Senior Director of Finance

Direct Reports: 5

Salary Range: $160,000 to $175,000 annually

Position Summary

The Senior Director of Finance is responsible for leading all core financial functions including budgeting, reporting, forecasting, compliance, and financial analysis. This position ensures accurate financial stewardship and provides financial planning and analysis to support executive leadership and the Board.

Description

Senior Director of Finance

Minneapolis, MN

Department: Finance

Reports To: CFO

Classification: Exempt

Status: Regular, Full-time

Direct Reports: 5

Salary Range: $160,000 to $175,000 annually

About The Minnesota Orchestra

The Minnesota Orchestra is a Grammy Award-winning orchestra known for acclaimed performances in Minnesota and around the world, a storied history of recordings and radio broadcasts, innovative educational engagement programs and a commitment to new orchestral music. Founded by Emil Oberhoffer in 1903 as the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the organization was the eighth major orchestra established in the United States. In 1911, it began a series of children’s concerts under the sponsorship of the Young People’s Symphony Concert Association (YPSCA), which continues to this day. Early in the 1920s, the orchestra was one of the first to be heard on recordings and on the radio, playing a nationally broadcast concert with guest conductor Bruno Walter in 1923. In 1968, the orchestra changed its name to the Minnesota Orchestra (or Minnesota Orchestral Association). Today the Orchestra performs a wide variety of music including nearly 175 concerts in a typical year, primarily at Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, the organization’s home since 1974. The Orchestra is led by Music Director Thomas Søndergård and has historically toured regularly throughout Minnesota, nationally and abroad. The Minnesota Orchestra has an annual budget of $42.6M and ended FY2024 with net assets of $185.5M. The organization employs over 150 FT employees and over 100 PT staff and is supported and governed by an 80+ member Board of Directors. In 2024-25, 237,875 guests attended in-person concerts; with audio streaming, digital concerts, TV and radio broadcasts included that number reached more than 2.5 million people.

Minnesota Orchestra Values

We believe every employee is essential to the success of the organization and critical to accomplishing our mission to enrich, inspire and serve our community. Our working relationships are based on respect for each other as individuals, confidence in one another, and a genuine desire to actively listen and collaborate with each other. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization that honors and reflects the community we serve, welcomes, and instills diversity across our organization, and nurtures an equitable and inclusive culture.

Essential Functions And Day‑to‑Day Work

Accounting integrity and general ledger accuracy

• Oversee supervision and integrity of the general ledger, endowment, pension, investment, revenue accounting, and planned giving accounting functions, including reviewing endowment schedules, fixed asset schedules, and endowment and pension investment reports.
• Oversee allocation of endowment income to various activities and receipt of gifts to the organization.
• Monitor compliance with internal policies governing the terms of acceptance and classification of major gifts to the organization.
• Manage the accounts payable, accounts receivable, pledge receivable, cash treasury functions of the organization.
• Ensure compliance with tax, audit, and other regulations.
• Oversee and administer financial systems, including ActivityHD (GL System) and Concur (A/P system), ensuring maintenance of system generated reports, chart of accounts, and transaction integrity.
• Serve as organizational expert for Activity HD and Concur, as well as financial system integrations with other organizational systems such as Tessitura and Paylocity payroll.
• Oversee treasury functions, including maintaining an effective cash management strategy for the investment of operating cash balances based on projections of future cash flows.
• Serve as administrator for organizational bank and investment accounts.

Internal and external reporting and compliance

• Prepare accurate and timely financial statements including coordination and oversight of monthly closing procedures, preparation of monthly financial statements, and related financial analysis.
• Oversee general ledger accounts, ensuring all reconciliations and reviews are completed on a monthly or quarterly basis.
• Establish necessary control procedures in all facets of accounting cycle.
• Oversee preparation of federal and state tax returns and schedules for government agencies, including annual Federal Form 990. Establish and maintain timely federal and state tax payments.
• Oversee preparation of 5500 reports for the pension plans and other retirement accounts ensuring coordination between auditors and actuary during the process; initiate and oversee filings with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).
• Supervise and own annual audit process and completion of all audits, including the annual organizational audit, defined benefit plans, pension plans, city and state requirements, and grant reporting.
• Liaise with outside auditors.
• Oversee the preparation of required audit schedules (including any required schedules of federal award expenditures), preparation of audited financial statements and related footnotes, audit adjusting entries and review and update of management letter comments.

Budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis

• Supervise and own the budgeting and forecasting processes for the organization.
• Establish and manage the budget timelines to ensure proper communication and information is provided, reviews are completed, and board requirements are met.
• Lead the preparation of all short- and long-term forecasts and projections for the organization.
• Work with the CFO, CEO/President, Board, and other executives to coordinate planning, establish priorities for the planning process, and create forecasts and projections for the organization.
• Provide financial analytics for the organization, including monthly variance reporting, concert profitability, and other financial analysis as deemed necessary.
• Participate in development of organizational strategies by contributing financial and accounting information, analysis, and recommendations to strategic thinking and direction.
• Establish functional objectives in line with organizational objectives.
• Serve as staff lead for the Audit and Finance, and Investment Committees of the Board of Directors, and other committees or task forces as assigned. May include presentations to the Board of Directors or Committees.
• Serve as a contact for internal and external accounting related inquiries.
• Prepare board authorizations of year-end transfers and other related activity.
• Participate in Senior Staff meetings as needed.
• Lead projects or perform other work as assigned by CFO.

Work Environment and Physical and Mental Demands

The Minnesota Orchestra is primarily a place-based organization, offering hybrid schedules that require in-person, on-site work. Permission is required for applicants and current employees seeking to reside outside of the Twin Cities metropolitan area or more than 60 miles from Orchestra Hall. While working on site at Orchestra Hall or the administrative offices, work is performed in an open office environment with moderate noise levels in a cubical desk configuration and in a performing art building on stage, in a lobby or other location within the facility, and occasionally in an outdoor environment for outdoor concerts, or other activities. While performing the duties of this position, incumbents may be required to do all or some of the following, with or without accommodation:

• Sit or stand at a desk, counter, or other work surface.
• Talk and/or hear spoken words, music, or other sounds.
• Use hands or fingers to handle or touch objects around them.
• Review documents, monitors, or displays with potentially small print.
• Operate a computer, phone and other common office tools or controls.
• Mentally focus on tasks and apply sound reasoning and judgement.
• Work in or attend meetings or other events in any of the Orchestra locations or other sites as necessary.
• Lift/move objects (such as files, packages, props, or office equipment) or ensure objects are lifted/moved that may weigh up to 15 lbs.

The typical workdays and hours for the organization are Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm with the possibility of extended evening, weekend or holiday hours. In this exempt position, work is expected to be delivered within established deadlines and quality standards without regard to the typical working days or hours as noted above with some autonomy to determine attendance at a performance or other events.

Perks & Benefits

Our benefit programs are more than just insurance plans. To us, they demonstrate a commitment to our employees and their families that we care about who they are and their health and wellbeing.

Health Benefits Offerings

• Generous employer contributions to medical plans.
• Dental and vision plans.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) funding each pay period.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Life and AD&D.
• Short‑ and Long‑Term Disability.

Time Off Benefits

• Generous PTO accrual.
• Generous sick leave accrual.
• Volunteering Time Off.
• 13 organizational holidays.

Financial Benefits

• 401(k) Plan with two ways to earn organizational contributions.

Perks

• MetroPass.
• Parking Garage Discounts.
• Complimentary and Discounted Tickets.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance or related field, or the equivalent amount of training and hands‑on experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Minimum ten years’ experience in public accounting or a combination of public and industry accounting experience.
• Strong understanding of not-for-profit accounting methods, preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to manage confidential and sensitive information, possess a high degree of personal integrity and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal stakeholders, external suppliers, vendors, or other entities.
• Ability to collaborate with others to identify and solve issues or make proactive recommendations.
• Demonstrated commitment to the Minnesota Orchestra mission and values.
• Ability to coach and counsel direct reports regarding individual performance and other career development areas, taking corrective action when necessary.

Technology/Equipment

• Advanced knowledge of computer‑based financial management systems.
• Understanding of CRM and payroll system integration with financial systems data.
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office suite, especially Excel.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Minnesota Orchestral Association is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable discrimination laws. We recruit, hire, train and promote all persons without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, creed, status with regard to public assistance or any other non‑job related characteristic.