The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) is one of the oldest continuously operating museums in the United States and a globally recognized leader in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Located in Salem, Massachusetts, PEM boldly honors creativity as a nourishing force in people's lives, offering thought-provoking experiences that activate understanding of our shared humanity while empowering imagination and learning through experimentation.
PEM stewards, builds, and makes accessible an extraordinary collection spanning cultures, time periods, and artistic traditions, encouraging visitors to appreciate the interconnected histories and creativity of people in our complex, ever-changing world. Through innovative exhibitions, dynamic programming, research, and community partnerships, the museum serves as a vibrant cultural institution where curiosity, dialogue, and creativity inspire meaningful connections across communities.
Guided by its vision to be a magnetic, human-centered gathering place—locally, globally, and virtually—PEM is committed to fostering openness, collaboration, inquiry, and experimentation. The museum embraces inclusive and equitable engagement, striving to create authentic, meaningful experiences that cultivate a sense of belonging while respecting humanity, the environment, and the diverse perspectives that enrich our collective understanding.
Founded in 1799 by the East India Marine Society, PEM has evolved into one of the nation's most innovative museums while remaining deeply rooted in its history of connecting people, cultures, and ideas. Today, the museum continues to advance its mission by celebrating creativity as a powerful catalyst for learning, empathy, and human connection.
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides strategic, operational, and fiduciary leadership for the Peabody Essex Museum’s (PEM) comprehensive financial, investment, and administrative functions. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and serving as a key member of the Executive Team, the CFO is a trusted advisor to the Board of Trustees, Executive Team, and senior staff on matters related to financial strategy, sustainability, governance, institutional risk, and organizational performance.
The CFO has enterprise-wide responsibility for financial planning and analysis, accounting and reporting, treasury and cash management, endowment and investment operations oversight, contracts oversight, compliance, and selected enterprise-wide initiatives. The role also oversees PEM’s Information Technology function.
This position requires a highly engaged, hands-on finance executive who combines strategic judgment with operational rigor and partners closely with colleagues to support PEM’s mission, long-term financial resilience, and institutional priorities.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Leadership & Strategy
- Provide strategic leadership for PEM’s overall financial management, ensuring long-term financial sustainability, liquidity, and alignment with institutional goals.
- Partner with the Executive Team to integrate financial planning with strategic initiatives, programmatic priorities, and capital investments.
- Lead multi-year financial planning, forecasting, and scenario analysis to support informed decision-making by senior leadership and the Board.
Accounting, Reporting & Compliance
- Oversee all accounting and financial reporting functions, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and integrity of internal and external financial information.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable regulatory, tax, audit, and reporting requirements, including GAAP, IRS regulations, and donor restrictions.
- Develop, implement, and strengthen internal controls, policies, and procedures to support strong governance and institutional risk management.
- Serve as the primary executive liaison to external auditors and accounting advisors.
Endowment & Investments
- Provide executive oversight of PEM’s endowment and investment operations in partnership with the Board Investment Committee and external investment advisors.
- Oversee accounting, reporting, cash flows, distributions, capital calls, and redemptions for PEM’s endowment, currently valued at approximately $690 million +.
- Ensure accurate stewardship, documentation, and reporting of restricted and unrestricted endowment funds, including accumulated unspent distributions.
- Support the implementation of investment decisions approved by the Investment Committee, including subscription documentation review, execution as an authorized signer, and coordination of capital calls and liquidity activity.
- Lead institutional cash management and liquidity planning across operating, capital, and investment accounts.
- PEM’s finance team performs all endowment accounting and financial reporting internally.
Budgeting, Financial Planning & Analysis
- Lead the annual operating and capital budgeting processes and ongoing forecasting across all departments.
- Direct financial planning and analysis (FP&A), including variance analysis, performance monitoring, and multi-year modeling.
- Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for Board members, senior leadership, and staff.
Contracts & Institutional Risk Oversight
- Partner with the COO in providing executive oversight of institutional contracts and procurement practices.
- Review and approve significant contracts in collaboration with external legal counsel and the COO.
- Partner with the COO and Audit & Risk Committee leadership on institutional risk considerations, insurance coverage, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Support the implementation of risk-related actions approved by the Board.
