Director of Finance, The Knowledge House

The Knowledge House’s mission is to empower and sustain a talent pipeline of technologists, entrepreneurs, and digital leaders, who will lift their communities out of poverty.

The Knowledge House (TKH) approach is to (1) close gaps in the education­-to-­employment pipeline in underserved communities in the Bronx NY, Newark NJ, Atlanta GA, and Los Angeles CA, neighborhoods by teaching youth and young adults the skills needed to launch careers or ventures in technology, and (2) support links between local youth, tech innovation, and business development that bring positive community impact.

Headquartered in the South Bronx, TKH has served more than 2,250 students since 2014. Current core programs include our Innovation Fellowship focused on software engineering, cybersecurity, and digital design for adult job trainees, and our Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship for high school students learning computational thinking and web design.

TKH team members value the opportunity to: apply their skills while giving back to low-income youth and other underrepresented communities; lead innovation in the emerging tech movement in the Bronx, Newark, Atlanta, and Los Angeles; and join a scaling nonprofit where every team member is expected to contribute to strategy, create solutions and helps shape improve organizational culture.

Role Overview

The Director of Finance and Administration will oversee all financial, compliance, risk management, and vendor management at The Knowledge House. This position will work closely with the Finance Manager, Operations Manager, and outside vendors on a day-to-day basis while also working with the Chief Operating Officer and Board on financial reporting, strategic planning, and compliance. Theywill help to set a vision for the team and provide strategic direction towards org-wide and department outcome and professional development goals.  The responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Financial Management

• Lead financial reporting, analysis, forecasting, and budgeting processes to ensure TKH’s sustainability
• Oversee day-to-day financial operations, including cash-flow management, grants spending, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, bill payments, and tax compliance
• Establish and maintain control systems that ensure transactions are properly recorded and accounted for to permit the preparation of reliable financial statements and demonstrate compliance with all insurance policies, employment & tax laws
• Oversee the the submission of grants budgets and spend-down, including appropriate allocation of personnel salaries on grants, and create systems for tracking time and effort for all personnel matched to grants
• Prepare grant budget reports and financial reports on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, and as needed
• Lead TKH’s annual audit, liaising with the board treasurer and coordinating and completing all regulatory filings, annual reporting, business registrations, and other compliance-related processes
• Design and lead inclusive budget processes that empower budget owners to use financial resources responsibly
• Improve budget owners’ understanding of financial statements and budget adherence with thoughtful and transparent analysis and partnership
• Coordinate risk assessment and internal control activity within the Finance Team and TKH Board
• Ensure TFK has clear and effective policies for asset management
• Oversee the processing of agency purchases, ensuring that all requests and expenditures are reviewed and processed promptly and per applicable rules

Compliance, Risk Management, & Administration

• Oversee staff to ensure TKH maintains strong systems and processes that enable full compliance and reporting with all federal, state, and local legal and regulatory requirements
• Oversee TKH’s contract creation process for all contractors and vendors to ensure contracts are secured, allocated, budgeted, tracked, and in compliance
• Lead organization-wide management of legal affairs, liability, insurance, and other risk management strategies, updating TKH policies annually
• Liaise with the landlord, as needed, and ensure compliance with the lease

• Lead TKH in developing a comprehensive vendor management policy while representing TKH to external vendors and operational partners
• Support with the coordination and management of vendors for IT and facility

Strategy Design & Implementation

• Design the overall financial strategy in partnership with C-level management and identify opportunities for improvement periodically
• Collaborate closely with other departments to align financial goals with overall business objectives and drive cross-functional initiatives
• Lead innovation and drive new policies in finance that lead to greater efficiency and impact
• Develop and oversee the routine updating of the TKH Financial Management Policies and the TKH Compliance Handbook
• Ensure that all SOPs in finance and compliance are developed and maintained
• Create project plans, set deadlines, oversee progress towards achievement of milestones, review progress of projects, and initiate appropriate actions to achieve targeted objectives
• Establish performance measures, monitor results, and evaluate the efficacy of the TKH compliance and finance strategies
• Remain up-to-date on changes to policies, both internal and external, that pertain to compliance, budgeting, and other operational matters

Requirements

Experience:

• Financial management experience with a nonprofit budget, ideally a national non-profit with a $7M+ budget
• 4+ years of experience managing and developing team members
• Experience with compliance, risk management, and vendor management preferred
• Fluent in Microsoft Excel and QuickBooks
• Fluent in GAAP

Skills & Approach to Work:

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to operate effectively with a low degree of direct oversight
• Excellent time management & critical thinking skills
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
• Organized, analytical, and detail-oriented
• High bar for excellence and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-change organization
• Strong belief in the mission and values of TKH

Benefits

• Full-time $105,000-$135,000-year salary. 
• Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance
• 2% 401k match
• A monthly tech stipend of $100
• Unlimited days of paid time off