Director of Finance

Job Description

Job Description

Position Overview

The Director of Finance is the organization’s senior finance leader and serves as a senior member of the Leadership Team. The position safeguards Community Homeless Solutions’ financial health and supports its mission by leading financial strategy, accounting, budgeting, cash management, grant compliance, internal controls, reporting, and audit readiness. The Director translates financial information into practical guidance for the Executive Director, Board of Directors, Finance Committee, and program leaders.

This is a hands-on leadership role in a growing, multi-program nonprofit. The Director remains close enough to day-to-day operations to ensure accuracy and timely execution while establishing systems, developing staff, and holding the finance function accountable for reliable results.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership and Strategy

• Lead the organization’s finance and accounting function in alignment with its mission, strategic priorities, programs, contracts, and growth plans.

• Advise the Executive Director and Leadership Team on financial performance, sustainability, organizational risk, new programs, major commitments, and regulatory developments.

• Present clear, timely financial information and recommendations to the Board of Directors and Finance Committee and support effective governance and fiduciary oversight.

• Develop and monitor meaningful financial indicators, forecasts, and decision-support tools that help leaders act early on emerging opportunities or risks.

• Evaluate liquidity and capital needs and establish or maintain appropriate banking relationships, credit facilities, and financing arrangements, subject to required approvals.

Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Oversee the full accounting cycle, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, general ledger, bank reconciliations, revenue recognition, and month-end and year-end close.

• Ensure financial transactions are recorded accurately and timely in QuickBooks Online Advanced or the organization’s designated accounting system and are supported by complete source documentation.

• Ensure the integrity of the chart of accounts and accounting records for organizational, departmental, program, grant, and restricted-fund reporting.

• Prepare or oversee accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements, including the statements of financial position, activities, and cash flows, with analysis of significant results and variances.

• Maintain accounting practices consistent with generally accepted accounting principles and applicable nonprofit reporting requirements.

Budgeting and Cash Management

• Lead the annual organization-wide budget process and the development of program, department, grant, and contract budgets in partnership with executive and program leaders.

• Monitor budget-to-actual performance, update forecasts, identify significant variances, and recommend timely corrective action.

• Manage cash flow forecasting, working capital, reserves, and financial resources to support uninterrupted operations and long-term stability.

• Provide program managers with accessible financial reports, training, and guidance so they can understand spending, manage budgets, and meet funding requirements.

Grants and Government Contract Compliance

• Oversee financial administration of federal, state, local, and private awards, including funding from HUD and other agencies supporting homeless, housing, health and human services, and domestic violence programs.

• Ensure grant expenditures are tracked by funding source, program, contract, and cost center and comply with award terms, approved budgets, and applicable regulations.

• Oversee accurate and timely grant billing, reimbursement requests, and financial reports, including SF-425 or other funder-required formats.

• Maintain proper accounting for restricted and unrestricted funds and ensure cost-allocation methods and charged costs comply with 2 CFR Part 200 and organizational policy.

• Partner with program and development staff on grant budgets, applications, amendments, financial reporting, and reconciliation of approved budgets to actual expenditures.

• Maintain complete, organized documentation and audit trails for grant-related revenue, expenses, payroll allocations, and cost allocations.

Internal Controls Compliance and Risk Management

• Design, document, implement, and monitor internal controls that safeguard assets, support reliable reporting, and provide appropriate segregation of duties for the organization’s size and staffing model.

• Lead preparation for and coordination of the annual independent audit, federal Single Audit when applicable, tax filings, monitoring visits, and other financial or compliance reviews.

• Serve as the primary finance liaison to external auditors, the organization’s CPA, consultants, lenders, funders, and regulatory agencies.

• Maintain and periodically update finance policies and procedures; identify control, compliance, fraud, cybersecurity, insurance, and operational risks affecting financial stewardship.

• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local financial laws, regulations, accounting standards, funding requirements, and organizational policies.

Team and Organizational Leadership

• Supervise, coach, and develop finance and accounting staff; establish clear responsibilities, service expectations, performance standards, and cross-training.

• Promote a culture of accountability, accuracy, collaboration, confidentiality, continuous improvement, and responsive service to programs.

• Improve finance systems, workflows, documentation, and reporting so the function can scale with the organization and reduce reliance on any one person.

• Build effective working relationships with staff, vendors, clients, community partners, Board members, funders, lenders, and regulatory authorities.

• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Executive Director.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant experience.

• At least seven years of progressively responsible nonprofit accounting or finance experience, including senior-level leadership or supervisory responsibility.

• Strong knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles, nonprofit accounting, restricted-fund accounting, and financial statement preparation.

• Demonstrated experience with government grants and contracts, including cost allocation and compliance with 2 CFR Part 200.

• Experience leading budgeting, forecasting, cash management, month-end and year-end close, internal controls, and audit preparation.

• Advanced proficiency with QuickBooks Online Advanced or a comparable accounting system and Microsoft Excel; proficiency with the broader Microsoft Office suite.

• Ability to analyze complex financial information and explain it clearly to executives, Board members, program managers, and other non-financial audiences.

• Strong judgment, organization, attention to detail, written and verbal communication, and ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.

• Ability to pass a criminal background check.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field and/or an active CPA/CMA credential.

• Finance leadership experience with health and human services, housing, homeless-services, or domestic-violence-services nonprofit.

• Experience preparing for annual independent audits and federal Single Audits.

• Familiarity with requirements of HUD, HHS, DOJ, state and local agencies, and private foundations.

Working Conditions

The conditions described below are representative of those employees’ encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Conditions may vary based on operational needs.

Environment

• Approximately 90 percent of work is performed indoors in a standard office environment, primarily using a computer and other office equipment.

• Approximately 10 percent of work may involve travel or outreach in collaboration with programs.

• The office noise level and temperature are generally moderate.

Physical Demands

• Continuously: use hands to operate a computer, calculator, telephone, and other tools; see, hear, and communicate effectively.

• Frequently: sit; stand and walk; reach with hands and arms; grasp with hands and fingers; and lift up to 40 pounds.

• Occasionally: bend, twist, push, pull, climb, balance, squat, crawl, kneel, and drive.

• Seldom: reach above the shoulders.

Travel

Minimal routine travel is required within proximity to the regular assigned work location.

Employment Statement

Community Homeless Solutions is an at-will and equal opportunity employer. This job description summarizes the position’s primary responsibilities and qualifications and does not create a contract of employment or limit the organization’s ability to modify duties based on operational needs.