Title: Chief Financial Officer
Reporting To: Executive Vice President, Enterprise Strategy and Performance
Location: New York, NY, Chicago, IL or San Francisco, CA – Hybrid
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a nonprofit organization that currently advises on and manages more than $400 million in annual giving by individuals, families, corporations, and major foundations. Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors accelerates philanthropy in pursuit of a just world.
Continuing the Rockefeller family's legacy of thoughtful, effective philanthropy, RPA remains at the forefront of philanthropic growth and innovation, a diverse team with significant depth of knowledge across the spectrum of issue areas. Founded in 2002, RPA has grown into one of the world's largest philanthropic service organizations and, as a whole, has facilitated more than $3 billion in grantmaking to nearly 70 countries. RPA serves as a fiscal sponsor for more than 120+ projects, providing governance, management, and operational infrastructure to support their charitable purposes.
Scope and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Enterprise Strategy and Performance, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key member of the Executive Vice President's team, and is responsible for providing strategic guidance, oversight and management of all financial operations, including budgeting, financial planning and analysis, accounting, treasury, and grants management for Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The CFO plays a crucial role in strategic planning, organizational development, and investment management, ensuring the financial health and integrity of the organization.
The CFO will be a thought partner on financial matters to the Executive Vice President, President, the Executive Leadership Team, and the Board of Directors. The CFO plays a critical role in ensuring the financial sustainability, integrity, and transparency of RPA while supporting RPA's mission.
This is a pivotal and highly visible leadership role at RPA. Looking for a dynamic, proven leader capable of leading and developing a finance team and provide overall financial strategic direction for RPA while driving transformational initiatives.
Specific Responsibilities
Financial Strategy and Planning
- Develop and implement comprehensive financial strategies aligned with the organization's mission and strategic objectives.
- Provide strategic financial guidance to senior leadership and the Board of Directors, including long -term financial forecasting and financial modeling.
- Develop tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to Senior Leadership and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations.
Financial Management
Lead budgeting, forecasting, accounting, and finance activities.
- Ensure accurate and timely preparation of monthly financial statements, closings, and annual audits.
- Analyze financial results to understand organizational performance and communicate insights to senior management.
- Assess organizational performance against both the annual budget and RPA's long-term financial strategy.
Leadership Responsibilities
- Inspire and guide the financial team to strengthen financial operations.
- Oversee Financial Planning & Analysis, Accounting, Payroll, Timekeeping, Tax, Grants Management, Restricted Funds Management, Risk Management and Compliance, Insurance, Treasury and Investments, Global Financial Governance, and Financial Strategy.
- Mentor staff on nonprofit accounting and serve as an internal resource for learning, training, and communicating financial priorities.
- Be a strategic partner to RPA, breaking down siloes, and providing collaborative support to all Departments and Fiscally Sponsored Projects within RPA.
- Oversee financial.
- Oversee banking systems.
- Alongside leadership from technology, implement and oversee Finance, Grants Management, Financial Planning and Analysis, and other IT systems that meet the needs of the organization.
Investment Coordination
- Coordinate and liaise with outsourced chief investment officer firm.
- Manage investment activities, including policy development and implementation.
- Support the Investment and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors.
Audit and Compliance
- Oversee annual audits, including the Federal Single audit.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory and legal standards and maintain best practices.
- Understand complexities of restricted fund management.
Cash Flow and Banking
- Monitor cash flow and manage banking relationships.
- Oversee short and long-term investments within Board-approved policies.
Internal Controls
- Establish and maintain robust internal control systems for data integrity.
- Oversee and ensure compliance with grants revenue, expense, budgets, reporting, and compliance with grantor requirements.
Collaboration and Communication
- Work closely with department heads and Sponsored Project leaders to implement financial policies, procedures and technology.
- Communicate financial and investment issues with colleagues, clients, and advisors.
Policy and Procedure Management
- Oversee and update the Finance policies and procedures manual.
Key Selection Criteria
- Bachelor's degree required. MBA, other relevant graduate degree, or CPA preferred.
- 10+ years of fiscal management experience, preferably in a large, complex nonprofit environment with a global reach.
- Fiscal Sponsorship experience required.
- 10+ years in strategic financial planning, accounting, operations/technology, and/or managerial roles, including team leadership.
- Experience in finance transformation, process improvement, system implementation, and change management.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and collaborate across groups and constituencies.
- Demonstrated leadership ability, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills in a dynamic and decentralized environment.
- Team builder with a focus on leadership through periods of transformational change.
- Experience with financial and operating metrics to guide performance.
- Working knowledge of NetSuite and Workday preferred.
- Experience in finance transformation, process improvement, system implementation, and change management.
- Creativity, with experience funding activities in ways that both cover costs and generate operating margins.
- Familiarity with nonprofit organizations, grantmaking, charitable giving funds, and fiscal sponsorship, a plus.
- Must be willing to travel for business as needed.
Personal / Professional Attributes
- Proven ability to influence stakeholders at varying levels.
- Personal credibility and accountability with a proven record of building trusted relationships with senior business leaders.
- Strategic thinker with a proven track record of elevating and evolving business in line with contemporary and best practices.
- Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to build rapport with partners and colleagues.
- Highly collaborative relationship builder with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while remaining flexible and resilient.
- High integrity, trustworthiness, and strong work ethic.
Travel Requirements
- Must be willing to travel for client work as needed.
- The role is hybrid, requiring the candidate to be located within a practical commuting range to one of our three offices (New York City, Chicago, or San Francisco).
Role
At Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, our mission is to accelerate philanthropy in pursuit of a just world, by providing deep global expertise to make philanthropy more thoughtful, equitable and effective. The individual in the role must demonstrate a commitment to RPA's Values:
- We believe that philanthropy can help create a better world.
- We make decisions that center people and communities.
- We believe philanthropy has a responsibility to pursue equity.
- We uphold the highest standards of integrity and trust.
- We are committed to learning and sharing knowledge.
Compensation & Benefits
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors offers a competitive compensation and benefits package including health coverage, retirement benefits, paid sick leave, vacation and holidays, tuition reimbursement and access to professional development resources.
The salary range is one component of the total compensation package for employees.
Pay Range: $295,000 - $325,000 salary per year.
Application Process
Applications will be reviewed as received. In order to be considered, all applications must include a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications and your resume. The position will remain open until filled.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors celebrates the uniqueness of our staff, our partners, and the communities we serve. We are committed to inclusion with the goal of cultivating a culture of belonging and acceptance. We strive to embed this value in our philanthropic work to advance a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
RPA is an equal opportunity employer.