Chief Financial Officer

Company: Save the Sound

Hybrid
Location: New Haven, CT
Full-Time 

Save the Sound leads environmental action throughout the Long Island Sound region, focusing on Connecticut, Westchester County, New York City, and the North Shore of Long Island. We restore healthy waters to bays, harbors and rivers; build resilient communities; save endangered lands; and bring people together in a united effort to protect and steward the Sound and its watershed. We do this through legislative advocacy and legal action; engineering; environmental and water-quality monitoring; and hands-on volunteer efforts. For over 50 years we’ve been ensuring people and wildlife can enjoy the clean and thriving environment they deserve—today and for generations to come. 

Learn more about us at

Save the Sound is headquartered in New Haven, CT and maintains its water quality lab and additional offices in Larchmont, New York. Save the Sound operates through five core program areas within its Center for Water Protection and Alexander Center for Ecological Action:

• Clean Water Science and Law.
• Ecological Restoration.
• Climate and Resilience.
• Policy and Legislative Advocacy.
• Environmental Justice and Community Engagement.

The CFO will join a mission-driven team, collaborating across all levels to advance our commitment to a thriving Long Island Sound and its surrounding environment.

The Position:

Save the Sound is seeking an experienced financial professional to service as Chief financial Officer (CFO). Reporting to the President, the CFO oversees all finance functions, planning, operations, reporting, budgeting, audits, risk management, and accounting, while supervising 3–5 staff and 2–4 consultants. The role also provides oversight of Human Resources, Administration, and Information Technology.

The CFO partners closely with senior leadership to ensure financial sustainability, builds strong relationships with program and development teams, and works with the Finance and Audit Committees and the Board Chair. Responsibilities include advising the President and Board on financial matters, supporting strategic initiatives, and collaborating across departments. The ideal candidate demonstrates integrity, sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Specific responsibilities of this position are to:

• Oversee all financial operations, including budgeting, reporting, audits, tax filings, and compliance with grant requirements. Work with the President, other members of the executive team and the Board to develop annual financial goals for Save the Sound. 
• Provide actionable financial reports to communicate the overall health of the organization, assessing and communicating financial risks and opportunities, modeling future plans, and developing financial scenarios based on past performance and in reference to the Strategic Plan.
• Lead, under the direction of the President, preparation of the annual budget.
• Manage budgeting processes, financial systems, and scenario planning to ensure efficiency and compliance. Lead in the evaluation, implementation and administration of financial systems to optimize individual and departmental efficiency and effectiveness, and that allow for reflection of operating activities and compliance with grants, including Federal and state governmental grants.
• Ensure compliance with private and government grant spending stipulations; Lead foundation and government grant financial management and manage government grant drawdowns.
• Provide monthly analysis of budget status and any needed action items to the President and executive team and monthly budget reports and financial guidance to project budget managers.
• Oversee banking, including monitoring and managing bank accounts and financial transactions, and planning and monitoring cash flow.
• Prepare annual financial statements and lead the annual audit process with our external auditors, including providing on a timely basis all schedules and other materials requested by the auditors.
• Supervise accounting functions (general ledger, AP/AR, payroll, reconciliations) and ensure strong internal controls. Develop, recommend, and implement sound fiscal and accounting policies, procedures, and controls, including internal control compliance. Develop and implement controls, systems and procedures for effective operations and timely monitoring and reporting. 
• Accurately track and report restricted and unrestricted assets.
• Oversee IT systems management and IT professionals.
• Oversee our HR and Office Management requirements.
• Serve as a senior staff member contributing to organizational strategy and decision-making.

Qualifications and Desired Characteristics:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance or MBA is required; CPA is strongly preferred.
• At least 8 years’ experience in a similar role is preferred.
• Experience working at a non-profit organization that receives substantial federal and state government funding is strongly preferred.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of information and records.
• Excellent communications and interpersonal skills to enable productive relationships with finance department staff and with development and program departments.
• Ability and desire to work in a collegial and collaborative fashion with staff and board.
• Strong collaboration and follow-through in identifying procedural problems or inefficiencies, recommending improvements, and implementing cross-departmental solutions.
• Demonstrated commitment to training staff, and ability to work with program leaders.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, under the pressure of tight deadlines.
• Ability to lead with minimal supervision while juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities.
• Highly organized and systematic in approaching systems and tasks.
• Suitable professional writing skills.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office as well as financial management software.
• Positive outlook, energy, and diplomacy; openness to learning new skills; flexibility in the face of changing priorities.

Additional Details Common to All Positions:

Save the Sound’s Commitment to Equity and Diversity - Save the Sound is an equal opportunity employer. We prohibit discrimination based on age, color, disability, marital or parental status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Hybrid Work Arrangements - Save the Sound currently has a hybrid in-office/remote work arrangement. Staff are expected to report to either of our offices at least 1 day per week (unless their position requires otherwise). Details of this arrangement are determined upon hire and employees must notify their manager of any necessary changes. It is at the manager’s discretion to amend the agreed-to work arrangement dependent upon business needs, work performance or other factors.

Computer and IT - Save the Sound will provide a laptop and desktop computer, access to our company server, and remote IT support as needed.