Chief Financial Officer, Georgetown Day School, Washington Navy Yard, DC
Georgetown Day School -
Washington Navy Yard, DC,
US
Chief Financial Officer
Date Posted: 2024-05-15
Job description
Chief Financial Officer Full Time Washington, DC, US 3 days ago Requisition ID: 1041 About the School Georgetown Day School opened its doors in 1945 as the first integrated school in a segregated city. Governed by a Board of Trustees elected by the parent body and administered by an appointed Head of School, it was founded by seven families who wanted to create a school committed not only to academic excellence and educational innovation but also to a value system emphasizing appreciation and respect for others. Believing that diversity was the ground out of which all deep and rich learning occurs, they established a school where all children would be welcome, celebrated, and challenged to be their best selves. Today, the School's philosophy, programs, and position in the national educational landscape strongly reflect its roots. Having grown from 12 children in 1945 to 1075 students in PK-12 today, GDS is recognized as one of Washington, D.C.'s and the nation's most dynamic educational institutions. Since the school's founding, GDS has called eight different locations home. In the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were all joined on one extraordinary campus. DEPARTMENT: Business Office REPORTS TO: Head of School About the Position Expectation of Employee Georgetown Day School (GDS) is seeking a strategic thinker, experienced manager, and collaborative visionary to lead the School's finance, facilities, and operation teams. The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) will have the opportunity to build on the School living into its recently unified campus and support future planning efforts. Reporting to the Head of School, the CFO serves as an essential support and strategic partner to the Head of School and the leadership team. The CFO is a member of the senior administrative team. Aside from building solid relationships with the Head of School and the Board, the new CFO will need to be someone who can quickly forge excellent partnerships with their direct reports, other senior administrators, and all faculty and staff at the School. The person in this role will serve as an administration liaison to the Finance, Investment, Audit, Governance and the Facilities Master Planning committees, the CFO also chairs the Retirement and Benefits Committee. While the CFO works closely with the Board, and specifically the Finance Committee Chair, they report exclusively to the Head of School. The new CFO will also work closely with the Director of Advancement and the Director of Admissions to ensure that the school's fundraising and enrollment projections allow for responsible and accurate planning, effective stewardship, and clear communications to all constituencies about the fiscal health of the School. Location: On-campus Start Date: July 1, 2024 (or sooner) Type of Opportunity: Full-time, salaried, exempt with benefits. Essential Duties/Responsibilities The CFO will oversee and monitor specific responsibilities in the following areas: Finance & Accounting Supervise the development, administration, and reporting of the operating and facilities master planning budget to the Head of School, the School's Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, auditors, federal, state, and local authorities, lenders, donors, and various School administrative offices, as appropriate. Prepare regular financial forecasts to project fiscal year operating results. Oversee and monitor financial investments. Administer grants from regional, state, and local grantor agencies and ensure compliance with grant requirements. Hold primary responsibility for the outcome of the annual financial statement and pension plan audits. Ensure effective financial policies, procedures, and operations in accordance with GAAP. Oversee the administration of the School's endowment, execute endowment, and investment policy; implement investment decisions of the Investment Committee; and coordinate with the endowment consultants, ensuring effective endowment allocations, performance, and reporting. Manage banking, debt, and lease agreements; receive, account for, and disburse monies and securities; work with the bank to negotiate terms, and rates and ensure covenant compliance. Oversee the annual financial audit and filing of tax returns. Provide transparent financial reporting and planning that builds trust among administrators, faculty and staff, students and alumni, parents, and trustees. Operations/Facilities Oversee all School operations including personnel policies, data management, maintenance, campus security, campus health, transportation neighborhood relations, etc. Oversee the physical plant, grounds, and construction functions with the Director of Facilities and Maintenance; help plan and direct all replacements and renewals of the physical plant. Partner with the Head of School, the Associate Head, and the Director of Human Resources to establish sound and consistent employment policies, adequate staffing levels, compensation, and appropriate benefits programs for all facets of school operations. In partnership with the Director of Human Resources, supervise the administration of all employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement, worker's compensation, life insurance, and other related plans. Relationship Management Keep the Head of School apprised of all business, operational, and financial matters. Work collaboratively with the Leadership Team to support the successful operation of the School. Serve as staff liaison for and collaborate with board committees: Finance, Investment, Audit, and Facilities Master Planning. Serve as the primary liaison in banking relationships and with the School's investment managers. Maintain business relationships with consultants, vendors, and colleagues at other schools. Qualifications Experience, Education and Licensure Successful candidates for this position will bring a variety of experiences and attributes to GDS, including: 10+ years' progressive senior management experience in designing, implementing, and managing successful financial, operational, and facilities management systems. Strong nonprofit and business acumen; proven track record of operations advancement to achieve business results and drive organizational mission. Track record of success leading finance, facilities, information technology, data integration, risk mitigation/compliance, and administrative functions. Strong understanding of nonprofit financial management; experience in 501(c)(3) desired. Experience in nonprofit financial budgeting, tracking, analyses, reporting, and forecasting for operating budgets. Supervisory experience that includes team building, talent management, and leadership development. Collaborative and forward-thinking leadership style with exceptional management skills. Excellent communication skills: adept at analyzing and interpreting information as well as speaking, writing, and graphically conveying complex data to a range of audiences. Strategic thinker and excellent listener with a strong ability to build trust among a wide range of constituents. Demonstrated ability to take complex subjects, distill them, and then communicate them to a varied audience. Experience on senior administrative teams and working with nonprofit Boards; independent school experience is a plus. Demonstrated experience in the development of analysis for strategic decision-making, such as key cost drivers, competitive analysis, market analysis, organizational strengths, and weaknesses, etc. Bachelor's degree required, degree in finance, business, nonprofit management, or related field preferred. MBA preferred. Skills Fundamental understanding of project planning and operational systems in a school preferred. Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to cultivate effective, professional relationships with students, faculty, administrators, parents, alumni, and guests. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage time efficiently. Excellent written communication skills along with the ability to deliver professional presentations. Proficiency in public speaking, with the ability to confidently address large groups, coupled with a strong cultural competency and a proven track record of successful collaboration with individuals from diverse backgrounds. High ethical standards and strong professional boundaries. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite as well as the school's accounting, payroll, and billing systems, including Blackbaud for accounting, tuition billing, and fundraising record-keeping, and Paylocity for payroll processing. Americans with Disability Specifications Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Work Environment: Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Americans with Disability Specifications Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Work Environment: Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. To Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and list of three references using our online application system through ADP/Workforce Now: To find out more about the school, candidates should visit our website at As an inclusive school devoted to preparing our students to live, work, and lead in an increasingly globalized and multicultural society, GDS is particularly interested in professionals with demonstrated interest and experience in working in such a school setting and is driven by the core charge of working to enhance and bring joy to every student's individual learning experience in equitable and meaningful ways.