The North America Regional Office is comprised of regional management, operations, and technical staff who support and connect nearly 50 separate operating units across the United States, Caribbean Islands and Canada. The Office includes 100 geographically disbursed staff members across 13 conservation strategies and four management functions, as well as seven geographically-focused Division Offices. The Director of Finance position is focused on strategic and tactical support for the staff and functions at the regional level.
The Director of Finance provides overall direction and leadership for finance, and to some extent human resources, and operations functions within the North America Regional Office and North America Division Offices. The Director is particularly responsible for the Finance and/or Accounting activities for the North America Regional Office and Division Offices They report to the North America Region Managing Director for People and Operations.
This position is based at TNC’s Worldwide Office in Arlington, VA, though flexibility is available within the United States for highly-qualified and internal candidates.
The Director contributes to achieving the North America Region’s strategic priorities through effective management, maintenance and reporting of financial data. The Director is the subject matter expert on the regional office’s fiscal position, inclusive of Division Office financial activities, and uses this position to advise regional leadership on financial matters in order to facilitate decision-making. They monitor use of management controls and processes to ensure compliance with TNC policies and procedures, relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, and financial/management best practice. They will work closely with the Managing Director for People and Operations on the development of guidelines. They will report to senior leadership on functional activities. The Director works in close cooperation with all the following: Conservancy staff, donors, vendors, and public agencies. They provide advice, recommendations, and broad training related to finance and operations. The Director maintains expert knowledge of the systems and resources utilized by the team; applies knowledge to managing support and planning communications related to the resources. They will lead diverse activities, analyze situations, evaluate alternatives, project outcomes, and implement solutions in order to improve effectiveness.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND SCOPE
- Proactively advise Leadership Team members on fiscal health of the region to facilitate decision-making
- Effectively manage multi-year funding streams that affect multiple BUs within the region, engaging key stakeholders and ensuring the region can meet its commitments
- Work closely with Senior Financial Analyst team for North America Region to ensure finance needs are being met consistently across Region
- Ensure revenue, expenses and net assets are managed to reflect donor intent; this includes working with cross-functional teams to perform revenue allocation
- Manage private funding lifecycles: collaborate with philanthropy and conservation to construct budgets, complete timely and accurate reports for funders, and oversee finance specialist position to ensure day-to-day tasks related to privately funded awards are completed in the appropriate management software.
- Build and manage annual Business Unit (BU) budgets, in concert with Leadership Team, Philanthropy and Conservation
- Execute fiscal year-end processes for the regional and division offices, advising project managers and regional leadership on financial position at critical decision-points
- Provide timely and accurate financial reports and analysis to Leadership Team Members and project managers
- Develop and monitor project budgets, building forecasts and sustainability plans as needed
- Review and monitor Income Statement and balance sheet (including pledges) items at month and year-end close
- Provide financial expertise on Land or other special projects
- Perform general accounting duties, to include: basic journal entries for transfers, loans, land transactions, accruals, deferred revenue and expense corrections
- Collaborate with Grants Specialists on managing public awards
- Work with Operations team to ensure day to day financial activities such as purchasing, processing invoices, negotiating and contracting with vendors are managed for compliance
- Oversee technical and administrative tasks related to finance.
- Respond to ad hoc requests for financial reports and analyses in a timely and accurate manner
- Act independently, exercise independent judgment to identify and solve complex problems.
- Decisions may have program-wide impact and may bind the organization financially or legally.
- Design and plan new initiatives that will ensure region and organization-wide goals and strategies are achieved.
- Ensure programmatic commitments, TNC policies and procedures, GAAP, and legal requirements are met and managed for compliance.
- Serve as resource to staff on financial matters, policies, procedures and guidelines, and educate staff as required. Liaise with Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Legal, Grants Administration, and TIS to resolve issues for regional programs and staff and ensure regional compliance
- Ability to work independently
- Travel and work long or flexible hours as needed
- Direct or participate in negotiations for complex or sensitive agreements.
- Maintains confidentiality of frequently sensitive and emotionally charged information.
- Manage team accountability for strategic goals related to functional area.
- Minimize legal risk to the Conservancy and ensure legal compliance with applicable state and local regulation.
- Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements and minor physical exertion and/or strain.
- Finance / Accounting experience
- Experience leading and implementing multiple projects.
- Experience generating financial reports, and analyzing and interpreting data.
- Experience developing and administering departmental budget or equivalent.
- Experience negotiating agreements.
- Experience working with teams across large organizations.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Non-profit GAAP accounting experience
- Ability to work in partnership with others in a collaborative or advisory role.
- Demonstrated ability to conceive and write creatively for various audiences.
- Experience developing, managing, and implementing goals, plans, and complex processes.
- Expert in current and evolving technology related to field of experience.
- Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in relevant discipline, preferably in a non-profit environment.
- Supervisory experience including setting objectives and managing performance, including conflict resolution.
- Cross cultural and multilingual skills appreciated
- Proficient in interpreting guidelines and manipulating, analyzing, and interpreting data
- Successful experience managing and implementing strategic program goals.
- Superior planning and problem solving skills.
- Accounting degree and CPA helpful
The Nature Conservancy offers competitive compensation, 401k or savings-plan matching for eligible employees, excellent benefits, flexible work policies and a collaborative work environment. We also provide professional development opportunities and promote from within. As a result, you will find a culture that supports and inspires conservation achievement and personal development, both within the workplace and beyond.