POSITION SUMMARY
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts serves as a strategic financial advisor and transformation leader, partnering closely with the President & CEO and executive leadership team to advance the organization’s mission, financial health, and long-term sustainability. The CFO provides visionary leadership across all financial operations while driving enterprise-wide modernization through the strategic integration of financial technology, the automation of core financial processes, and the elevation of data, reporting, and analytical capabilities across the organization, enabling every department to thrive.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership Philosophy
- Enabler by Design — Believes the best finance organizations are defined by how effectively they partner with the business and empower every department to succeed. Approaches every challenge as an opportunity to find a path forward, and builds systems that give leaders the financial visibility and tools to make informed decisions independently.
- Entrepreneurial and Growth-Oriented — Thinks like a business builder, not just a financial steward. Actively identifies new revenue opportunities, evaluates emerging business models, and partners with programming, sales, and operations to grow the enterprise.
- Transformation Architect — Has a proven track record of modernizing financial operations into automated, best-in-class systems. Views technology and AI as essential tools for accuracy, speed, and strategic insight that elevate the entire organization.
- Transparent and Collaborative — Champions a culture of partnership and financial openness. Believes that when leaders across the organization have access to timely, meaningful financial insight, better decisions follow — and builds the tools, reporting, and partnerships to make that a reality.
- Agile and Forward-Thinking — Thrives in dynamic environments. Anticipates challenges before they arrive, adapts strategies as conditions change, and brings a bias toward action and innovation rather than precedent and convention.
- People-Centered Leader — Invests in developing colleagues. Builds high-performing teams through trust, mentorship, and a commitment to professional growth. Creates a finance culture defined by curiosity, continuous improvement, and service to the organization.
Financial Strategy and Business Partnership
- Serve as a business partner and strategic financial advisor to the President & CEO and executive leadership team on all financial matters, business development opportunities, and capital allocation decisions.
- Drive net income growth through revenue optimization and margin improvement, ensuring financial resources are deployed strategically to maximize impact across all business segments.
- Establish aligned performance metrics that connect mission delivery, guest experience, and financial outcomes — and present clear, compelling financial narratives to the Finance Committee, Executive Committee, Board of Directors, and external stakeholders.
- Identify and evaluate new revenue opportunities and business models, integrating contributed and earned revenue into a unified economic model and partnering with Development, Sponsorship, and leadership to diversify and strengthen the organization’s income portfolio.
- Provide financial leadership on partnership economics, sponsorship structures, fundraising and development activities, commercial terms, and pricing strategy that maximize value while supporting long-term relationships.
- Develop sophisticated financial models, scenario analyses, and forecasting capabilities that combine quantitative insight with strategic judgment to drive better decisions at every level of the organization.
- Partner with the CEO and department leaders to develop Long Range Plan.
- Partner with department leaders to develop and monitor budgets, evaluate business cases for new initiatives, and provide financial insight that enables them to achieve their goals.
- Lead financial due diligence and analysis for capital investments, new programming opportunities, and strategic growth initiatives.
Team Leadership and Organizational Development
- Build, lead, and develop a high-performing finance and accounting team, attracting top talent and fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and service.
- Invest in upskilling colleagues across the finance function to thrive in a modern, technology-enabled environment — developing hybrid capabilities in data analytics, systems fluency, and strategic thinking.
- Develop finance business partner capabilities that embed financial expertise directly into departments, ensuring leaders have hands-on support for planning, analysis, and decision-making.
- Build bench strength and succession depth across the finance organization, ensuring continuity and resilience as the function evolves.
- Champion a finance culture that values transparency, intellectual curiosity, and continuous improvement
Finance Transformation and Technology Modernization
- Lead a comprehensive modernization of financial operations — implementing automated, digital-first workflows across procurement, accounts payable, expense management, and financial reporting, including electronic payment systems and digital approval processes.
- Serve as a key contributor and enabler in the evaluation and implementation of a modern enterprise platform, partnering with the CEO and senior leadership team to select solutions that align with the organization’s broader transformation strategy.
- Leverage artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics to enhance forecasting accuracy, automate routine transactions, detect anomalies, and surface strategic financial insights.
- Establish real-time financial dashboards and self-service reporting tools that provide department leaders with timely, transparent access to the financial information they need.
- Lead change management across the finance function and organization, ensuring that new financial systems, automated workflows, reporting tools, and collaborative ways of working are adopted successfully and sustained over time.
Finance and Stewardship
- Oversee all accounting operations, financial reporting, treasury management, tax compliance, and audit functions — ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and full compliance with GAAP, IRS reporting, Form 990 disclosure, grant requirements, and restricted fund management.
- Manage cash flow planning, investment strategies, capital structure, debt service obligations, and bond compliance — ensuring strong liquidity, financial resilience, and adherence to all lender covenant requirements.
- Provide financial oversight and reporting on capital projects, ensuring budget adherence, accurate cost tracking, and alignment with the organization’s long-term financial plan.
- Continuously improve the efficiency and speed of the financial close process, leveraging automation and standardization to deliver faster, more actionable reporting to leadership.
- Establish and champion financial data governance standards that ensure the accuracy, consistency, and integrity of data across all systems.
- Design and maintain strong internal control environments, risk management frameworks, and financial policies that protect organizational assets while enabling operational agility.
- Lead the annual audit process and maintain productive relationships with external auditors, banking partners, insurance providers, and financial institutions.
General Responsibilities
- Follow and support all operational policies and procedures. Assimilate into the arts center culture through understanding, supporting and demonstrating the core values.
- Maintain a professional and friendly relationship with other departments, colleagues, and partners.
- Able to remain calm under pressure. Ability to work effectively with internal and external customers, some of whom will require high levels of patience, tact, and diplomacy. Maintain Dr. Phillips Center standards of customer service at all times.
- Able to effectively communicate in English in both written and oral forms.
KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIRENCE
- Demonstrated success leading a major finance transformation — including modern enterprise platform implementation, process automation, and digital workflow modernization — with strong understanding of modern financial and enterprise technologies, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, intelligent automation, and business intelligence.
- Proven experience operating in a multi-segment commercial business environment with diverse revenue streams and complex cost structures.
- Deep expertise in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and strategic decision-making informed by both quantitative insight and business judgment.
- Proven ability to lead transformational organizational change management, bringing teams and stakeholders through significant process and technology transitions successfully.
- Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insight for non-financial audiences, boards, and stakeholders.
- A leadership style defined by collaboration, transparency, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine commitment to developing people.
- Bachelor’s degree required. MBA or Master’s degree in business-related discipline preferred. Minimum ten years of progressive related experience, with five years in a senior finance leadership role.
Dr. Phillips Center participates in an employment electronic eligibility verification program through E-Verify.
