About Hermann Park Conservancy
Given to the City of Houston by George Hermann in 1914, Hermann Park is one of the city’s most important civic spaces. Hermann Park Conservancy, a nonprofit partner to the City of Houston, was formed in 1992 to restore, steward, and advance the Park as a shared public space for all Houstonians.
Today, the Conservancy manages a complex and growing operation that includes earned revenue programs, major capital projects, and long-term stewardship of the Park’s landscapes and infrastructure. We have completed nearly $200 million in improvements to date and are advancing a long-range plan that will guide more than $300 million in future investment. Our work sits at the intersection of philanthropy, public partnership, and park operations. The Conservancy is entering a period of significant growth, including an active capital campaign, expanded operations, and deeper collaboration with public-sector partners.
Position Summary
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of the leadership team and a strategic partner to the President & CEO. This role goes well beyond financial oversight. The CFO will help guide organizational strategy, support major capital initiatives, and ensure the Conservancy is positioned for long-term financial sustainability and growth. The CFO oversees all aspects of financial management while also playing a central role in decision-making—helping leadership and the Board understand tradeoffs, evaluate opportunities, and plan for the future.
The Conservancy operates with a diverse revenue model that includes contributed revenue, public funding, and earned income from programs, events, and venues. The CFO has primary responsibility for financial strategy and oversight, financial planning, policies, and systems, in alignment with the President & CEO.
The CFO will also provide oversight of key administrative functions, including financial compliance, risk management, and financial technology infrastructure, ensuring the organization operates with discipline and clarity as it grows.
The organization currently operates with an annual budget of approximately $9M and is undertaking a capital campaign of approximately $300M. The finance function is expected to scale alongside the organization’s continued growth and increasing complexity.
Success in this role will include strengthening long-term financial sustainability, improving financial systems and transparency, supporting the successful execution of the capital campaign, and building strong confidence with staff and the Board.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the President & CEO and a contributing and supportive member of the leadership team
- Lead long-range financial planning aligned with the Conservancy’s strategic plan, master plan, and capital campaign
- Develop financial models and scenarios to support major capital projects and organizational growth
- Provide clear, actionable financial insight to inform decision-making across the organization
- Partner with leadership to evaluate new initiatives, earned revenue opportunities, and operational investments
- Contribute to organization-wide planning and prioritization, helping align resources with strategic goals and strengthening cross-functional decision-making
Financial Management & Planning
- Oversee all financial, treasury, and accounting operations, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial reporting
- Lead the annual budgeting process in close partnership with the President & CEO, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
- Monitor financial performance against budget and provide timely, thoughtful analysis of variances and trends
- Produce clear, decision-oriented financial reports for leadership and the Board of Directors
- Ensure strong internal controls and sound financial practices across the organization
- Ensure compliance with nonprofit financial reporting requirements, including Form 990, fund accounting standards, and grant and donor restrictions
- Ensure the proper accounting and recording of the books and records
- Provide compliance reports to the banks as required
Team Leadership & Oversight
- Provide leadership and oversight to the Accounting Manager, who is responsible for day-to-day accounting operations including bookkeeping, invoicing, project accounting, grant tracking, and required reporting to the City
- Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and consistency of financial data while maintaining appropriate separation between transactional and strategic functions
- Establish clear roles, workflows, and accountability across the finance function as the organization grows
- Mentor and develop finance staff while contributing to a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement
Financial Systems & Data Infrastructure
- Lead the continued development and optimization of financial systems, including Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT and related tools
- Ensure financial data is structured to provide clear visibility into operations, capital projects, and restricted vs. unrestricted funds
- Partner across the organization to improve reporting clarity, including the use of project codes and other tools to better track performance by program, venue, and initiative
- Identify opportunities to streamline processes, reduce manual work, and improve accuracy through thoughtful use of technology
- Build systems that support a growing and increasingly complex organization
Investments, Audit, and Board Engagement
- Oversee endowment and investment tracking; serve as liaison to investment advisors
- Lead the annual audit process and serve as lead contact for external auditors
- Partner with the Finance Committee, Investment Committee, and Board to present financial results, investment results, forecasts, and key strategic considerations
- Translate complex financial information into clear, accessible insights for non-financial stakeholders
Capital & Business Operations
- Support financial planning and cash flow strategy for the Conservancy’s capital campaign and major projects
- Ensure strong alignment between capital investments and long-term operating sustainability
- Partner with the COO and leadership team to ensure financial systems and processes support a growing organization
- Oversee financial aspects of contracts, vendor relationships, and business operations as needed
- Partner closely with the Development team to support fundraising strategy, including capital campaigns, donor reporting, and financial positioning for major gifts and institutional funding
Risk, Compliance & Administration
- Oversee organizational compliance with federal, state, and local requirements, including nonprofit filings and reporting obligations
- In coordination with the COO, ensure appropriate insurance coverage across the organization, including regular review of policies and coordination with brokers and advisors
- Partner with COO in organizational risk management practices, identifying and addressing areas of exposure
- Partner with legal counsel, auditors, banks and external advisors to ensure the Conservancy operates with strong governance and sound practices
Requirements
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required; CPA, MBA, or equivalent experience strongly preferred
- 10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, with several years in a senior leadership role
- Experience overseeing financial and accounting operations in a complex organization with multiple revenue streams
- Experience overseeing treasury and banking relationships
- Demonstrated ability to operate as a strategic partner, not just a functional leader
- Strong financial modeling, forecasting, and analytical skills
- Ability to communicate financial and accounting concepts clearly to non-financial audiences
- Experience with nonprofits, public-private partnerships, and capital campaigns strongly preferred
- High level of integrity, sound judgment, and collaborative leadership style
The ideal candidate is both strategic and practical--someone who can move easily between big-picture thinking and day-to-day realities without losing sight of either.
Equally important, this person will contribute positively to the culture of the organization. The Conservancy values a workplace that is collaborative, supportive, and grounded in mutual respect.
We are looking for a leader who is:
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Positive and solutions-focused
- Compassionate and respectful in working with others
- Modest, approachable, and confident in their expertise
- Steady, thoughtful, and capable of navigating complexity with good judgment
This is a highly visible leadership role, and the CFO is expected to model these qualities within the finance function and across the organization.
Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time, salary-exempt position with a targeted salary range of $120,000–$170,000 annually, based on the candidate’s experience, qualifications, and alignment with the responsibilities of the role. Hermann Park Conservancy provides a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, and generous paid time off.
