Para Los Niños, Chief Financial Officer

ORGANIZATION

Founded on Skid Row in 1980, Para Los Niños (PLN) provides education and wraparound support, serving over 10,000 children, youth, and families annually in some of the most underserved areas in Los Angeles. PLN fosters pathways to success by striving for excellence in education, family support, comprehensive social-emotional, and community-based services. The organization has a total budget of more than $50M and 430 plus staff members. Through early education, TK-8th grade education, youth workforce services, and family and community services PLN’s model provides a comprehensive, holistic approach to break the cycle of poverty and help children and youth thrive. 

For more information about Para Los Niños please visit www.paralosninos.org. 

OPPORTUNITY

As a member of the Executive Team and reporting directly to the CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides strategic leadership in the management of PLN’s finance and accounting functions and directly manages PLN’s relationships with lending institutions and the financial community. The CFO partners with the CEO, Executive Team, and the Board of Directors to give financial guidance and analysis in support of programmatic priorities, fundraising initiatives and long-term strategic planning. The CFO must be a strategic thinker and visionary financial leader who can work closely with board members and senior management to provide the numbers and analysis that helps them make the best short- and long-term decisions to ensure a financially thriving organization. This individual will also manage a highly competent and long tenured finance team and will be responsible for individual and team professional growth and development. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key Responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer include:

Accounting & Administration

• Provide oversight for overall department functions to ensure proper maintenance of all accounting systems and functions; supervise PLN’s finance staff. 
• Lead the management and coordination of multiple complex revenue streams. 
• Ensure maintenance of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures. 
• Ensure timeliness, accuracy, and compliance of financial and management reporting for federal and state funders, foundations, and PLN’s Board of Directors.
• Coordinate audits and proper filing of tax returns. 
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all contracts and financial functions. 
• Build department/program leaders’ capacity as budget owners. 

Finance

• Oversee cash flow planning, cash investment and asset management, and banking relationships. 
• Build relationships with Board and Finance Committee members, public agency representatives, auditors, lenders, and insurers. 
• Oversee contract management, ensuring compliance and accuracy for all government and other contracts, and manages outsourcing of finance functions, as needed. 
• Develop and implement financial policies and procedures to maintain compliance with state and federal regulations. 
• Facilitate the preparation and presentation of monthly budget reporting and annual budget projections. 
• Lead, in partnership with the Board Audit Committee, annual financial audits. 

Strategic Leadership

• Oversee all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities, in partnership with the CEO, Finance and Audit Committees of the Board of Directors. 
• Set direction for the Board’s Finance and Audit Committees. 
• Lead the vision and effectively communicate on long-term financial planning, forecasting, modeling, and organizational asset management. 
• Develop and utilize forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insight into the organization’s operations and business plans. 
• Assess financial implications of potential strategic and growth opportunities. 
• Develop and maintain PLN’s annual budget and multi-year financial plan to ensure long-term financial health. 
• Continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of PLN’s financial operations and internal controls; develop, implement, and regularly monitor financial goals and track, analyze and report metrics. 

People Management & Development 

• Ensure that the Finance team members are equipped to excel in their roles, develop professionally, and have a positive Para Los Ninos work experience. 
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, coaching, performance management, and talent development of Finance team. 
• Promote ongoing learning and development across the Finance team by identifying team areas for growth and collaboration. 
• Foster a positive team culture and facilitate staff engagement by effectively connecting tasks to mission, impact, and promoting a team practice of feedback, accountability, and celebrating success. 

Board Relations & Reporting

• Report on the financial performance of the organization to the Board of Directors, including regular updates on budget performance, forecasts, and financial risks and opportunities. 
• Represent the organization at internal and external events and meetings, providing financial guidance and support as needed. 

Planning, Policy & Funder Relations

• Working in partnership with schools, programs, and operations management, develops and monitors budgets, financial business plans and forecasts;
• Participate in policy development as a member of the executive team;
• Work with the CEO to engage the Board Finance Committee to develop short-, medium-, and long-term financial plans and projections;
• Lead, in partnership with the Board Audit Committee, annual financial audits;
• Represent the company to financial partners, including financial institutions, government funders, foundation executives, auditors, public officials, and finance and payroll outsourcing companies.

Risk Management

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive risk assessment framework.

OUR EXPECTATIONS

Candidates for employment at Para Los Niños, regardless of position, will consistently demonstrate the following:

• Belief in the Para Los Niños mission and a deep commitment to the success of children and families served by PLN;
• Commitment to excellence and high standards – for self, clients/students, and colleagues;
• Continuous learning by engaging in reflection, self-assessment, and professional development;
• Data-driven decision-making for continuous improvement;
• Ability to collaborate effectively with team members;
• Self-motivation and initiative with solutions-oriented disposition;
• Belief in and ability to develop respectful relationships with parents and children marked by sensitivity to the students’ cultural and socioeconomic characteristics;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Comfort with Microsoft Office and a curiosity and propensity to push own adoption of new technology and approaches.

Requirements

In order to fulfill these responsibilities, the ideal Chief Financial Officer candidate will be/have:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related field required. MBA and/or CPA preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience in financial management or accounting for complex transactions, and 5 years in a senior finance role.
• Experience in finance or accounting for non-profit entities at CFO or senior management level strongly preferred.
• Strategic-minded individual with the operational background to execute and drive performance.
• A proven track record of successful financial management, including experience developing and implementing financial strategies, managing budgets, and overseeing financial reporting and compliance.
• Strong leadership and management skills with experience building and leading high-performing teams and a passionate interest in mentoring others.
• Exceptional attention to detail and quality control.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Passion for the mission and work of the organization.

Benefits

This position offers a competitive salary range of $199,642 - $249,553, and robust benefits including medical, dental, and retirement. More details can be provided upon request.

TO APPLY

For additional questions about this position or to speak with someone about your interest, please contact Brett Kunsch at [email protected] or Corina Hopson at [email protected].

Para Los Niños is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. It is the established policy of Para Los Niños (PLN) to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without discrimination with regard to race, religious belief (including dress or grooming practices), color, sex, sex stereotype, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions (including breastfeeding), age, national origin (including possessing a driver’s license issued under Vehicle Code § 12801.9), ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identification and expression, transgender status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic characteristics, genetic information, family care, marital status, enrollment in any public assistance program, status as military, a veteran or qualified disabled veteran, status as an unpaid intern or volunteer, or any other classification protected by law. PLN also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.