Chief Finance and Operating Officer

What You'll Do

The Chief Finance and Operating Officer (CFOO) is a pivotal senior leader responsible for the fiscal health and operational excellence of GIFFORDS, a $30MM+ multi-entity organization (501c3, 501c4, Political Action Committee) with 75+ staff members. The CFOO assumes primary responsibility for enhancing and implementing the organization's internal operational and financial processes and infrastructure to support continued growth and the fulfillment of the mission.

As a high-level financial expert, the CFOO will navigate the unique complexities of multi-entity compliance while serving as one of the organization's most senior leaders responsible for culture, leadership, and performance – leading with both the empathy and collaborative spirit necessary to support a high-performing, mission-driven staff. A critical part of this role involves empowering the organization and its leaders by expanding their collective knowledge of financial operations. From budgeting to forecasting to budget performance analysis, the CFOO will help transform financial data into a real-time driver for both short- and long-term strategic decision-making.

The CFOO also directs the development of new systems, policies, and procedures designed to enhance efficiency and strengthen the organization's core ability to drive impact. This will include leading the transition from legacy systems to a sophisticated accounting platform and optimizing the monthly close process to meet the rigorous demands of a rapid-response environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Nonprofit Finance & Financial Systems

• Develop and refine sophisticated financial systems and processes that support the organization's long-term strategic objectives and multi-entity structure (C3, C4, and PAC)
• Lead the transition from a legacy financial system to a robust multi-entity accounting system and optimize the monthly close process to ensure leadership has timely access to financial information
• Leverage financial data to provide strategic recommendations to the Executive Director, the Board, and the broader GIFFORDS team ensuring the organization's fiscal health remains a top priority

Organizational Leadership, Culture & People

• Serve as a culture carrier, demonstrating a deep understanding of how to center employees as humans and approach them with empathy while managing employee situations and performance management
• Approach operations with a "service mindset" and foster an environment of empathetic accountability , ensuring the operations and finance functions provide support to the organization; excel at building and nurturing relationships with a diverse range of internal stakeholders
• Coach and invest in a diverse team, fostering a culture of excellence, work-life balance, and regular feedback; spot and address the equity implications of different situations
• Collaborate effectively across the organization to bridge the gap between finance, HR, and programmatic strategy

Strategic Operations & Compliance

• Serve as a solution-oriented problem solver who can navigate organizational complexity and growth with creativity
• Manage and update legacy operational systems to increase organizational efficiency and adaptability
• Ensure rigorous compliance across all entities, specifically managing the complexities of PAC spending and reporting, federal and state lobbying registration and reporting requirements and solicitation compliance
• Serve as a senior decision maker, supporting cross-functional leaders to understand the trade-offs of complicated resource allocation decisions, ensuring every dollar spent is an expression of the organization's goals

Who You'll Work With

• You will report to the Executive Director and join an Executive Management Team of 9.

• You will directly supervise a Finance Director and an HR Director, and an overall team of 7 across the finance, human resources, and operations functions..

• You will frequently collaborate with the Chief of Staff & VP of Programs as well as functional leaders across the Law Center, Communication, and Development teams.

• At least 15 years of experience in senior management within the nonprofit sector, including a track record of success leading a complex finance function and a proven ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights
  
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to take a listening orientation and approach complex issues with clarity and empathy
• Excellent management skills, with experience supervising high-performing teams (Finance, HR, and Operations), and a commitment to fostering a culture of professional growth, work-life balance, mutual accountability; possesses the capacity to serve as an exemplar for team management organization-wide
• Demonstrated success managing the rigorous compliance and reporting requirements associated with non-profit advocacy and electoral activity; knowledge of complex organizational structures and experience managing multi-entity nonprofit organizations and inter-entity reconciliations strongly preferred
• Track record of identifying gaps in internal processes and successfully directing the development of new policies and procedures that strengthen an organization's core infrastructure and scalability
• Ability to act as a strategic arbiter of resources, managing complex trade-offs and ensuring that financial investments are consistently aligned with organizational imperatives and goals
• Notably collaborative teammate with strong interpersonal skills and a sense of humor
• Organized and able to reassess priorities; able to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Commitment to ending America's gun violence epidemic through effective laws and culture change

Must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.

Role is based in Washington D.C.

GIFFORDS is a nonprofit organization whose team is on a mission to save lives from gun violence. GIFFORDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion. People of color, trans individuals, gender non-conforming individuals, women, people with differing abilities, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.