About the Organization:

The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate and experienced finance professional to fill a position as our Chief Finance Officer. The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that radically transforms how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system. In doing so, it is changing the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals firmly committed to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 450 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, all working to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend.

About the Opportunity:

A key Executive Management team member, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) collaborates with senior leadership and the Board to ensure the organization's financial health. The CFO provides technical and visionary leadership to the Finance Department while working as a strategic thought partner to leaders across the organization. The CFO is responsible for planning, implementing, and managing all financial-related functions, including accounting, grants management, planning and analysis, and compliance.

Our finance department assists our dedicated staff of attorneys, advocates, social workers, and administrative professionals in maximizing efficiency within the organization and ensuring business operations run smoothly. This position would support BXD's six physical office spaces throughout New York City, including court offices and WeWork spaces. Our hybrid finance department is designed to be a collaborative space for our staff to seek general financial advice, invoices, and payroll support. The finance department helps ensure that staff are supported with their payroll and tax-related inquiries and regularly meet the demand for court-related fees and transcription costs, including immediate discovery payment releases to support our clients. The finance department also plays an active role in onboarding new staff members and conducting staff-wide training on general finance support, invoice and payment processing, and vendor procurement processes and guidelines.

Position Responsibilities:

Strategic Financial Management

• Drive long-term financial planning in alignment with the organization's strategic plan.
• Oversee cash flow planning and financial forecasting and ensure the availability of funds as needed.
• Drive long-term financial planning in alignment with the organization's strategic plan.
• Oversee cash flow planning and financial forecasting and ensure the availability of funds as needed.
• Represent the organization to financial partners, including financial institutions, government agencies, foundations, partners, auditors, and public officials.
• Proactively and continuously identify and manage ways to ensure the organization's financial sustainability.
• Assess financial needs and challenges in partnership with the management and finance team. Ensure financial operations are optimized to enhance accuracy, consistency, and efficiency.
• Manage annual review of all financial operations within the organization to assess efficacy, strengths, and room for improvement.

Planning and Analysis

• Develop the annual budget for the organization and its different departments in collaboration with leadership, Development, and the Executive Director.
• Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial reports for management, Board, funders, and other external stakeholders.
• Develop financial forecasts and budget modifications.
• Provide real-time data on critical financial health indicators.
• Perform ad-hoc financial analysis to understand various aspects of the organization's business model.

Accounting & Grants Management

• Manage and continuously improve key components of fiscal operations, including but not limited to payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, expense reporting, month-end close protocols, and contract invoicing.
• Manage the contracts and grants management process, including supporting leaders in developing budgets, providing access to up-to-date and accurate financial information, and managing contract/grant compliance and reporting.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Ensure the preparation and approval of annual financial statements following GAAP.
• Ensure compliance with all funder requirements.
• Facilitate the timely completion of the external audit and IRS Form 990.
• Remain current on non-profit audit best practices and state and federal law regarding non-profit operations.
• Ensure maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial policies and procedures.
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all financial functions.
• Oversee the development and implementation of technical assistance, training, and support initiatives for external and internal stakeholders, including but not limited to training on non-profit financials.

Team Development

• Mentor and develop fiscal department talent and strengthen peer relationships to encourage knowledge sharing and innovation
• Continually assess and ensure the Finance team is appropriately structured and resourced to meet current and emerging needs.
• Recruit, interview, and help onboard fiscal staff.
• Provide training for the broader staff in all aspects of non-profit financial management, especially during the rollout of system updates.
• Develop and supervise managerial finance staff, including the Controller, Director of Financial Planning & Analysis, and Director of Grants Management & Compliance.
• Facilitate regular individual and group supervision meetings with supervisees.
• Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision and support marginalized supervisees.
• Evaluate performance and provide constructive feedback to supervisees, aiding their professional development and growth.
• Demonstrate a commitment to anti-oppression work in the practice and office.
• Monitor supervisee workflow and prepare annual evaluations of supervisees.

Partnership with Development

• Manage all aspects of the finance and development collaboration, including timely reconciliations between finance and development records and systems.
• Collaborate with the Director of Strategic Partnerships to develop a holistic fund development plan incorporating public and private funding sources.
• Manage the finance team in supporting fundraising activities, including grant budget development, reporting, and telling the organization's financial story.

Candidate Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field or MBA/CPA preferred but not mandatory. At least 10 years in non-profit finance, including experience with financial planning, analysis, accounting, reporting, and grants management.

• At least five” years' experience as CFO or equivalent, preferably in a non-profit organization with a budget of at least $25M+ and a substantial portion of funding through city and statement government contracts

• Commitment to supporting the social justice mission of the Bronx Defenders and people navigating oppressive criminal, family, immigration, and civil legal systems

• Ability to work independently by effectively communicating, collaborating, and connecting with people with diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences within a team

• Ability to turn a strategic vision into an operational model and build and sustain strong working relationships with employees, vendors, consultants, and colleagues

• Ability to turn a strategic vision into an operational model and build and sustain strong working relationships with employees, vendors, consultants, and colleagues.

• Ability to align operational needs with business solutions.

• Commitment to continuous learning and ability to incorporate new tools and technologies to contribute to ongoing company growth.

• Commitment to transparency

• Supervisory and mentoring skills, including:

  • Interest in and commitment to developing and mentoring supervisees
  • Ability to provide intentional and constructive feedback.
  • Flexibility in balancing the needs of supervisees against their workload

• Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.

• Meticulous attention to detail

• Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles

• Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection, and shift behavior accordingly.

• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters.

• Commitment to raising one's cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level.