Location: Arlington, VA HQ

Work Days in Office: 5 days

Position Type: Full-time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Who We Are:

Spirit of America is a mission-driven organization operating at the intersection of national security, global partnerships, and real-world impact. We work alongside U.S. troops and diplomats in complex environments worldwide, delivering fast, targeted support that advances American interests and helps people secure a free and better life.

Our model is entrepreneurial, responsive, and built for action. We operate in dynamic, often austere environments where speed, accountability, and sound judgment are essential and where strong financial stewardship directly enables mission success.

Role Overview:

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic and operational leader responsible for the financial strength, integrity, and agility of Spirit of America. Reporting to the CEO, the CFO is a member of the Leadership Team and leads a high-performing finance team (currently 4 professionals) direct reports.

This role is central to enabling Spirit of America’s ability to operate globally with speed, accountability, and impact. The CFO ensures that financial systems, controls, and strategies accelerate mission impact and success.

The CFO will build and lead a finance function that fully supports global operations, establishing systems and processes that enable effective mission execution in complex environments. Equally important, the CFO will serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and Leadership Team, translating entrepreneurial vision into disciplined financial strategy, scalable operating plans, and measurable outcomes.

Who You Are:

You are a mission-driven financial leader who combines strategic insight with a hands-on, solutions-oriented approach. You understand that finance is a core enabler of mission success and take ownership of ensuring systems, processes, and decisions support agile execution in the field.

You bring deep experience in international nonprofit finance and overseas assistance operations, including budgeting, tracking, and disbursing funds in support of programs operating in complex regulatory and security environments. You are equally comfortable advising the Board as you are navigating real-time operational challenges, and you build clear, effective systems that allow teams to operate efficiently and with confidence.

You develop practical, compliant solutions for financing international operations and proactively solve problems to ensure funds move where they are needed—without disruption. You are a trusted partner to program teams, a strong operator, and a leader who brings clarity, discipline, and accountability to the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Finance & Organizational Planning

Advise the CEO, President, and Leadership Team on financial strategy, risk, and organizational growth
Lead long-term financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and scenario analysis aligned with strategic priorities
Translate organizational strategy into clear financial plans, operating models, and measurable outcomes
Monitor financial performance and provide actionable insights to support decision-making and resource allocation

Board Engagement & External Relations

Lead development of Board financial materials, including dashboards, forecasts, and narrative insights
Serve as a trusted advisor to the Board and Finance/Audit Committee on financial health, risk, and strategy
Manage relationships with auditors, banks, and financial partners

Financial Operations, Treasury & Controls

Oversee all core financial functions, including accounting, payroll, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting
Ensure accuracy, transparency, and integrity of financial systems and records
Establish and maintain strong internal controls while enabling operational agility
Lead treasury strategy, including liquidity management, cash positioning, and banking relationships
Manage financial risk related to liquidity, currency, and global operations
Align financial planning with revenue strategy in partnership with Development and the CEO, ensuring clear visibility into funding pipelines, restrictions, and use of funds

Global Program Finance & Payments

Build and lead financial systems that fully support international program operations
Establish and manage real-time tracking of program funding commitments, obligations, and expenditures
Own execution of global payments, ensuring compliance and reliability across multiple disbursement pathways
Proactively resolve payment and funding challenges to ensure uninterrupted program delivery
Ensure financial and tax compliance across multiple jurisdictions

Risk Management, Compliance & Audit

Develop and oversee enterprise risk management (ERM) framework across financial operations
Ensure compliance with nonprofit accounting standards and all regulatory requirements
Oversee sanctions, AML, OFAC, and anti-diversion controls
Lead audit processes, Form 990, and all required filings and registrations

Systems, Data & Operational Excellence

Implement and optimize financial systems to enable real-time visibility and decision-making
Drive process improvements to increase efficiency, clarity, and responsiveness
Ensure integration across finance, CRM, and operational systems

Leadership & Organizational Integration

Lead and develop a high-performing finance team (4–5 direct reports)
Foster a culture of accountability, responsiveness, and mission alignment
Partner across the organization to embed finance as a core enabler of operations
Contribute to organizational design, scalability, and institutional strength

Crisis & Contingency Leadership

Lead financial response during crises, disruptions, or geopolitical shifts
Ensure continuity of funding and financial operations in high-risk environments
Develop contingency plans to maintain operational resilience

What Success Looks Like

Program teams are fully supported by finance—they are not managing budgets themselves
A clear, reliable system exists for tracking funding commitments in real time
Overseas payments are executed efficiently, legally, and without delay—even in complex environments
Payment challenges are solved with ownership and urgency—not escalated without action
Financial reporting is accurate, timely, and decision-useful
Strong audit outcomes and full compliance are consistently achieved
Financial strategy enables growth, sustainability, and increased mission impact

Required Qualifications

10+ years of senior financial leadership experience at the CFO or equivalent level in international nonprofit environments (for-profit experience a plus)
CPA and MBA strongly preferred
Extensive experience supporting overseas assistance operations, including budgeting and financial tracking
Demonstrated ability to build systems for tracking program funding commitments and expenditures
Experience managing financial operations across multiple entities, jurisdictions, and asset types
Proven experience managing international payments and disbursements, including multiple compliant pathways
Strong understanding of global regulatory environments, sanctions compliance, and financial risk management
Excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills

Key Professional Attributes

High judgment and discretion with sensitive financial and organizational matters
Executive presence and credibility with CEO, Board, and external stakeholders
Ability to balance speed and control in high-stakes environments
Clear, direct communicator who simplifies complex financial concepts
Calm under pressure; decisive in ambiguous, fast-moving situations
Strong operator who leads from the front—takes ownership and solves problems
Builds trust quickly across diverse teams (program, development, operations)

Benefits

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance, and 403(b) contribution match to 4%.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Spirit of America is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability, or other protected characteristics in accordance with applicable laws.

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