Chief Financial Officer

Direct message the job poster from First Place for Youth

Remote position, working one in-office day per week

Founded in 1998, First Place for Youth supports and mentors foster youth to build the skills they need to make a successful transition from foster care to independence and adulthood. We take a dual approach to our mission, providing results‑driven direct service to young people who need a real support system, and we advocate for public policies and structural changes that will improve the lives of foster youth nationwide.

We operate with $33M in revenue, rock solid funding protected by federal and state law, ample reserves, budget surpluses, and record‑breaking fundraising successes over the last year. We have a high‑performing finance team, respected by both our senior management and Board. We recently received a $1.9M grant to improve our accounting and operational systems, and the CFO will be the key driver in the usage and allocation of these funds.

The CFO will be a forward‑looking and flexible thinker with the ability to quickly gather and synthesize information for the staff and board to drive rigorous planning and decision‑making processes. Working closely with the Executive Team, they will bring strategic financial acumen to bear in setting the agency’s future direction, shaping policy and funding priorities, monitoring relevant shifts in the regional and national landscape, and developing the systems and practices that will allow First Place to fully capture those opportunities for expansion.

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned and strategic finance professional, preferably with experience in nonprofit. They will demonstrate superior relationship‑building leadership, and diplomatic skills in both leading the finance team and as a key member of the Executive Team. They will have a strong personal commitment to First Place’s mission to serving youth, and the ability to grow along with the organization as it plans for a new era of expansion and impact.

• Advise CEO and key members of senior management on finances including planning, budgeting, cash flow and policy matters.
• Serve as the management liaison to the board finance and audit committees; effectively communicate and present critical financial statements at select board of director and finance committee meetings.
• Refine systems for generating real‑time forecasts and other financial tools to support the organization in making sound business decisions, especially with regard to scaling, developing philanthropic support, and building capacity to review programs from a budgeting perspective.
• Contribute to the development of strategic goals and objectives and to the overall management of First Place for Youth.
• Lead proactive communications efforts to keep the CEO, Executive Team, and board continuously up to date on the financial status of the organization and drive momentum on new initiatives.
• Represent the organization externally as necessary, particularly with respect to banking, insurance and lease negotiations for all First‑Place offices.

• Create systems to produce accurate and timely information on the financial status of all programs and departments upon request, including reports that enable First Place directors and managers to monitor and manage their own departmental, team or project budgets.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute the annual budget process. Lead the development of annual planning tools and systems that encompass broader strategic goals.
• Improve administrative and accounting services such as treasury management, 401(k) plans, grants payment processing, payroll, accounts payable, and purchasing.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance with First Place accounting policies and procedures as well as regulatory compliance. Oversee the annual audit and ensure a clean opinion.
• Provide administrative services and record keeping as well as internal and external client and bank relations for business lines of…