Chief Financial Officer

Scion Executive Search has been retained to identify the incoming Chief Financial Officer on behalf of our client, Akin, a growing and evolving statewide nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families across Washington state strengthen and grow together. Akin accomplishes this mission by building a brighter future together, rooted in family.


Akin seeks a visionary financial leader to fortify and modernize the growing and evolving statewide organization's financial infrastructure, ensuring the organization has the systems, processes, controls, and talent necessary to support sustainable growth and long-term mission impact. The ideal candidate will bring a rare combination of strategic leadership, financial sophistication, operational discipline, and people development, serving as Akin's chief financial strategist, a trusted advisor to executive leadership, an effective partner to the Board, and a mentor to a talented finance team. This full-time, hybrid opportunity is located in Seattle, Washington.



ABOUT AKIN:
Akin exists to support and strengthen families in Washington state through a broad range of tailored child and caregiver services. With the primary focus on families with young children, its programs and services are built upon more than a century of experience in fostering nurturing environments and driving systemic improvements for families. Akin's core values include 1) advocating for and alongside families, 2) cultivating relationships that foster belonging, 3) committing to their work and their communities, and 4) believing in audacious change and intentional transformation.


With compassion and care, Akin meets families where they are, providing immediate support while equipping them with tools for long-term success and growth. Time and time again, it has been seen that what benefits children and families ultimately strengthens communities. As the organization looks to the future, it remains steadfast in its commitment to keeping families together. To learn more, visit .



POSITION OVERVIEW:
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO), in partnership with the President & CEO and Board of Trustees (BOT), serves as Akin's senior financial leader and strategic advisor, responsible for financial stewardship, business planning, forecasting, budgeting, financial reporting, capital planning, and organizational sustainability. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CFO provides the financial insight, analysis, and guidance necessary to support informed decision-making, organizational resilience, and long-term mission success.


As Akin continues to expand its impact across child welfare, behavioral health, early learning, family support services, and related community-based initiatives, the CFO will play a critical role in strengthening and modernizing the organization's financial infrastructure. This executive will assess existing financial operations, establish best practices, strengthen internal controls, improve reporting and forecasting capabilities, build organizational accountability, and develop a high-performing finance team. The CFO will create a scalable financial framework capable of supporting future growth, strategic initiatives, partnerships, and multiple entities while serving as a trusted thought partner to leadership, the Board, and key stakeholders.



KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Executive Leadership & Strategic Partnership

• Serve as a trusted thought partner to the President & CEO and Executive Leadership Team, partnering on operational and strategic priorities and providing recommendations informed by financial analysis, forecasting, scenario planning, cost allocation, and revenue and expense analysis.
• Participate as an integral member of the Executive Leadership Team, contributing to organizational strategy, workforce planning, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability.
• Provide financial modeling, scenario planning, and strategic analysis to support organizational growth, innovation, emerging opportunities, and major business decisions.
• Lead financial modeling and analysis related to new programs, service line expansions, funding opportunities, capital investments, partnerships, acquisitions, mergers, and other strategic initiatives.
• Support the development of multi-year financial plans aligned with organizational strategy and long-term sustainability goals.
• Work closely with the SVP of Development and other organizational leaders to align financial planning, projections, and resource allocation with short- and long-term organizational goals.
• Translate complex financial information into timely, actionable insights that support executive decision-making, organizational performance, and strategic planning.
• Help evaluate new revenue opportunities, healthcare initiatives, service line expansion opportunities, and strategic partnerships.

Financial Infrastructure & Organizational Transformation

• Assess, strengthen, and continuously improve financial systems, controls, policies, procedures, reporting practices, and operational workflows to support organizational effectiveness, scalability, and informed decision-making.
• Establish, develop, and maintain scalable financial infrastructure, standardized operating procedures, internal controls, documentation, and accountability mechanisms across all finance functions to support organizational growth, operational excellence, and informed decision-making.
• Lead efforts to improve data quality, financial transparency, balance sheet integrity, forecasting capabilities, and organizational confidence in financial information.
• Evaluate organizational financial workflows and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, cross-functional collaboration, and overall operational excellence.
• In partnership with leadership, lead the modernization, implementation, and optimization of financial management systems, technologies, reporting processes, tools, business intelligence capabilities, and operational workflows to support organizational effectiveness and scalability.
• Ensure finance staff maintain financial record systems in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and established internal control standards.

Financial Management & Stewardship

• Lead all aspects of accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow management, treasury operations, and financial planning.
• Oversee annual budgeting, long-range financial planning, multi-year forecasting, and scenario modeling to support strategic planning, workforce planning, organizational sustainability, and major business decisions.
• Monitor organizational financial performance against budgets and strategic objectives, proactively identifying emerging risks, trends, opportunities, and corrective actions.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and meaningful financial and management reporting, including the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements for federal and state funders, foundations, executive leadership, and the Board of Trustees.
• Oversee cash, investment, and asset management activities, including banking relationships, financing strategies, and overall financial stewardship.

Risk Management, Compliance & Audit

• Ensure legal, regulatory, contractual, and nonprofit compliance requirements are met across all financial functions.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable accounting standards, legal and regulatory requirements, contractual obligations, tax filing requirements, and nonprofit financial reporting standards across all functions.
• Serve as the primary liaison to external auditors and oversee annual audits, financial reviews, tax filings, and related compliance activities.
• Strengthen internal controls, risk management practices, and organizational accountability across all financial functions.
• Partner with leadership to identify, assess, and mitigate financial, operational, compliance, and reputational risks while supporting sound governance practices.
• Support governance responsibilities through regular engagement with Board committees, executive leadership, and other key stakeholders.

Multi-Entity & Complex Funding Management

• Provide strategic oversight of Akin's operating entity, Foundation, and future affiliated entities, ensuring effective financial management, reporting, governance, and fund allocation practices across multiple legal entities.
• Develop financial structures that provide effective oversight over complex funding streams, including federal and government contracts, grants, philanthropic funding, Medicaid reimbursement programs, other public funding sources, and affiliated entities.
• Partner with organizational leaders to evaluate, model, and support future growth opportunities, service line expansions, partnerships, new business initiatives, and evolving organizational structures.
• Develop sustainable financial strategies that maximize organizational resources, strengthen financial stewardship, and support long-term mission impact.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, coach, and develop a high-performing finance team while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, professional growth, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Develop and manage direct staff, including finance leaders and other assigned business functions, while creating an environment where team members are empowered, engaged, and equipped to contribute at their highest level.
• Assess organizational structure, role alignment, workforce capabilities, and succession needs to ensure the finance function is positioned for long-term success.
• Build organizational capacity through coaching, cross-training, knowledge transfer, leadership development, and succession planning across key finance and accounting functions.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration and partnerships across departments to support organizational strategy, operational delivery, and performance improvement.

Board Engagement & Governance

• Build confidence and trust through clear, accurate, transparent, and audience-appropriate financial communication with the Board, executive leadership, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as strategic advisor and principal staff liaison to the Finance Committee, Audit Committee, Foundation leadership, Board of Trustees, and other assigned Board committees.
• Develop and present Board-level financial reporting, forecasts, dashboards, operating results, strategic analyses, and recommendations tailored to diverse audiences.
• Regularly engage Board Trustees and Finance Committee regarding financial performance, forecasts, trends, strategic initiatives, risks, opportunities, assumptions, and key performance indicators.
• Educate Board members and executive leaders on complex financial matters and translate financial information into meaningful insights that support governance and organizational strategy.
• Represent Akin with financial institutions, auditors, foundation executives, public officials, and other external stakeholders as appropriate.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES

• Demonstrated success leading financial transformation, organizational improvement, finance function modernization, and systems implementation initiatives, including the development of financial controls, policies, governance frameworks, scalable operating practices, and reporting infrastructure.
• Exceptional financial planning, forecasting, modeling, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities, with a proven ability to translate strategic vision into operational and financial plans, develop collaborative management systems, and drive organizational results.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution.
• Serve as both a trusted advisor and operational leader while effectively managing direct teams and influencing cross-functional stakeholders in support of organizational goals.
• Demonstrated ability to build rapport, develop trust, establish credibility, restore confidence with executive leaders, Board members, direct reports, and key stakeholders.
• Ability to lead organizations through periods of change, ambiguity, growth, and transformation.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable recommendations for executive leaders, Board members, and other stakeholders.
• Experience supporting organizations with multiple legal entities, affiliated foundations, and complex organizational structures.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit funding structures, government contracts, grants, healthcare reimbursement models, Medicaid funding, behavioral health services, and financial sustainability strategies.
• Experience implementing, optimizing, and leveraging ERP, accounting, business intelligence, contract management, and financial reporting systems to improve organizational performance and decision-making.
• Ability to manage confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, integrity, and sound judgment.
• Adaptable, collaborative, and relationship-oriented leader who gives and receives feedback effectively, supports and develops others, thrives in fast-paced environments, and drives accountability, clarity, continuous improvement, and solutions across highly collaborative teams.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• MBA, Master's degree, CPA, CMA, or equivalent combination of education and experience preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, including executive-level responsibility for budgeting, forecasting, treasury management, financial planning and analysis, reporting, compliance, and organizational strategy.
• Demonstrated experience leading financial transformation, infrastructure development, process improvement, or organizational turnaround initiatives.
• Significant experience managing complex funding structures, including grants, contracts, reimbursement-based revenue, governmental funding, and multi-entity organizations.
• Demonstrated success serving as a strategic advisor to CEOs, executive leadership teams, and governing boards.
• Experience presenting financial information to Boards of Directors, Finance Committees, and executive leadership teams.
• Strong understanding of financial systems, technology platforms, reporting tools, and operational best practices.
• Proven success building, developing, mentoring, and leading finance teams.
• Exceptional analytical, strategic thinking, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to navigate complexity, lead through change, and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• CPA strongly preferred; CMA desirable.
• Senior financial leadership experience within nonprofit human services, healthcare, behavioral health, early learning, community health, or related mission-driven organizations.
• Experience with Medicaid-funded services, healthcare reimbursement models, revenue cycle operations, and behavioral health funding structures.
• Experience overseeing organizations with multiple entities, affiliated foundations, or complex organizational structures.
• Expertise managing federal grants, government contracts, Head Start funding, restricted funding, compliance, audits, forecasting, budgeting, and internal controls.
• Experience leading ERP, accounting system, reporting platform, or financial technology implementations.
• Experience supporting organizational growth, expansion, mergers, partnerships, or new service line development.
• Experience with a geographically dispersed workforce.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
In addition to a competitive base salary of $250,000 to $275,000, Akin also provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes access to robust health, vision, and dental insurance; 401(k) with up to 3% employer contribution; Employee Assistance Plans (EAP); Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA); Health Savings Account (HSA); Voluntary Long-Term Care Plan; Voluntary Life & Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance; short-term disability insurance; Critical Illness, Hospital, and Accident Insurance; Financial Wellness & Identity Protection; Voluntary Long-Term Care; and 14 days of vacation accrued in the first year, 12 days of sick pay accrued per year, 2 Employee Appreciation days, as well as 14 observed paid annual holidays per year.



APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS:
Akin has retained the services of Scion Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in nonprofit recruitment, to assist in conducting this important search. For immediate consideration, please apply with your resume and cover letter, formatted in Microsoft Word, via: .



Please address applications to:
Ex Hopson, Senior Executive Search Principal
Scion Executive Search
View phone number on click.appcast.io


Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made.



ABOUT OUR FIRM:
Scion Executive Search is an award-winning retained executive search firm. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the United States. Through innovative team building and recruitment solutions, Scion Executive Search seamlessly bridges the gap in interim and executive searches. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the nation.


We are proud to be part of the Forbes lists of the Best Recruitment Firms and the Best Executive Search Firms in America. Additionally, Scion has been recognized as a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing firm as well as a top recruitment firm by The Business Times . Additional information about our firm and our practices can be found online .


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