced understanding of the practices and procedures of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) as applied to financial accounting, reporting, and transactions. Knowledge of OMB requirements for nonprofits.
- Advanced proficiency with accounting software and financial reporting applications.
- Advanced proficiency in preparation and analysis of financial statements and forecasting methods.
- Proven experience in data analysis, risk management and forecasting methods.
- Proven experience partnering with IT staff to manage critical financial management systems.
- 5+ years as a supervisor. Able to organize and prioritize a team’s work with colleagues and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with competing demands.
- Record of recruiting, motivating, organizing, and retaining a high-performing and diverse team.
- Exceptional project management skills with great attention to detail. Comfort with working on multiple projects and competing deadlines.
- Experience ensuring strong communication and collaboration cross-functionally with diverse stakeholders with varied financial knowledge backgrounds.
- Experience developing staff, particularly around issues related project finance and management.
Compensation and Benefits
DASH offers a competitive salary in the range of $140,000 – $160,000. Employees have access to 90% employer-paid insurance for health, dental, and vision, Rx, short- and long-term disability and life, a minimum of 20 days of paid leave, 15 holidays, a weeklong winter holiday, and a matched contribution retirement plan.
How to Apply
DASH has retained the services of Good Insight, a national executive search firm serving nonprofits, to conduct this search. Interested applicants should submit a resume and a detailed cover letter that describes their interest in and qualifications for this role. Upload application materials at www.good-insight.org/careers. Direct confidential inquiries to Carlyn Madden at [email protected].
Resume reviews begin immediately. For best consideration, apply by August 22, 2022. Early applications are encouraged due to the pace of the search.