Organization Overview: States Newsroom

States Newsroom was launched in 2018 with an urgent mission: to provide non-partisan coverage of the state policy and politics that most affect people’s daily lives. In March 2024, States Newsroom achieved full national coverage after establishing a newsroom or partnership in all 50 states.

States Newsroom is the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, with reporting from every capital. The work of States Newsroom provides key insight on policy and politics at no cost to the reader — no pop-ups, paywalls or ads.

In an era of rampant disinformation and growing news deserts, States Newsroom provides timely, non-partisan coverage of the state issues that most affect people’s daily lives. As a mission-driven newsroom powering democracy through public-interest journalism, States Newsroom delivers vital, trusted reporting where others can't, their free reporting supports local outlets and helps sustain hyperlocal coverage nationwide.

States Newsroom employs more than 220 full-time editors, reporters, and support staff covering 39 states; in the remaining 11 states, they partner with and support already-established nonprofit newsrooms. States Newsroom has established a philanthropic business model that empowers news coverage of state politics and policy, made possible through direct financial giving by individual donors at all levels.

States Newsroom recently expanded its reach and impact through the 2023 acquisition of Stateline and the growth of its Washington, D.C. bureau, which covers federal developments through a state-focused lens. Its reporting is freely available for republication, with thousands of outlets nationwide relying on its coverage. The organization also launched News from the States, a central hub featuring award-winning journalism from its network and nonprofit partners like The Texas Tribune, CalMatters, and Mississippi Today. States Newsroom offers both national and state-specific newsletters, providing in-depth analysis on politics, policy, and issues that span across state lines.

As States Newsroom turns its focus to the future, the organization is expanding its impact through increased in-state reporting capacity, new partnerships and distribution tools that support local news through republication and collaboration, and on-the-ground coverage of how recent changes at the federal level directly impact people in the states.

To learn more about States Newsroom, please visit their site: https://statesnewsroom.com/

Role Summary: Chief Financial Officer

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, the CFO will play a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s financial strategy and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the agency. Reporting to the CEO and overseeing a budget of $30+ million, the CFO will serve as the primary fiscal agent for States Newsroom. This leader will work collaboratively to provide leadership not only to the financial function, but to the whole of the organization by helping to drive the impact of State Newsroom’s mission.

This leader will work closely with a small, nimble, and deeply collaborative leadership team where trust, transparency, and strong rapport are essential. Together, they will shape strategy, respond to emerging opportunities, and ensure the organization remains aligned and effective in a fast-moving landscape.

The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting while fostering a culture of transparency, compliance, and operational excellence. This role will oversee two direct reports—the Finance Manager and Operations Manager—while also managing the external accounting and compliance firm and supporting leaders responsible for decentralized accounting functions in each state-level newsroom.

Key Responsibilities Include:

● Financial Strategy & Planning: Lead the development of long-term financial strategies that support States Newsroom’s mission and position the organization for sustainable growth. Provide strategic financial counsel to the CEO and COO to inform key decisions.

● Budgeting & Financial Oversight: Oversee the annual budgeting process and ongoing financial performance monitoring, ensuring effective resource allocation and timely adjustments to meet organizational goals.

● Accounting, Audit & Compliance: In partnership with the external accountant,ensure accurate financial reporting, annual audit and 990 preparation, and strong internal controls in alignment with GAAP and nonprofit standards. Maintain full compliance with all regulatory requirements, including corporate registration and charitable solicitation licensing, etc.

● Cash Flow, Forecasting & Risk Management: Direct cash flow planning and forecasting to support operational needs and strategic initiatives. Identify financial risks and develop mitigation strategies to maintain the organization's fiscal health.

● Grants, Contracts & Financial Operations: Partner with the Finance Manager to oversee the financial lifecycle of grants and contracts, including budgeting, compliance, and reporting.

● Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Supervise the Finance and Operations teams while fostering strong partnerships with individual State Newsroom Editors across the country. Support staff in aligning financial practices with programmatic goals and building financial literacy organization-wide.

● Financial Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Act as the organization’s lead financial voice, clearly communicating financial performance, plans, and risks to staff, board members, donors, and other stakeholders.

● Investment Strategy: Develop and maintain an investment strategy that aligns with the organization’s values and long-term financial objectives, including the potential establishment of new banking relationships.

Leadership & Competency Expectations

The ideal candidate will be outcome-oriented and have a deep commitment to States Newsroom’s mission, demonstrating genuine care for the essential role of the free press in our democracy.

While it’s understood that no single candidate will bring every single competency, strong candidates will offer the following skills, characteristics, and experiences:

A Collaborative and Proactive Finance Executive

The CFO will thrive in a fast-paced, mission-driven organization with an innovativeculture where everyone rolls up their sleeves and contributes beyond their title. This is a highly collaborative, non-hierarchical environment that values a "get to yes" mindset and openness to creative, entrepreneurial ideas. The CFO will play a key role not just in overseeing finance, but in helping to shape strategic, organization-wide decisions. To succeed in this role, the CFO must be a clear and accessible communicator—someone who can distill complex financial concepts into plain language and foster understanding across diverse audiences.

A Strategic Partner and Day-to-Day Executor

The CFO will bring a strong foundation of financial discipline and a realistic approach to fiscal management, paired with the agility and attention to detail required in a fast-paced, hands-on environment. They will be both a strategic thinker and a doer—ready to dive into the day-to-day work while also contributing meaningfully to high-level conversations. As a key member of a small leadership team, the CFO will be a decisive leader, involved in daily decision-making to help forecast and re-forecast for the organization’s ever-evolving financial needs. They should be able to get up to speed rapidly, keeping their peers and leadership well informed, and proactively take the reins on that which falls under their purview, a leader who is ready to lead with confidence and curiosity from day one.

A Direct & Thoughtful Communicator

The CFO will be a clear, thoughtful communicator who ensures colleagues across the organization—from external accountants to local state offices and central HQ teams—have the information they need to succeed. They will play a key role in streamlining processes and bringing fresh ideas to reduce manual workflows, improving both efficiency and clarity. With a strong sense of ownership over financial communications, this leader will prepare and present financial updates to the Board, translating complex information into accessible insights that support informed decision-making across all levels of the organization.

A Passion for the Mission of States Newsroom

The CFO will be motivated by the opportunity to support a mission that matters—ensuring communities across the country have access to trusted, independent and in-depth reporting on state policy and politics. Experience in journalism or media is not required, however a deep belief in the power of public-interest journalism and its role in a healthy democracy is essential. This leader will see their financial stewardship as directly tied to the organization’s impact and will take pride in helping sustain and grow work that serves the public good.

Location, Compensation and Benefits

States Newsroom has offices in Washington D.C. and Chapel Hill, NC. This role is open to candidates in either of those regions as well as US-based remote candidates. Candidates located in D.C or NC will work in a hybrid setting. Quarterly travel to one or both of the main offices will be expected for the remote candidate.

Salary is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, skill set level and years of previous/applicable experience. The salary range for this role is $150,000 - $160,000.

States Newsroom offers competitive and comprehensive benefits including platinum level health insurance covered at 100% for employees and dependents, a 401k program that is vested immediately with 3% match, and 6 weeks of PTO in addition to 11 holidays.

How to Apply

To express your interest in this opportunity, please submit your resume and cover letter here: https://adr.to/d4shcai

All inquiries and discussions will be handled with the utmost confidentiality. This position is available immediately, and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled.

We look forward to hearing from you!

About Maneva Group

Maneva Group is a leading woman and minority owned executive search firm dedicated to connecting exceptional talent with organizations committed to making a meaningful impact. Through a consultative and client-focused approach, Maneva Group partners with mission-driven organizations to build transformative leadership teams.

Our name, Maneva, comes from the combination of two Sanskrit words: “Mānav” meaning mankind, & “Sevā” meaning service. We are driven by the ideal of our name — service to humanity.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $150,000.00 - $160,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) matching
Dental insurance
Health insurance
Paid time off
Vision insurance

Work Location: Remote

States Newsroom

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