ABOUT UFW FOUNDATION: The UFW Foundation is a dynamic nonprofit organization created in 1974, by the late labor and civil rights leader Cesar E. Chavez, and relaunched in 2006. Our mission is to empower communities to ensure human dignity. Working alongside the UFW, the UFW Foundation won overtime pay after eight hours a day for California farm workers in 2016, and is working to expand these protections nationwide. The UFW Foundation has mobilized farm workers and their organizations across the country to advocate for immigration reform, pesticide protections, heat standards and other worker protections, taking hundreds of farm workers to Washington D.C. to lobby on their own behalf. Rooted in the community through its multiple service centers, the UFW Foundation is the largest federally accredited provider of immigration legal services in rural California. Recently, it established a deportation defense program, providing legal representation to immigrants detained in the Central Valley.
SUMMARY: The finance director is a thought-partner for the Executive Director, provides financial strategic leadership and guidance to the executive team, management team and board of directors to facilitate the organization’s sustainable growth while managing risk. The position also oversees the accounting operations of the UFW Foundation, including treasury, cash management, monthly financial reporting, maintenance of an adequate system of accounting records, and a comprehensive set of controls and budgets designed to mitigate risk, enhance the accuracy of the organization's financial reporting, and ensure that reported results comply with GAAP.
The ideal candidate is: collegial, quick to take responsibility for their own errors, gentle in responding to the errors of others, transparent about both process and information, and has both deep and broad financial experience.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (This is not an exhaustive list):
Management
- Provide financial strategic leadership and guidance to the executive team, management team and board of directors to facilitate the organization’s sustainable growth while safeguarding against risk.
- Maintain and enforce a documented system of accounting policies and procedures.
- Manage outsourced functions [include the specific outsourced function or, if none, delete].
- Oversee the operations of the accounting department, including the design of an organizational structure adequate for achieving the organization's goals and objectives.
- Direct lease v buy analysis, forecasting, cash flow planning and projections.
- Oversee the accounting operations of subsidiary corporations, especially their control systems, transaction-processing operations, and policies and procedures.
- Ensure regional offices’ financial operations are effectively managed.
- Coach and help develop the skills of accounting staff members.
Transactions
- Ensure that accounts payable are paid in a timely manner.
- Ensure that receivables are collected promptly.
- Ensure that periodic bank reconciliations are completed.
- Ensure that required debt payments are made on a timely basis.
- Oversee and ensure maintenance of the chart of accounts.
- Oversee and ensure maintenance of an orderly accounting filing system.
- Oversee and ensure maintenance of a system of controls over accounting transactions.
Reporting
- Coordinate with accounting staff to issue timely and complete financial statements.
- Coordinate with accounting, Executive Team, and others to prepare grant financial reports and end of year reports.
- Recommend benchmarks against which to measure the performance of organizational operations.
- Calculate and issue financial and operating metrics.
- Manage the production of the annual budget and forecasts.
- Calculate variances from the budget and report significant issues to management.
- Provide for a system of management cost reports.
- Provide financial analyses as needed, in particular for capital investments, pricing decisions, and contract negotiations.
- Prepare budgets by establishing schedules; collecting, analyzing, and consolidating financial data; and recommending plans.
- Achieves budget objectives by scheduling expenditures; analyzing variances; and initiating corrective actions.
Compliance
- Coordinate the provision of information to external auditors for the annual audit.
- Monitor debt levels and compliance with debt covenants.
- Comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and tax filings.
- Partner with People Relations (HR) and other departments as needed to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal laws.
Additional Accountabilities:
Other duties as assigned.
SUPERVISING RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Supervise the accounting department.
- May involve the coordination and supervision of volunteers/interns.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:
The ideal candidate for this position must have a high level of professionalism and organization. The candidate must demonstrate competency in the following areas:
- Ability to build the organization’s capacity to manage its finances as it grows in size and complexity.
- Ability to manage processes, develop budgets and standards, track budget expenses, and analyze information.
- Strong familiarity with financial software, audit and accounting processes, corporate finances, and performance management systems.
- Advanced word processing skills and proficiency in accounting software and the Microsoft Office suite programs.
- Collaboration. Ability to work with teammates in a professional and solutions-oriented manner.
- Dedication to Mission. A genuine interest in immigrant and farm worker rights.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Flexibility, Speed, and Precision. Ability to adjust quickly to constantly changing priorities with speed, precision and accuracy.
- Si Se Puede (It Can Be Done) Attitude. The embodiment of a personal spirit that promotes confidence, courage and risk-taking.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- LANGUAGE SKILLS
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Requires ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
- MATHEMATICAL SKILLS
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, and percentages. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra.
- SOFTWARE SKILLS
Ability to create formulas and use Excel spreadsheets to answer a variety of questions and perform analysis. Excel skills includes experience knowing when and how to use lookup, pivot tables, array formulas, Power View, and other Excel or database functions.
- REASONING ABILITY
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to convert questions from staff into mathematical or data formulas that can be solved. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:
- Certified Public Accountant
ADDITIONAL AND/OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS AND/OR QUALIFICATIONS:
- Competency in financial management.
- Ethical conduct.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree in accounting or equivalent accounting experience, plus minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible accounting experience in a non-profit environment.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
- None.
PHYSICAL AND SENSORY DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This is largely a sedentary role—the individual will spend several hours each day on a computer working with spreadsheets and screens full of numbers. Clarity of vision at 20 inches or less is necessary. However, some filing is required. This would require the ability to move files, open filing cabinets and bend or stand as necessary.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee may be required to stand, walk, sit, and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift, move, carry, push, or pull up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift, move, carry, push, or pull up to 25 pounds.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Negotiable, DOE. (Not to exceed $85K). The UFW Foundation offers employer-paid family medical, dental, and vision benefits with a small employee contribution, employer sponsored pension plan with an employee self-contribution option, option to participate in a non-match 401k, and generous paid leave (including holidays, vacation and sick leave).
Interested applicants must apply on ADP and submit the following for review:
https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment....
- A cover letter that explains what measures you use to assess a non-profit organization’s financial performance
- A current professional résumé.
- The name and phone number of at least 3 references: 1 supervisor, 1 direct report, and 1 colleague.
UFW Foundation believes a strong commitment to equal employment opportunity is more than a legal and moral obligation - it is also sound business practice to realize the potential of every individual. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at the UFW Foundation will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Except where required or permitted by law, employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant’s or employee’s race, color, religion, sex/gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, age, or any characteristic protected by law.
UFW Foundation believes in second chances. As an organization, we will rely on individualized assessments in the hiring of those with past criminal convictions. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply for a position fighting for our immigrant communities!
This policy governs all aspects of employment, including selection, job assignment, compensation, counseling, discipline, termination, access to benefits and training. UFW Foundation will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with qualified disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.
UFW Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.