Arena Careers

People’s Action Institute is seeking an experienced and collaborative Director of Finance to oversee the organization’s financial and accounting operations and ensure budget and finances are in alignment with its strategic objectives, maximizing the organization’s ability to deliver on its mission.

The Finance Director will serve as a key leader on the People’s Action Institute Executive team, and will provide strategic counsel, financial analysis and forecasts to internal leadership and the Board of Directors.

The Finance Director will lead a small finance team through the day-to-day finance and accounting operations for multiple entities with an aggregate budget of approximately $15 million.

The Director will work closely with the Chief of Institutional Advancement to analyze existing financial processes and systems while also ensuring appropriate internal controls are in place and maintained and daily financial processes are completed in a timely and accurate manner.

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative leader adept at building financial systems, processes and procedures, and internal controls to ensure the highest levels of fiscal responsibility. Candidates must bring unquestionable integrity, outstanding accounting and financial stewardship skills, the ability to thrive in a mission driven organization, and a deep commitment to social, racial and economic justice movements.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced and committed financial professional to help enhance and strengthen one of the nation’s leading people-powered organizations in the movement for an inclusive democracy and economy.

Organization Overview

People’s Action Institute (501c3) is a national people-powered organization that conducts public education toward winning an inclusive democracy and economy. People’s Action Institute builds the power of poor and working people in rural, suburban, and urban areas to win change through policy education and campaigns, leadership development, narrative and communications strategies, and more.

With an office in Chicago, IL, and remote staff across the country, we support and advance state-based and national efforts for common sense policies on the environment, decarcerating, health care, economic security, housing, education, and more.

Key Responsibilities

Finance and Accounting Leadership

• Oversee all financial, project/program, and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period.
• Design and implement enhanced workflows and systems to support the efficiency and accuracy of accounting data.
• Support the Executive Director and Chief of Institutional Advancement in engaging the board’s audit and finance committees around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.
• Collaborate with the Development Director and Director of Budget and Grants Administration in all grants financial reporting.
• Oversee all ledgers/accounts and remain current on all accounting, reporting, and auditing standards that are relevant to the organization.
• Lead and inform the department’s knowledge of relevant standards and regulations.
• Optimize financial structures to support growth and stability.
• Maintain banking relationships and initiate appropriate strategies to enhance cash positions.
• Manage all processes for regular audit and tax preparations.

Team Supervision, Leadership, and Development

• Provide strong leadership, supervision, and guidance to the Finance Department staff members, leading the department to exhibit a strong data-fluent culture.
• Develop and support the Finance Department staff development, cross-team collaboration, and skills-building.
• Build strong and collaborative relationships with staff across the organization, with a particular emphasis on providing excellent customer service and resolving issues.

Accounting Systems Management

• Support the ongoing implementation and management of a best-in-class ERP system (Sage Intacct).
• Consistently analyze financial data, present financial reports accurately and timely, and keep the Executive Team abreast of the organization’s financial status.
• Assist the Director of Budgeting and Grants Administration in the annual budgeting and planning process; administer and review all financial plans and compare to actual results and identify, explain, and correct variances as appropriate.
• Manage and track the performance of invested assets in keeping with policies and investment guidelines.

Key Qualifications

• Candidates must bring a minimum of 10 years of professional experience, including at least 7 years of nonprofit finance or accounting experience.

• Excellent knowledge of nonprofit accounting, operations, controls, and best practices.
• Experience with financial grant management and/or project budgeting preferred.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills, including demonstrated ability to explain financial concepts to staff and/or board members.
• Strong financial management skills, including experience in budget planning and implementation, as well as creating, reading, and analyzing financial statements.
• Knowledge of and experience implementing financial risk management strategies.
• Proficiency in generally accepted accounting principles and procedures and their application to accounting for nonprofit organizations.
• Experience that demonstrates good professional judgment, including the ability to exercise discretion and responsibly handle highly confidential information.
• Proficiency with office technology and information systems, including financial and accounting software (FundEZ or similar) and intermediate to advanced Excel functionality.
• Strong attention to detail with exceptional organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong commitment to racial, gender, and economic justice and their intersections, both inside and outside the organization.
• Ability to work with diverse people and organizations.
• A bachelor's degree and/or commensurate experience that demonstrates exemplary strategic and financial acumen; CPA or Certified Management Accountant preferred.

Location

Preference will be given to candidates in the Chicago area. The Director of Finance will be expected to work in the Chicago office, with flexibility.

Exceptional candidates will be considered for remote work with regular travel.

People’s Action Institute does not pay relocation expenses.

Compensation and Benefits

This position is full-time, regular, exempt, benefits-eligible and is not included in the staff bargaining unit.

This is a Department Director position, Level G, with a salary range of $118,485 - $152,485. The salary is non-negotiable, based on the candidate’s years of professional experience. For example, 10 years of professional experience would be eligible for $131,235 starting salary.

People’s Action Institute benefits include: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Vision Insurance on the first day of employment, Health and Dependent Care Flex Spending Account after 90 days, 401(k) plan after 30 days, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, four (4) floating holidays (Presidents Day, May Day, Indigenous People’s Day, and Veterans Day), 10 paid holidays plus one week off in the summer and the last two weeks of the year that include Christmas Eve/Christmas Day as well as New Year’s Eve. Additionally, you accrue two weeks of vacation in your first year of employment.

Our Commitment to Equitable Compensation:

We believe in fair compensation for your work - no matter where you live. Our salary scale is comparable to salaries you would find in Chicago, IL, where our headquarters is based. It is based on your months/years of work experience. While we do not determine education as a factor in whether we hire someone to work for People’s Action Institute, we do factor in any relevant higher education experience that you have. To further counter pay inequities and inequality on the team, we have a non-negotiable compensation practice and provide opportunities for advancement for full-time employees based on performance evaluation and organizational needs. Your non-negotiable starting salary reflects where you sit within our salary scale and is based on the information that you provide us on your resume. People’s Action Institute continues to monitor wages through triennial compensation analysis to ensure that we continue to offer our prospective and current employees fair wages.

Union

People’s Action Institute recognizes our staff bargaining unit affiliated with Chicago Midwest Regional Joint Board, Workers United (CMRJB). Any position that is indicated as included in People’s Action Institute’s bargaining unit will be covered under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

To Apply

To apply for this position, submit a cover letter and resume online at https://grossmansolutions.applytojob.com/apply. The cover letter should be concise and compelling and outline the specific ways in which you would be a good fit for this position.

People’s Action Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer; womxn