Director of Finance and Operations

Schechter Boston creates a Jewish educational experience where each child, 12 months through eighth grade, will be known, belong, be engaged, be inspired, and be prepared. Faculty, staff, and students at Schechter benefit from a highly collaborative, mutually supportive environment in which each person's individual strengths are recognized and cultivated, and are vital to the success and learning of the community as a whole. Individuals who work at Schechter Boston must thrive in a culture that lives every day by the following cultural values:

Believing there is no limit to better

Providing honest and kind feedback

Failing forward

Being kinder than necessary

Schechter Boston is seeking a talented, mission-driven Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) to serve as the principal non-academic officer of the school and a strategic business partner to the Head of School. The DFO carries two equally important charges: leading the school's financial strategy and management, and leading all non-academic operations - human resources, facilities, technology, and the systems that run daily school life across our two campuses. This is a compelling opportunity for a leader who wants their financial and operational expertise to serve something larger, and who takes genuine satisfaction in a school that runs beautifully.

The DFO is a key member of the Hanhallah (leadership team), reporting directly to the Head of School and working closely with the Board of Trustees and colleagues across the school. The DFO leads a Business Office and Operations team of 10–15 and serves as the school's primary staff partner to the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committees. This is a full-year (12-month) position.

Specific responsibilities will include:

Financial Strategy and Management

Providing school-wide strategic leadership, analysis, and management of the school's finances, and establishing financial and capital strategies consistent with the school's strategic priorities.

Creating, administering, and adapting the school's strategic financial plan, operating and capital budgets, and multi-year forecasting and cash flow models, in consultation with the Head of School.

Providing oversight of the endowment in partnership with the Investment Committee, and managing relationships with financial institutions, legal counsel, insurers, and auditors.

Managing the financial aid program as a strategic enrollment tool, in close collaboration with the Enrollment team.

Overseeing all Business Office operations, including accounting, payroll, billing, and internal controls; ensuring compliance with GAAP and other regulatory requirements; and leading the annual audit.

Board Partnership

Supporting the Board Finance Chair and the Finance and Audit Committees; preparing and presenting timely reports, models, and scenario analyses to inform decisions by the Head of School and the Board.

Attending Board meetings ex officio, serving on the Hanhallah, and working with the Head of School and legal counsel to develop, update, and administer school policies.

Educating faculty, staff, trustees, and families on the school's financial model - how decisions are made, what assumptions underpin them, and how they support long-term sustainability.

School Operations

Serving as the school's senior leader for all non-academic operations, accountable for the systems, services, and daily logistics that allow the academic program to run smoothly.

Owning the school's portfolio of operational platforms - such as Blackbaud, Popsicle, and SchoolPass - including selection, implementation, integration, training, and the systems families and faculty use daily for forms, dismissal, and program sign-ups.

Overseeing transportation, food service, safety and security, and emergency preparedness

Overseeing technology infrastructure and support across both campuses, including data privacy and cybersecurity.

Managing vendor relationships, contracts, and procurement, and partnering with the Hanhallah on the school calendar and the logistics of school events and community gatherings.

Facilities, Capital Planning, and Risk

Supervising the Facilities Team and partnering with them to oversee facilities operations, maintenance, and grounds across both campuses, and leading long-range facilities planning, capital renewal priorities, and campus master planning.

Overseeing the school's insurance program and crisis management plan, and leading the school's approach to risk management.

Overseeing relationships with renters and pursuing new rental opportunities

With the Head of School, maintaining positive relationships with the neighbors of both campuses and with the City of Newton.

Human Resources

Supervising the Human Resources Generalist and partnering with them to lead the human resources function, including hiring and onboarding processes, employee relations, performance management, employment compliance, benefits administration, and personnel records.

Leading compensation and benefits strategy, and supporting the Head of School and the Board in aligning compensation practices with the school's values and resources.

Partnering with the Head of School, HR Generalist and Hanhallah to ensure the employee handbook reflects the policies, procedures and desired culture of the school.

Core Competencies

Strategic thinking - Ability to think analytically and strategically, develop a long-range financial vision, and build a plan to achieve it with measurable goals.

Thought partnership - Capacity to serve as a trusted advisor to the Head of School and the Board, bringing financial insight to school-wide decisions while respecting the expertise of educational colleagues.

Supervision - Ability to lead, evaluate, and motivate a multi-function team, including functions where the DFO is not the technical expert.

Operational leadership - Disciplined systems and project management; ability to improve operations for efficiency, clarity, and service across two campuses, with excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Service orientation - Instinct for anticipating what faculty, staff, and families need operationally, and for building systems that solve problems before they surface.

Exceptional communication - Ability to convey complex financial information clearly, compassionately, and transparently to diverse audiences.

Relational leadership - Ability to partner with faculty, staff, families, trustees, and external partners with fairness, respect, integrity, and high emotional intelligence.

Change management - Experience implementing change with sensitivity toward pace and shared ownership.

Mission alignment - Cultural affinity for Jewish school communities, and genuine enthusiasm for the daily rhythm of school life.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree required; MBA, CPA, or advanced degree in a related field preferred.

At least 8-10 years of progressively responsible financial and administrative leadership experience.

Demonstrated experience leading non-academic operations functions alongside financial responsibility, including supervision of a team of comparable size and breadth.

Experience in an independent school, day school, or mission-driven nonprofit strongly preferred; experience working with lay leadership and board committees.

Strong working knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit/fund accounting, with experience in audit oversight, investments, and risk management.

Experience implementing and getting real value from operational software platforms; familiarity with school systems such as Blackbaud preferred.

Flexibility to work occasional evenings and the ability to move freely on each campus and travel between Schechter's two campuses.

Salary and Benefits

Salary range: $175,000-$225,000, commensurate with experience.

This is a full-time, 12-month position.

Schechter Boston strives to provide a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package that supports our faculty and staff, including: health insurance, prescription drug benefits, vision, healthcare/dependent care flexible spending account (FSA), long-term disability, life insurance, employee assistance program (EAP), 403(b) with employer matching, tuition reduction for employees' children, paid holidays, vacation, sick and personal time, and early dismissal on Fridays.