Context: Develops, analyses, and reports on income projections, budgets, expenses, contracts, and cost-impact of assigned business plans for SIERRA magazine. Establishes and maintains financial models and reporting, control and analysis systems, and policies and procedures in coordination with the organization-wide Finance and Operations Departments.
Scope: The Operations & Finance Manager prepares and negotiates contracts, prepares annual operating budgets and quarterly forecasts for business functions relating to SIERRA magazine, working closely with staff and consultants for each area of the magazine’s operations: editorial, advertising, and circulation. Duties include developing, monitoring/tracking, and analyzing/evaluating forecasts and budgets regularly including monthly financial closes, recording expense accruals, prepaid expenses, and misc. corrections. The Manager also has specific responsibilities that relate to the distribution and circulation of SIERRA magazine. The Manager maintains a close working relationship with the Finance Department, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Production Manager for SIERRA, and provides financial analysis to the Managing Editor, Editor-in-Chief, and Director of Business Partnerships. The Manager evaluates, analyses, reports, and forecasts on revenues and expenses for the magazine’s publishing operations, and develops systems and models to analyze and measure financial performance for magazine activities to identify and evaluate new revenue and/or cost savings opportunities.
- Collects information to consolidate into and develop the annual income and expense budgets for SIERRA magazine, as well as membership-based, bi-monthly SIERRA print-run forecasts (circulation). Develops the annual budget, including analyzing and planning by account, month, and cost center; preparing all budget documents and charts; and delivering to the Finance Department. Owns the quarterly forecast and budget versus actual performance processes for SIERRA including preparing variance schedules, tracking reasoning, and delivering reports to the Finance department and senior staff.
- Manages the monthly close, working with stakeholders to identify needed expense accrual entries and prepaid entries, as well as coding corrections. Produces reconciliation journals for postage and paper usage; coordinates grant page revenue recognition with Operations; prepares newsstand financials for Accounting; checks preliminary and final financials for accuracy.
- Prepares analytic reports to help measure program and financial performance and to identify changes/ enhancements to reports and procedures related to such reports.
- Contributes to regular reviews and analysis of operating results, prepares status reports on income/expense, and assists in fulfilling the informational requirements of auditors and the staff.
- Works with Director of Membership Retention and the Production Manager to align SIERRA print runs with renewals and membership projections on a per-issue basis.
- Establishes financial systems and controls for all programs within the editorial and business unit of SIERRA. Develops reports to monitor editorial and production expenses, as well as advertising revenue, and expense, on an issue by issue, quarterly and annual basis.
- Works with SIERRA staff and outside vendors to ensure, according to industry standards and Club guidelines, the timely and accurate distribution/fulfillment of SIERRA magazine to both paid and un-paid subscribers, non-member subscribers, advertisers, and others. Ensures that all external magazine industry reporting and auditing standards and requirements are met accurately and timely.
- Works with Production Manager to meet the information requirements of auditors and other regulatory agents including the SIERRA ABC/AAM audit and USPS postal filings (annual Statement of Ownership).
- Works with Production Manager to determine the postal ad/edit ratio and preparation of the print order for each issue, managing the magazine production cost model (including pre-press, press, freight, storage, etc.), and the postage model which is used for tracking, analysis, forecasting, and budgeting.
- Works with Advertising Unit to manage the ad revenue model. Ensures the billing and collection of SIERRA ad revenue and administration of the Admate system. Responsible for managing receivable and collection efforts. Takes appropriate steps to minimize overdue accounts, and works with accounts that are overdue to collect payments. Coordinates with Accounting for write-offs and with Collection Agency for recovery.
- Works with SIERRA’s editors to ensure the proper tracking, reconciliation and payment of Editorial & Art Permissions. Ensures receipt of grant funding allocations for eligible editorial expenses.
- Serves as the finance representative in vendor contract evaluation and negotiation, including preparation of financials and advising risks vs. opportunities. Coordinates all contracts for SIERRA services, tracking multiple editorial contracts per week, and tracking contracts to each issue’s budget allocation, from contracting to payment.
- Coordinates the day-to-day operations of the editorial and advertising department teams. Oversees staff expense and time reporting, and assists staff with systems usage and adherence to all operating policies and procedures.
- Completes ongoing research and offers creative advice to Senior Staff on new and improved practices for increasing efficiency and the financial success of programs. Prepares reports to monitor and evaluate effectiveness of various existing or new programs. Stays abreast of best practices in magazine production, advertising, and editorial accounting.
- Undertakes special projects/miscellaneous duties as needed. Generates and distributes systems reports to program managers, staff and vendors, as needed.
- 3-5 years of prior experience performing financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting for similar types of operations, including like-sized nonprofit organizations, publications, and/or media production.
- Extensive knowledge of database systems and applications for budget, tracking, and reporting. Ability to act as an expert user and also communicate effectively with Information System programmers and analysts.
- Excellent statistical and analytical skills. Ability to clearly communicate complex financial and performance data.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
- Demonstrated organizational skills, and open to change—flexible in supporting new ideas and initiatives.
- Ability to maintain strict confidentiality with respect to confidential data.
- Ability to effectively interact with others, gain cooperation across departments, contribute to business decisions, and play a leadership role in assigned areas of operations.