Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid)

Reports to: CEO

Position Overview

A mission driven international advocacy non-profit organization is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to lead the organization’s global finance and information technology functions. This role is both highly strategic and deeply hands-on, requiring a leader who can set vision and direction while also engaging directly in execution, problem-solving, and day-to-day decision-making.

The CFO reports directly to the CEO and partners closely with the Senior Vice President, the Executive Committee, and other senior leaders which includes the company's country leaders and department heads. The CFO plays a critical role in aligning financial strategy and operational execution with the organization’s mission, ensuring that systems, people, and resources are effectively positioned to support impact globally.

The CFO is responsible for overseeing our successful participation in independent financial audits in each of our countries as well as a consolidated international audit. The financial system supports grant reporting and expense allocation, as well as the financial aspect of funding proposals and grant compliance The CFO manages the financial system to ensure operational integrity, sound governance, transparency and compliance with US GAAP standards and all country laws and regulations where there are operations.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Strategy & Execution

Lead the development and execution of the global financial strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities
Directly oversee and actively engage in annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes
Review and refine financial models, budgets, and reporting to ensure accuracy, clarity, and usability
Establish and maintain a strong financial and operational control environment, including compliance, audit readiness, and timely escalation of financial and operational risks across all offices
Provide clear, actionable financial insights, performance reporting, and decision support to the CEO, executive leadership, and the Board
The CFO assists the CEO and Board of Directors in financial planning, forecasting and assessment
Serve as the senior decision-maker for complex finance and accounting matters, including technical accounting, accounting policy, and other cross-functional issues that require clear ownership and direction
The CFO is responsible for managing cash and investments
Step in as needed to troubleshoot financial issues, close gaps, and support the team during peak periods

Leadership & Team Management

Lead and develop a high-performing, globally distributed team, balancing delegation with active engagement,
Establish clear ownership and decision rights across departments and country offices, institutionalizing processes and governance to enable scalability
Directly manage 6 direct reports, including senior-level finance and IT professionals
Manage a global network of financial leaders across 11 country offices (called Office Administrators or Directors of Finance and Administration)
Provide hands-on support and coach leaders and teams to strengthen independent judgement, issue resolution, and technical problem-solving beyond routine processes
Support the Global Controller with oversight of the network of Office Administrators/Directors of Finance in local country offices
Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, critical thinking, and continuous improvement
Provide strategic and operational oversight of Global Operational Services, including IT, grants and budgets, and risk management related to finance and IT
Identify inefficiencies and directly lead efforts to streamline processes and improve execution
Partner with teams across the organization to solve operational challenges in real time

Information Technology & Systems

Lead the development and execution of IT strategy, ensuring systems effectively support organizational goals and global operations
Drive system effectiveness by identifying and reducing redundancies, improving integration, and streamlining the overall technology landscape
Partner closely with IT leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize and implement system improvements
Ensure strong data governance, cybersecurity practices, and appropriate controls across enterprise systems

Grants, Budgeting & Operational Effectiveness

Oversee budgeting and operational planning, ensuring strong alignment with organizational priorities and financial strategy
Ensure accurate, timely and decision-useful financial reporting to leadership and the Board, ensuring accountability, and performance tracking across teams
Support the development of tools and processes that improve visibility into organizational performance

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree required, MBA or other advanced degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in finance and operations within a global nonprofit organization
CPA is highly preferred, prior public accounting/audit experience preferred
Demonstrated ability to operate both strategically and hands-on, with a willingness to engage in detailed work when needed
Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning
Experience overseeing global and distributed teams
Experience managing operational functions such as IT, administration, and risk
Familiarity with donor-funded environments
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive solutions
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

We want our new CFO to have a strategic mindset, be action oriented, highly communicative and collaborative with a global perspective.

This is a hybrid role, in the office within the Washington Metro area on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

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