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Finance & Operations Director

This job is no longer available

Seattle, WA, USA
Full-time

OUR STORY

Powerful Voices’ mission is to create brave spaces with girls* of color to take charge of their own power as leaders, igniting their abilities to confidently express themselves, build community, and act against injustices affecting their lives. Since 1995, Powerful Voices provides support for girls* of color in and outside schools and the juvenile justice system. We provide social justice-focused, all-girl* experiences for girls* of color ages 12-18. Young folx qualify if they reside or attend school in central, southeast and southwest Seattle.

*We serve young people who identify and/or have been socialized as girls*. 

Powerful Voices has a deep commitment to shared leadership, transparency, authentic relationship building, opportunities for growth, self-care, and wellness -- all of which lead to a work culture that is positive, supportive, and infused with gratitude and celebration. We are a fully woman and non-binary staff of color that aims to reflect the young folks we serve.  Overall, Powerful Voices builds a space where young girls* of color feel brave enough to share their truths with us and then the world. In service to our young folks, we are searching for individuals who align and contribute to promoting these values. Powerful Voices is currently in a period of growth, accountability, and development. All prospective applicants must be willing to grow with the organization as we move into our next iteration. 

THE OPPORTUNITY 

Powerful Voices is searching for an experienced full-time Finance & Operations Director to lead the development and management of Powerful Voices’ Finance and Operations team. This role will be developing and implementing financial processes, human resources, operations, and will lead the charge in strengthening Powerful Voices’ infrastructure through strategic planning, developing policies reflective of our changing culture, and securing our vision to ensure our long-term sustainability. 

A successful candidate for this role would have a background working with communities of color; be experienced in nonprofit finance; be committed to advancing Powerful Voices’ values of social, equity and racial justice in key areas of responsibility; and who is both diligent about maintaining strong systems and brings their creativity to create a space that is truly a community. The Finance & Operations Director will be the first of their kind in this position at Powerful Voices! Because of this, we are looking for someone with experiences that are aligned with our mission, who can – and will – build the plane while flying it. Is this you? If so, Powerful Voices is looking for someone to play a key role in growing our organization, specifically in collaborating to move the burgeoning strategic plan and keeping Powerful Voices accountable to each other and our communities as we continue to grow our organization and community impact. This requires an understanding of transformative justice or healing justice praxis, and an ability to work within a peer management accountability model as Powerful Voices shift towards a non-hierarchical internal structure.

There is potential for long-term growth, including potentially into a Co-Director position after the first year.

Powerful Voices value and desire equitable representation in the workplace and want to strongly encourage BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), people who have been socialized and/or identify as a woman, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, LGBTQIA2S+, people with disabilities, and people with intersecting identities to apply. 

Areas of Responsibility: 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Time percentages are estimates and will vary seasonally and may change based on the needs of the organization.

Finance, Reporting, and Budgeting (40%)

  • Oversee Powerful Voices’ financial operations and work with internal teams and the contract bookkeeping firm to ensure timely preparation of accurate financial statements and other reports for the Board, Executive Director, and staff.

  • Supervise accounts receivable, accounts payable, and payroll processes conducted by contract bookkeeping firm.

  • Collaborate with contract bookkeeping firm to ensure compliance with the organization's internal financial controls and with all federal, state, and local regulations and tax codes.

  • Manage the organization’s participation in its annual independent audit with support from the Executive Director and contract bookkeeping firm.

  • Lead the annual budgeting process in collaboration with the Executive Director, staff and board to ensure relevant participation and process efficiency;  evaluate practices for staff participation and youth engagement during the budgeting process. 

  • Staff the board finance committee meetings

  • Develop and maintain policies and procedures that ensure effective internal controls, accurate documentation, and promote the financial sustainability of the organization.

  • Support staff and develop systems to manage internal budgets for purposes of grant applications/reporting, event planning, and program management. 

  • Manage payment accounts for sustaining donors; Collaborate with the Development team to reconcile donor accounts with accounting records for accurate reporting.

Operations and Compliance (30%)

  • Develop innovative and holistic practices to support staff and internal organizational culture.

  • Approve HR processes that are consistent as well as values aligned regarding hiring practices, performance evaluations and employee recordkeeping.

  • Support internal restorative and transformative justice processes including staffing member-based committees/working groups that may collaborate with staff and board.

  • Lead the team in assessing additional hiring needs as the organization grows; Co-create, hire and manage future roles for Operations, Finance, and Development teams.

  • Review internal operational processes and co-create systems for managing  IT, social media, and security protocol. 

  • Assist with amending employee evaluation practices so that it is reflective of organizational and personal goals and ensuring that it is aligned with transformative justice values.

  • Annually evaluate and adapt the employee handbook to reflect organizational values and emergent practices.

Strategic Partnership & Shared Responsibilities (20%)

  • Act as a strategic partner with the Executive Director as part of the Leadership Team to ensure the alignment of goals, strategies and priorities on an ongoing basis

  • Shaping and implementing Powerful Voices’ strategic direction and ensuring its relevance to the needs of our youth participants. 

  • Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of internal training, leadership development, and cultural practices organization-wide. Including modeling organizational embodiment of shared values, principles, and practices.

  • Effectively communicate, divide, and assign work/tasks, delegating appropriate levels of autonomy and authority while supporting inter-dependent work plans.

  • Build key strategies for long-term financial security as a result of strategic direction set for 2-5 years. 

Others (10%)

  • Collaborate with staff in the strategic planning process affecting Powerful Voice’s future; build key strategies for long-term financial security as a result of strategic direction set for 2-5 years.

  • Correspond with and support the Donor Relations Manager to provide relevant financial information regarding annual giving, organizational reporting on goals, meeting coordination, and involvement; utilizing Salsa Labs for the donor engagement CRM. 

  • Assist as liaison with Powerful Voices’ government grants and foundation partners. Prepare and submit invoices monthly and provide direct deposit and related financial information to funders upon request. 

  • Support with funder relationship building and engagement until securing a small development team. 

  • Participate in staff team building activities, attend community events, and otherwise contribute to strengthening the deep roots within our community, both internally and externally.

The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. The team member may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed. Upon consideration of employment, we will run a criminal background check (state and national). The results of the criminal background check will not necessarily prevent an offer of employment, depending on the offense.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), exempt position at 40 hours/week, but we can consider a part-time work schedule/salary that aligns with the needs of this position, with adjusted compensation based on the FTE rate. Our office is open 9:00am-5:00pm. There is room for flexible scheduling that values individual wellness. 

  • During this period of COVID-19 and social distancing, work is performed remotely until a reduction in COVID-19 cases or a vaccine is widely available. Once either occurs, as specified by the Leadership Team, Powerful Voices is held in a standard office environment with flexibility for working from home. 

  • Powerful Voices utilizes Zoom and Google Hangouts for weekly check-ins, meetings, on-boarding, and training. We also utilize Google Calendar to update work hours and schedule meetings. Powerful Voices will also provide staff with a laptop and other reasonable resources that would support a comfortable remote work environment. 

  • Activities in the office may require occasionally lifting such articles as file boxes or heavier materials with help from others and/or lifting and carrying light objects frequently. 

  • Physical demands may include communicating (verbal and/or nonverbal) on a regular basis, long periods of computer work and phone usage, and remaining in an office space, either standing or sitting for prolonged periods.

  • WA State driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle preferred, but not necessary. Access to reliable transportation is necessary.

Educational Background: 
Bachelor's Degree or equivalent work experience preferred.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification or equivalent experience preferred, but not required
Skills/Experience: 

GENERAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated experience may include lived experience, educational experience, work experience, volunteer experience, and/or non-traditional experience. The successful candidate will possess many the following qualifications: 

Desired Experience

  • 7-10 years of experience in any or a combination: Black Liberation movement building, community organizing, youth development, issue advocacy, grassroots communications, and/or a closely related field. 
  • 3-5+ years of experience in financial, accounting, and operations management in said field, with at least 3 years in leadership roles. 
  • Appropriate handling of confidential materials

People Management & Leadership 

  • Excellence in staff management with the ability to recruit, develop, coach, and manage high-performing teams. 
  • Proven commitment to visionary and embodied leadership and ability to cultivate the leadership of others while also managing several tasks/projects concurrently, and prioritizing work effectively by setting up a team to meet goals. This means excellent organization, time management, and attention to detail.

Financial Management 

  • Working knowledge of GAAP, audits, and other regulatory requirements in the nonprofit financial field. 
  • Strong experience working and assisting with budget management and financial projection & forecasting. Experience and comfort with Excel and/or Google Sheets. 
  • Must have bookkeeping and accounting experience with a thorough understanding of Quickbooks and related integrations with CRM and other software. 
  • Knowledge of financial software to manage and streamline payroll, reimbursements, and distributing youth program incentives. 

Project Management

  • Excellent attention to detail, and time management skills.
  • Ability to plan and manage multiple projects, plan backward, consult with various stakeholders, anticipate obstacles, manage staff, and keep a cool head while doing it.

Nonprofit Operations Experience 

  • Understanding of 501(c)3 regulations and ability to maintain compliance, experience with change management, as well as developing and implementing strategies that lead to organizational sustainability and success.

Collaboration Skills

  • Understanding of the structural nature of power and inequity with the demonstrated ability to transform it along with the discernment and ability to identify individual vs. collective/community-driven decision making.

Liberation Praxis

  • Relationally organized, having significant experience working with Black-led/Queer- and Trans-led organizations, broad coalitions, and multiracial communities with demonstrated ability to lead through a model of solidarity, familiarity with transformative justice, healing justice, and Black feminist thought willing to imagine and then enact it within the organizational culture.
  • Able to speak to what Abolition is and why it is essential to Black liberation. 

Preferred Experience

  • Fluency in any of the following languages is preferred: Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Tagalog, Amharic, or Oromo.
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in related fields preferred, but not required.
  • Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification or equivalent experience preferred, but not required.
Compensation/Benefits: 

SALARY & BENEFITS 

The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $85,000 Depending on Experience, where experience is assessed as a combination of lived experience, professional experience, educational experience, volunteer experience, nontraditional experience, etc. 

  • Medical & Dental: Powerful Voices provides full medical/dental/vision benefits for employees who work full-time

  • Holidays & Time Off: 16 paid holidays a year and Paid Time Off (PTO) for full-time employees. We have instituted a Floating Holiday system where you can choose 7 of your own holidays to reflect your culture, community, and values

  • Transportation: Employees who use personal vehicles for Powerful Voices’ business will be reimbursed at a standard rate and/or Powerful Voices will reimburse employees for utilizing public transportation

  • Professional Development Trainings: PV has a separate fund for each staff member to attend trainings and workshops that staff find relevant to professional growth

  • Generative Somatics: hour-long monthly meetings and optional one-on-one quarterly meetings with our Generative Somatics coach to process through goals, life, work, and commitments.

  • Wellness Fund: $20 per month to spend on activities or objects that you use to keep yourself well (ex. gym membership, massage, concert ticket, etc.)

  • Self-Care: 4 personal hours of self-care per month that can be counted as work hours

How to Apply: 

Email applications to [email protected] with Subject line: “Finance & Operations Director/YOUR NAME

All applications must include (all in one PDF document, if possible): 

  • Resume
  • Cover letter explaining 1) why you are interested in the position; 2) how Powerful Voices aligns with your experience and values; 3) how you would bring a commitment to liberation, equity and racial justice to the essential responsibilities above.

Applications will be received by email. No phone calls or physical mail please. 

Please make note of the following dates: If you are selected for an interview, we will be conducting first rounds of  interviews between May 17th- 21st. The ideal start date for this position is the first week of July. 

First review of applications will be due May 14th at midnight Pacific Standard Time (PST); subsequent applications will be reviewed until the position is filled.  

All applicants can expect their application will be reviewed and given a timely personal response. 

Powerful Voices is an Equal Opportunity Employer. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), people who have been socialized and/or identify as a woman, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, LGBTQIA2S+, people with disabilities, and people with intersecting identities to apply. 

For further details about Powerful Voices’ mission, vision, and work, please visit http://powerfulvoices.org/

Organization Info

Powerful Voices

Overview
Headquarters: 
Seattle, WA
Annual Budget : 
$500,000-1M
Size: 
1-10 employees
Founded: 
1995
About Us
Mission: 

Powerful Voices’ mission is to create brave spaces with girls* of color to take charge of their own power as leaders, igniting their abilities to confidently express themselves, build community, and act against injustices affecting their lives. Since 1995, Powerful Voices provides support for girls* of color in and outside schools and the juvenile justice system. We provide social justice-focused, all-girl* experiences for girls* of color ages 12-18. Young folx qualify if they reside or attend school in central, southeast and southwest Seattle.

*We serve young people who identify and/or have been socialized as girls*.

Why Work For Us?: 

Powerful Voices has a deep commitment to shared leadership, transparency, authentic relationship building, opportunities for growth, self-care, and wellness -- all of which lead to a work culture that is positive, supportive, and infused with gratitude and celebration. We are a fully woman and non-binary staff of color that aims to reflect the young folks we serve.  Overall, Powerful Voices builds a space where young girls* of color feel brave enough to share their truths with us and then the world. In service to our young folks, we are searching for individuals who align and contribute to promoting these values. Powerful Voices is currently in a period of growth, accountability, and development. All prospective applicants must be willing to grow with the organization as we move into our next iteration. 

Connect With Us

Listing Stats

Post Date: 
Apr 29 2021
Active Until: 
May 29 2021
Hiring Organization: 
Powerful Voices
industry: 
Nonprofit