Job Description
KIPP North Carolina seeks a dynamic and strategic leader to serve as its founding Chief Financial Officer. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Financial Officer will set the strategic financial vision for KIPP NC and support organization-wide financial decision making. Bringing sophisticated finance expertise to KIPP NC, the Chief Financial Officer manages all aspects of the organization's finances, including financial operations, controls and compliance, financial reporting, budgeting, real estate financing, and sustainability planning.
The CFO will directly manage one director (responsible for budgeting and financial planning), who in turn manages a three-person team responsible for budgeting, payroll, accounting, and federal grants management. The CFO will coach and lead their team to forge strong partnerships across the state, all while fostering a responsive, customer-centric environment.
This is an ideal opportunity for a dynamic and visionary organizational leader to play a critical role in building and shaping a premier K-12 charter management organization committed to supporting all our students to graduate college and succeed in school and life.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
FINANCE & ACCOUNTING
- Provides leadership and builds systems—often from scratch—in the areas of financial reporting, accounting operations, payroll, purchasing, expense, and cash and inventory control functions
- Serves as the organizational leader managing all aspects of the organization's finances; supports Central Office colleagues, the Board, and appropriate school-based staff through financial modeling, compliance, and data-driven analysis
- Manages the organization's finance function to ensure the accurate execution of operational finance (i.e., accounting, reporting, banking, budgeting, procurement, and compliance) and the delivery of all mandated financial reports to authorizers, lenders, funders, auditors, and other key stakeholders
- Leads the development of the organization's long-term financial strategy, including strengthening of the organization's balance sheet and setting other appropriate financial targets to ensure strong financial health and financial sustainability for the organization
- Implements protocols to effectively manage current and future federal and state grants to ensure grants are secured, allocated, budgeted, tracked, and in compliance
- Leverages technology to maximize the efficiency of the financial needs of the organization, including expense management and payroll software platforms and part of the organization's HR information system
ORGANIZATIONAL & TEAM LEADERSHIP
- Oversees KIPP NC's annual and multi-year strategic planning processes in collaboration with regional and school leaders to establish multi-year, detailed financial models that align with growth projections
- Develops organization-wide financial strategies, systems and processes, and key performance indicators for growth and success
- Shares best practices and learnings with the broader, national KIPP network as well as local charter and public school networks
STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
- Partners with Central Office colleagues and school-based staff on operational and strategic issues as they arise; provide recommendations based on financial analysis and projections, cost identification and allocation, and revenue/expense analysis
- Leads the design, revision, and roll out for the creation of new systems, structures, and policies, and adeptly manage communication and project plans to ensure thorough understanding and follow-through
- Spearheads the creation of financial models for new initiatives in collaboration with schools and appropriate Central Office colleagues
PEOPLE & STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
- Identifies opportunities and leads the change management process to establish the Finance Team as collaborative and customer-centric, supporting partnerships across the organization
- Creates a professional development plan for all members of the organization to increase their capacity, technical knowledge base, and soft skill growth
- Manages the Board's Finance Committee, serving as a trusted advisor and thought partner to its members and the Board
- Works alongside all teams to support finance, accounting, and budget decision-making through the development and implementation of clear communication systems and timelines
- Supports the Development Team by reviewing and confirming classifications for donations and gifts