Director of Finance

Director of Finance Hiring Manager: Tae Kang, Chief Operating and People Officer Location: New York Role Tier: 4 - Director About Us Our nation’s education system is leaving millions of students—including an overwhelming number of students of color and low‑income students—unprepared for college, career, and life. Research shows that classroom teachers are the single most important in‑school factor in improving student achievement, and we believe a truly thriving teaching profession requires educator voice and leadership. We work to build durable teacher power, especially among those historically excluded from decision‑making, to shape the systems and policies that define education. Founded by public school teachers, Educators for Excellence is a growing movement of nearly 40,000 educators working together to build a high‑quality, diverse teaching profession with the resources and conditions necessary to help every student thrive. Together, we research and develop educator‑informed solutions, build teacher power, and advocate for policy change at the district, state, and national levels. What We Do Our work is grounded in the belief that the teaching profession is one of the most vital forces shaping our shared future—and that educators must be at the center of shaping the policies and systems that define public education. We focus on developing teacher leadership and power to drive issue advocacy campaigns that shape policy, contracts, and the national conversation. To achieve our vision for transforming the teaching profession, we advance and support the implementation of a focused set of policy solutions backed by research and educators. Our agenda focuses on achieving a high‑quality, diverse workforce through: Building strong and sustainable career pathways. Creating coherent systems of instructional support. Funding public schools fully and equitably. The Opportunity Educators for Excellence is seeking a Director of Finance to serve as the organization’s strategic financial leader during a critical period of growth and maturity. This role is responsible for budgeting, forecasting, long‑term financial planning, grants management strategy, compliance, and financial sustainability, ensuring that the organization has the fiscal infrastructure to grow, sustain, and scale its mission impact. As a member of the Finance, Operations, People, and Equity (FOPE) team, the Director of Finance will supervise and develop the finance team, set departmental priorities, ensure strong internal controls, audit readiness, and alignment between financial strategy and organizational goals. Responsibilities Strategic Financial Leadership Review, assess, and make recommendations to build, improve, and drive refinement in current financial management systems, processes, and relationships with external vendors. Lead organizational budgeting, forecasting, and financial strategy in alignment with E4E’s new multi‑year strategic plan. Partner with executive leadership, Program Operations team, and budget owners to support strong financial decision‑making and resource allocation. Develop and monitor financial metrics, long‑term financial models, and scenario planning to assess sustainability and risk. Present clear, timely financial reports and analysis to leadership, strengthening financial literacy and organizational accountability. Regularly assess financial health and make strategic recommendations to optimize expenses and maximize programmatic impact. Oversee annual financial audit processes and manage external auditor relationships. Lead relationships with key vendors and external consultants. Ensure strong internal controls, policy alignment, and GAAP‑compliant financial reporting. Grants Management Grants Financial Strategy Lead the financial strategy for both restricted and unrestricted funding, including cost analysis, grant sustainability planning, and grant monitoring and reporting systems. Partner with Development and Program teams to build compliant, strategic proposal budgets that reflect full cost recovery and long‑term financial health. Provide financial review and approval of all budgets and financial information submitted to funders. Restricted Net Asset (TRNA) Management Update and maintain the Temporarily Restricted Net Asset (TRNA) schedule at least monthly as the primary tool for tracking restricted activity. Integrate GAAP‑based revenue recognition into monthly reporting and forecasts. Use the TRNA schedule to support variance analysis, forecasting, and year‑round audit readiness. Track restricted grants, ensuring accurate allocation of expenses and timely recognition of revenue. Cross‑Functional Grant Integration Establish and lead regular cross‑functional grant monitoring and forecasting discussions across Finance, Development, Programs, and the Program Operations Team. Clarify and formalize roles, workflows, and handoffs related to grant setup, revenue recognition, spending against restrictions, and financial reporting to funders. Implement a monthly Finance‑Development reconciliation process to align grant tracking, reporting, and receivables. Communicate regularly with program and development leaders regarding available fund balances and spend‑down plans. Monitor grant expenditures to prevent unallowable costs and ensure compliance with grant terms and deadlines. Review and monitor financial components of sub‑grantee and consultant agreements to ensure adherence to funding restrictions and reporting requirements. Prepare internal and external grant‑related fiscal reports and support responses to financial questionnaires from funders. Financial Compliance & Risk Management Ensure all financial practices and reporting comply with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. Manage financial risk and strengthen processes to ensure audit readiness and long‑term sustainability. Oversee compliance related to restricted funding, federal grants, and applicable nonprofit regulations. Establish clear accountability for lobbying compliance, including: Oversight of tracking, documentation, and reporting processes. Alignment of time tracking, payroll allocations, and expense coding to support accurate lobbying classification. Coordination across systems to ensure reporting accuracy and audit readiness. Financial Infrastructure & Process Leadership Set priorities and direction for the finance team to ensure accurate, timely financial reporting and strong internal controls. Oversee financial systems and reporting structures to ensure alignment with GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards. Strengthen financial policies and procedures to support transparency, clarity, and cross‑departmental collaboration. Support strategic improvements to financial systems that enhance efficiency, data integrity, and reporting quality. Team Leadership Supervise and develop members of the finance team. Lead and drive successful change management. Establish clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations aligned with organizational strategy. Build a culture of strong financial stewardship, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Cultural Leadership The Director will champion Educators for Excellence’s Core Values and Commitment to Anti‑Racism, acting as a key financial thought partner for national teams and regional chapters. The Director will actively embody anti‑racist practices in all aspects of their work, model a strong and inclusive culture for their team, and support a team culture in which all people can thrive, grow, and develop to further E4E’s mission. Minimum Requirements Experience: At least 7+ years of professional experience. Experience in nonprofit finance leadership roles within a dynamic organizational development context (e.g., start‑up, new strategic plan execution) is strongly preferred. Technical Skills: Experience with Sage Intacct and Microsoft Office; Salesforce experience is a plus. Deep Excel knowledge preferred, experience with DocuSign, ADP, and Concur, and/or a strong ability and desire to learn systems and software tools. Transportation: Virtual. Benefits Educators for Excellence believes in providing employees with benefits to support self‑care, wellness, and financial stability. We offer paid time off, health insurance plans, competitive salaries that include pre‑tax benefits, and cell phone reimbursements. Compensation Policy Educators for Excellence is committed to valuing team members holistically. We do not engage in salary negotiations; our first offer is always our best offer. Salary bands (based on geographic location): $105,000 - $150,000 for High Urban locations (NYC & San Francisco) $93,000 - $135,000 for Mid‑High Urban locations (LA & Boston) $88,000 - $128,000 for all other geographic locations Within this range, our competitive, non‑negotiable salary offer will be based on a candidate’s relevant experience and credentials, role‑related competencies assessed through our robust hiring process, and geographic location. Equal Opportunity Employer E4E is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion or religious creed, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, military or veteran status, citizenship, or other characteristics protected by state or federal law or local ordinance. E4E has zero tolerance for discrimination, racism, xenophobia, or misogyny in any form in our workplace. We strive to create a workplace where everyone feels a strong sense of belonging. #J-18808-Ljbffr