Finance Director

Finance Director

The Alliance for Youth Action (along with our sister 501(c)(3) organization, the Alliance for Youth Organizing) is searching for a Finance Director. The Finance Director will lead on day-to-day internal financial management to ensure our organization is running smoothly behind the scenes. This role reports to the Chief Financial Officer, and will directly manage the Finance Manager. This is a full-time exempt position based in the United States (see Logistics, below). Alliance for Youth Organizing is a unionized workplace, and staff are represented by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035. This position is not in the bargaining unit.

About the Alliance for Youth Action

The Alliance convenes, supports, and scales a national network of youth-led, locally rooted organizations growing civic engagement and social justice coast to coast. We truly are a multiracial network “of young people, by young people, for all people.” Our Affiliates and Partners run massive voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, train new young leaders, and run powerful campaigns to win on the progressive issues our generation cares about most. Our national team empowers this work by tracking down national resources for the network, building capacity for local groups, seeding new efforts, and coordinating national issue campaigns.

Job Responsibilities

Key responsibilities of this position include:

Financial Operations Management

• Oversee the Alliance’s daily financial operations and supervise the internal finance management and external bookkeepers, including c3/c4 cost sharing and the management of finance team members responsible for cash, bank, accounts receivable, and accounts payable processes.

• Direct the Alliance’s grant and revenue management processes and systems, coordinating with the development department to ensure revenue is organized and compliant with all grant, funder, and contract requirements.

• Develop and enhance financial management systems, processes, and policies as needed.

• Manage internal and external teams to produce monthly financial reporting, acting as the primary reviewer on various reports to ensure accuracy and quality, including organizational budgets and cash trackers.

Financial Planning & Reporting

• Lead on the Alliance’s annual financial audits and coordinate with Executive Management to ensure accurate and timely IRS 990 filings.

• Work with Executive Management on Alliance's annual budgeting process, leading on planning and analysis to ensure organizational goals are achieved fiscally and compliantly.

• Manage budget forecasting and reforecasting needs as necessary, and develop tools and strategies to advise Senior & Executive management to make real-time financial decisions.

• Prepare financial reports for Alliance staff, leadership, board, and funders as needed, working in partnership with the CFO to present these to various stakeholders.

• Develop and maintain systems and processes to manage departmental budgets, working with department heads to ensure departmental spending is aligned with established budgets and needed adjustments are implemented.

Administration

• Oversee the documentation and administration of grants and contracts, ensuring that all financial and compliance requirements are met in accordance with agreed-upon terms.

• Direct the Finance department in developing and enhancing internal financial process and procedures documentation.

• Manage the Alliance’s fiscal sponsorship program, ensuring administrative, financial reporting and legal requirements are met, leading to the sunsetting of the program by the end of 2024.

• Lead on the organizations’ state charitable registrations and renewals, managing our external vendor to ensure all registrations are kept current and in good standing while also coordinating with internal teams to ensure all business and organizational registrations are kept current and in good standing.

People Management

• Oversee, manage, and supervise staff members as they develop and reach goals outlined in the strategic plan, annual work plan, and budgeting process to support the organization.

• Guide the professional development of team members by identifying opportunities to grow their individual skills and abilities.

• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer to create, implement, and effectuate management processes, policies, and practices that maximize organizational capacity and streamline our financial management processes.

• Oversee, manage, and supervise team members’ results, performance, standards, and goals, taking appropriate action where necessary, and supporting an environment of creativity and innovation that ultimately impacts organization-wide initiatives.

Key Qualifications & Experience

We’re looking for candidates with particular strengths in the following areas:

• There are no formal education requirements for this position, and a CPA is not required. The knowledge necessary for this role is often gained through undergraduate education in finance, accounting, or a related field; certification or training in accounting practices; or work experience in comparable roles.

• Working knowledge of GAAP, audits, and other regulatory requirements in the nonprofit financial field.

• Advanced proficiency in Excel and Google Sheets.

• Experience with budget management and financial forecasting.

• Knowledge of nonprofit legal structures as it relates to financial management, specifically 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 financial and legal compliance.

• Detail oriented and organized, with a proven ability to effectively and independently manage projects.

• A self-starter with strong initiative who - beyond directing our current systems - has the willingness to identify additional processes that could be streamlined and the skills to realize that vision.

• Champion of organizational diversity & equity with a commitment to social justice.

• Passion for and commitment to youth organizing and Alliance mission.