Organization Overview: Metanoia
Metanoia is a nonprofit community development organization dedicated to serving the North Charleston community and its residents through several focus areas including: youth leadership, affordable housing, and economic development.
Metanoia was founded in 2003 following an effort led by a South Carolina coalition of churches that set out to address regional childhood poverty by starting with a simple act: listening. After spending a year hearing directly from families in North Charleston’s Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood—a vibrant, resilient community rich with history—Metanoia was born. From day one, Metanoia’s belief has been that local residents, not outside organizations, are the true experts on their community’s challenges, strengths, and solutions.
What started as a small after-school program with a local church has since grown into a full-scale community development effort. Metanoia’s annual operating budget is $4.9 million. It has a full-time staff of 12 and between 10 and 20 seasonal part time workers depending on the time of year. Metanoia supports youth and their families from 1st through 12th grade while partnering with families on quality housing and local economic opportunities. The organization manages 50 units of affordable rental housing and forecasts building 70 units of affordable homes for sale over the next five years. Through its subsidiaries, Metanoia is now undertaking the renovation of the historic Old Chicora School, a capital project utilizing philanthropic and tax credit financing.
Metanoia’s strategy seeks to walk with community families and listen constantly to their hopes and aspirations. Metanoia then targets its investment to build on the strengths of the community and release the brilliance we already see as continued in community people and places. All of this is done while rejecting historic barriers such as disinvestment, racism and neglect that the community has traditionally faced.
The mission of Metanoia is to amplify opportunities for a thriving community with families in Chicora and surrounding historically Black neighborhoods by honing the unique strengths that exist there.
Position Summary: Chief Financial Officer
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will serve as the senior financial leader responsible for building, managing, and strengthening all financial operations, systems, controls, and reporting across Metanoia and its related entities. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the CFO is a core member of the executive leadership team and a key partner to the CEO, COO, program leaders, and Board of Directors.
This role requires a hands-on, operationally grounded leader who can manage current financial obligations while simultaneously designing and implementing the systems, team structure, and processes needed to support a growing, complex community development organization.
The CFO will lead the transition from outsourced accounting functions to a fully internal finance operation, translate complex financial information into clear, decision-ready insights, and ensure strong financial stewardship that protects the organization while enabling mission-driven growth. In addition, this role will play a critical part in supporting the organization’s strategic plan by aligning financial strategy with organizational priorities, providing forward-looking financial guidance, and ensuring the appropriate financial infrastructure and resources are in place to advance key initiatives and long-term objectives.
Essential Duties:
Financial Leadership and Strategic Partnership
- Serve as the organization’s chief financial strategist and thought partner to the CEO, COO, and Board.
- Lead long-range financial planning and multi-year forecasting aligned with organizational priorities and growth plans.
- Provide candid, evidence-based financial guidance, including identifying risks, constraints, and trade-offs and advising when proposed actions are not financially prudent.
- Support strategic decision-making related to staffing growth, program expansion, capital investments, and new opportunities.
- Oversee financial compliance and organizational risk management, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and proactively identifying, assessing, and prioritizing financial risks to inform strategic and operational initiatives.
- Build financial literacy throughout the organization to support effective budget ownership and program management by making complex information understandable for non-financial staff and leaders.
Financial Operations, Accounting, and Compliance
- Oversee all accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable/receivable, payroll coordination with outsourced vendor, and month- and year-end close.
- Ensure compliance with GAAP, nonprofit fund accounting standards, and all grant and donor reporting requirements.
- Oversee financial policies and compliance for federal contracts and grant-funded programs, ensuring adherence to program requirements, reporting standards, and funding regulations.
- Monitor budget-to-actual performance across programs and contracts, providing timely analysis and recommendations to support fiscal accountability and decision-making.
- Partner with the Development Director and Program Directors to support the pursuit of new funding opportunities, including reviewing grant applications and assessing the financial impact and sustainability of proposed initiatives.
- Manage preparation for and coordination of annual audits, single audits, and specialized audits related to subsidiary LLCs.
- Establish and maintain strong internal controls, financial policies, approval authorities, tax compliance, and documentation practices.
Budgeting, Forecasting, and Cash Management
- Develop and lead the annual operating and capital budgeting process in collaboration with program and operations leadership.
- Produce regular budget-to-actual analyses and proactively identify variances, trends, and corrective actions.
- Manage cash flow forecasting and liquidity to ensure the organization can meet obligations amid varied funding timelines.
- Advise leadership on reserve levels, working capital needs, and long-term financial sustainability.
- Maintain and strengthen banking and investment relationships for the organization.
Real Estate, Asset Management, and Complex Financing
- Provide financial oversight for affordable housing development, rental property operations, land acquisition, and asset management.
- Manage financial structures related to tax credits and complex financing, including multiple LLC entities with separate audits and reporting requirements.
- Oversee construction accounting, draw requests, contractor payments, and project budget tracking.
- Partner with legal counsel, lenders, investors, and consultants to structure and monitor development and financing agreements.
- Oversee compliance for federal contracts related to housing developments in coordination with external property manager.
Finance Team Development
- Design and build Metanoia’s internal finance function, including organizational structure, staffing plans, and role clarity.
- Recruit, supervise, and develop finance staff over time, fostering a culture of learning, accountability, and excellence.
Systems, Technology, and Infrastructure
- Oversee financial systems such as Sage Intacct and BILL, ensuring effective configuration, training, and data integrity.
- Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, automate reporting, and improve usability of financial information.
- Partner with the COO on IT vendor management and systems integration to support organizational efficiency.
Board, Committee, and Governance Support
- Serve as the primary financial liaison to the Board of Directors and the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board.
- Support board oversight of financial health, risk, audit outcomes, and policy development.
- Prepare and present clear, accessible financial reports monthly or as needed.
- Participate in governance and management committees related to major projects and subsidiary entities.
Risk Management
- Lead organizational risk management, including insurance coverage, financial risk assessment, and mitigation strategies.
- Ensure appropriate coverage for property, liability, D&O, construction, and other organizational risks.
- Implement fraud prevention practices and maintain a strong culture of financial accountability and transparency.
Core Competencies
- Financial discipline, integrity, and commitment to strong stewardship.
- Hands-on, transformational leadership style with the ability to evolve into strategic leadership.
- Cultural humility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to work effectively to support the mission of Metanoia.
- Strong listening skills and alignment with strengths-based, community-rooted values.
- Ability to navigate change, build systems thoughtfully, and balance structure with flexibility.
Location, Compensation and Benefits
This position is based on site in North Charleston, SC with some flexibility for a hybrid schedule and occasional travel to meet with community partners.
The anticipated base salary range for this role is $110,000 – $140,000 and includes a comprehensive benefits package.
How to Express Interest
To express your interest, please submit your resume and cover letter via the Maneva website.
All inquiries and discussions will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.
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.
