Director of Finance
: Job Details :

Director of Finance

Full-time, 12-month position

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Start date: Spring 2025

Founded in 1889, The Wheeler School is a co-educational independent day school for students from Nursery through GradeTwelve with two campuses in beautiful and dynamic Providence, Rhode Island, adjacent to the campus of Brown University, and across 120 acres in Seekonk, Massachusetts.

The essence of our vision comes down to a simple concept: Wheeler is a place where we strive to make anything possible for students, where choice, inquiry, and interest are of primary import, where we know individuals well, and where we insist upon and nurture intellectual character, critical thinking, empathy, and creative spirit. Our mission is to “learn our powers and be answerable for their use.”

With 824 students across four divisions, including Lower, Middle, Upper, and the Hamilton School for bright dyslexic students, the school is in an excellent financial position, with an annual budget of nearly $40M and a current endowment value of $63M. The school has benefitted from strong leadership over its 135+ year history and will have a new, experienced Head of School beginning in July of 2025. Wheeler is stewarded by a highly functional Board of Trustees, and has a talented faculty and staff of over 220. The school is investing in a significant transformation of the Farm campus with excellent revenue potential. The finance professionals in the Business Office are longstanding, dedicated, and hard-working.

An integral member of the school's business team and a strategic partner to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Head of School, and the Executive Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees, the Director of Finance will work closely with this team and provide oversight of the business office. Following a longstanding leader in this area who has provided excellent stewardship of the school's financial health, the new leader will be critical in setting and implementing a vision for the school's next chapter.

At the highest level, the ideal candidate will be an effective manager, knowledgeable and experienced in accounting and financial leadership, a pragmatic visionary, collaborative, self-motivated, and decisive. They will garner trust through open and direct communications and a strong work ethic, and they will have a high energy level that matches the dynamism of the Wheeler School environment. The candidate of choice will act with humility and good humor. They will be organized, an excellent, strategic, thoughtful communicator, and have strong relational skills.

Specific responsibilities include:

Fiscal Management and Leadership

• Coordinate and strategically manage the school's financial resources in partnership with the COO and the Head of School.
• Work closely with key departments in the school, including enrollment & advancement.
• Manage the team that runs the business office functions.
• Develop, discuss, and implement the annual operating budget by obtaining input from all relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor and report budget variances via quarterly forecasts and suggest corrective actions.
• Oversee cash, investments, and asset management, with direct treasury management responsibility.
• Establish a regular process for review, update, and consistent application of appropriate internal controls, policies, and financial procedures.
• Oversee the annual financial and 403(b) audits.
• Ensure the timely and accurate submission of all required reporting and compliance, including the annual Form 990 filing.
• Prepare financial forecasts and projections to provide insights to the COO, Head of School, and Board of Trustees in evaluating strategic initiatives.
• Serve as the staff liaison for the Board finance, audit, and investment committees.
• Ensure the school's business and fiscal goals align with its educational objectives.

Operations

• In collaboration with the COO, ensure the resources and plans are in place for facility maintenance and special projects, including significant infrastructure investments.
• In close coordination with the COO, information technology, and communications teams, maintain and improve the services and solutions that provide a consistently practical work and learning environment at The Wheeler School.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive and a team player who possesses:

• Education and/or experience equivalent to a master's degree in accounting, business, finance, or a related field.
• Experience in or knowledge of independent schools and non-profit accounting is essential.
• Experience with working with or in enrollment, fundraising, and event management.
• At least five years of experience as director of finance, controller, or business manager is strongly preferred.
• Advanced Excel and analysis skills, prior experience working in a Google platform environment, and a solid working knowledge of non-profit business accounting policies, procedures, practices, and financial software programs preferred.
• Demonstrated effectiveness working with board directors, faculty/staff, and external constituents.
• Experience working with external auditors, implementing internal controls, and managing compliance-related issues.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and execute all duties with an equitable and inclusive approach that supports the diverse identities of employees.

Statement on Diversity

At Wheeler, we actively seek students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds because we believe that a broad range of experiences and viewpoints enhance learning, enrich life on campus, and better prepare us all for full participation in a pluralistic, democratic society. The Wheeler School is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination and equal opportunity for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, or disability, and any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

The school is a nonsectarian institution. It is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all legal requirements regarding admissions and access to programs, facilities, and employment practices regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, or disability.

Interested candidates, please contact Narwhal Talent Partners:

Peter G. Hamilton | (617) ###-####

Christian G. Henry | (857) ###-####

...@narwhaltalent.com

All inquiries are treated as confidential.

The salary range for this position starts at $175,000, depending on experience. Learn more about The Wheeler School at www.wheelerschool.org and more about careers and benefits at Wheeler here.