Chief Financial Officer
Job Description
Position Summary
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a senior executive accountable for the organization’s financial stewardship and for executive oversight of Accounting/Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology. The CFO works through responsible staff and external partners to establish priorities, remove barriers, monitor performance, manage risk and compliance, and ensure accountable execution. In partnership with the chief executive, senior leadership, and department leaders, the CFO aligns resources with the mission, safeguards assets, strengthens organizational capacity, and promotes long-term sustainability.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Accounting and Finance
- Facilitate a collaborative annual budgeting and forecasting process with department leaders and senior leadership, providing financial guidance, tools, assumptions, and analysis throughout the process.
- Oversee accounting operations, including the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, recording payroll activity, reconciling the general ledger to payroll records, financial reporting, and internal controls.
- Oversee nonprofit revenue recognition and related accounting for grants, contributions, restricted and unrestricted revenue, and releases from restriction in accordance with applicable accounting standards; prepare financial components of grant reports in collaboration with Resource Development and Programs.
- Oversee the monthly financial close, including account reconciliations, review of journal entries, resolution of outstanding items, and timely completion of accurate financial records.
- Oversee preparation of complete monthly financial packages, including statements of financial position and activities, budget-to-actual results, variance explanations, dashboards, and cash flow forecasts; partner with department and senior leaders to review performance against budget and forecast, explain variances, identify trends and risks, and develop appropriate responses.
- Coordinate annual audits, applicable sales tax filings, regulatory reporting, and reporting related to BGCA financial compliance requirements; monitor adherence to nonprofit accounting standards, applicable laws and contracts, and board-approved policies.
- Establish, document, maintain, and continuously improve accounting and finance policies, procedures, workflows, and internal controls.
- Define finance requirements for platforms and system enhancements, support implementation and adoption, and monitor whether solutions improve efficiency, accuracy, controls, integration, reporting, and user experience.
- Develop, monitor, and communicate meaningful financial and operational key performance indicators to support accountability, transparency, and informed decision-making.
- Prioritize competing demands and adjust plans, processes, and resources as organizational needs, risks, and opportunities evolve.
- Manage banking and investment relationships and execute delegated responsibilities in accordance with applicable board-approved bylaws, policies, resolutions, and authorized signing arrangements.
- Collaborate with department leaders on purchasing and vendor relationships, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
Human Resources
- Provide executive oversight of onboarding, compensation, benefits, payroll processing, employee relations, performance management, and professional development through responsible Human Resources staff and leaders.
- Oversee the development, documentation, implementation, and consistent administration of Human Resources policies and procedures through responsible staff. Monitor adherence to applicable external requirements, including Department of Labor requirements and other employment laws and regulations.
- Support Human Resources staff and leaders in fostering a positive, inclusive, accountable workplace culture and provide guidance on organizational structure, staffing, and employee matters.
- Oversee escalation, controls, and accountable execution for leave administration, workplace accommodations, employee relations investigations, corrective action processes, payroll compliance, and required manager and employee training, working through responsible staff to support compliance with applicable laws and organizational policies.
- Review HR metrics and dashboards with responsible staff and leaders to identify trends, support informed decisions, and strengthen accountability.
- Sponsor continuous improvement of HR processes and systems. In partnership with the Human Resources team, assess whether current or proposed platforms meet organizational needs, support future growth, and make effective use of available capabilities to improve efficiency, compliance, data quality, reporting, and user experience.
- Monitor the effectiveness of HR records, systems, benefits administration, required reporting, and risk-management practices, providing guidance and escalation support as needed.
Information Technology
- Work with the outsourced Information Technology provider to support reliable technology infrastructure, business applications, cybersecurity, privacy, data protection, disaster recovery, and user support, providing executive guidance and escalation support as needed.
- Partner with department leaders and the outsourced IT provider to document staff technology needs and align practical technology priorities with organizational operations, financial capacity, and growth.
- Establish organization-wide access governance for business platforms, user permissions, employee badging, and onboarding and offboarding changes. Coordinate with Human Resources, department leaders, and the outsourced IT provider to define responsibilities, maintain documentation, and ensure timely, authorized access changes.
- Monitor the outsourced IT provider’s service performance and oversee governance of technology contracts, licensing, asset records, and significant system changes, providing escalation support within the scope of the role.
Executive Leadership and Governance
- Serve as a strategic advisor to the chief executive and leadership team on financial, workforce, technology, operational, and risk matters.
- Present financial results, forecasts, risks, trends, and recommendations transparently to senior leadership, relevant committees, and the board at scheduled meetings, clearly explaining assumptions, variances, and significant changes.
- Help leaders evaluate program investments, funding opportunities, and resource tradeoffs using mission impact, financial sustainability, capacity, and risk.
- Translate strategy into measurable departmental plans, budgets, policies, and service standards.
- Lead cross-functional process improvement across Accounting/Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology by establishing clear ownership, coordinating dependencies, and aligning controls and service standards across functions.
- Provide enterprise governance for the evaluation, selection, and implementation of major platforms and system enhancements, ensuring that cross-functional investments align with organizational priorities and improve efficiency, accuracy, controls, integration, reporting, or user experience.
- Provide executive coaching and support to responsible department leaders and staff; reinforce accountability, ethical conduct, collaboration, capability development, and continuous improvement.
- Coordinate enterprise risk management, business continuity planning, and appropriate insurance coverage. Ensure that significant risks, mitigation plans, and unresolved issues are communicated to senior leadership and the board through established reporting and escalation processes.
- Represent the organization with auditors, banks, insurers, legal counsel, regulators, funders, vendors, and other external partners as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities
Provides executive oversight, coaching, and support to employees and service providers within Accounting/Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology. Working through responsible staff and partners, the CFO sets expectations, clarifies accountability, removes barriers, monitors and evaluates results, develops capability, and ensures that escalated performance or conduct concerns are addressed in accordance with organizational policy.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred.
- CPA or CMA certification is preferred. Additional credentials in Human Resources, technology governance, risk management, or another relevant field are also valued.
- At least seven years of progressively responsible finance and accounting experience, including senior leadership responsibility for budgets, financial reporting, audits, compliance, and internal controls; equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.
- Demonstrated ability to provide effective executive oversight of Human Resources and Information Technology through qualified department staff and external partners.
- Strong knowledge of financial management and organizational operations, together with sufficient working knowledge of employment practices, technology governance, and cybersecurity risk to provide effective executive oversight through qualified staff and external partners.
- Excellent judgment, integrity, communication, analytical, change-management, and people-leadership skills.
- Ability to explain complex financial, workforce, and technology matters to nontechnical audiences.
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Detroit, MI 48228
