Finance and Administrative Diretor
The Institute for Conservation Leadership (ICL) is dedicated to building leaders, organizations, and collaborative partnerships advancing regional and national environmental and conservation goals. ICL seeks a full-time Finance and Administrative Director to be an organizational development partner with ICL’s President and staff to provide the financial and administrative backbone for our long-standing and reputable nonprofit organization. The Finance and Administrative Director will report to ICL’s President.
The position proactively leads the efficiency of essential internal support systems – financial and operational management, executive and staff administrative support, and benefits administration — to keep ICL’s work humming. The Finance and Administrative Director will proactively manage ICL systems, vendors, and activities in a way that integrates program, fundraising, and administrative functions. The Finance and Administrative Director’s ability to lead ICL’s operations and manage the details needed for the organization’s growing financial complexity will contribute to our enduring sustainability and effectiveness.
The Finance and Administrative Director will provide oversight operations and a range of strategy planning and internal initiatives. They oversee current systems of budgeting, financial forecasting, audit activities, payroll, and accounts payable and receivable. They will evaluate systems for future needs.
The ideal candidate will be skilled at capturing key data and implementing processes that enable and demonstrate the relationship between ICL’s goals and future funding requirements.
Financial Management and Support – roughly 45%
- Lead and manage organizational and project budget preparation, budget tracking, and financial reporting.
- Verify accuracy of financial data and reconcile any discrepancies.
- Lead the process for financial and administrative details for roughly 30 programmatic contracts per year with nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and foundations.
- Set up and work with groups to create the records needed for contracts including completing forms, ACH deposit information, and insurance.
- Execute and manage contracts with programmatic consultants needed for projects and support the preparation of the annual 1099 reports.
- Process staff expense reports, including managing receipts and expense coding.
- Prepare, submit and track invoices, and carefully track Accounts Receivable to support healthy cash flow on a month-to-month basis.
- Support large contract management and timely reporting as needed.
- Lead financial and administrative details for foundation grants, including monthly budget tracking and accurate financial reporting to the foundations, including analysis and active management with project leads.
- Track timesheets and process bi-weekly Payroll, including quarterly reports on leave balances.
- Perform check deposits and create clear income record keeping for electronic ACH payments for contracts and tuition-based programming.
- Perform data entry tasks including input and analysis of timesheets, donations, tuition payments, and other financial transactions.
- Prepare cash flow projections on a monthly basis and as needed, including for Board meetings and scenario planning.
- Prepare monthly financial reports and analysis for the Board Finance Committee, and roughly quarterly with the full Board of Directors; Manage the schedule and meetings of the Finance Committee and Board meetings.
- Lead and manage the annual audit and 990 process, including liaising with external auditors and the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors.
Operational Oversight – roughly 30%
- Proactively manage office operations to adhere to organizational policies and procedures, as well as to identify improvements and efficiencies for all systems.
- Manage relationships with vendors and service providers to provide support for technology, websites, databases, travel, employee benefit programs, printing, and other.
- Project manage fundraising activities across the year, including the fundraising calendar, and production of appeal letters, donor thank you letters, and analysis of giving patterns.
- Complete required federal and state governments and filing with states for updated charity solicitation status.
- Ensure timely maintenance of external public reporting and portals required to maintain the organization’s access to funding (ex. SAM. gov).
Administrative and Facilities Support – roughly 20%
- Provide project management support to program staff, communication efforts, and fundraising as required.
- Organize and schedule meetings, appointments, and travel arrangements for the Board of Directors and for staff as needed.
- Ensure a safe and clean office environment for employees and visitors by managing office equipment, digital and physical record keeping, relationship with office landlord, and supplies.
Benefits and HR – roughly 5%
- Proactively manage employee benefits programs, create efficiencies, and both audit and select the best vendors, brokers, and providers.
- Manage the open enrollment process and assist employees with benefits-related inquiries.
- Complete and process all annual filings.
- Initiate and plan on-boarding and off-boarding processes.
- Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion.
Requirements:
- At least 8-10 years as a Finance and/or Administrative Manager or Director, Operations Manager, or similar role, including:
- At least 5-8 years of training and experience in nonprofit or small business accounting, managing financial data, tracking income and expense transactions, budgeting, managing contracts, and accounts receivable.
- At least 5-8 years of experience in project and office management, managing and improving administrative systems, vendor management, database optimization, and supporting website and communication systems.
- At least 3 years of experience managing human resource systems and projects, including experience in benefits administration and knowledge of relevant laws and regulations.
- A proven track record in problem-solving skills and working with a team to proactively create effective and efficient organizational practices that support program and service delivery.
- Ability to work independently with a high level of accuracy and detail at both the organizational system level and with specific tasks.
- Excellent self-organizing and time management skills, in addition to an ability to manage laterally and to “manage up.”
- Academic and on-going training in accounting and business administration preferred.
- Proficiency in office software (e.g., MS Office, Quick Books Online, G Suite).
- Comfort with both using and managing others to effectively utilize a variety of CRM, project management, and collaboration software programs.
- Excellent interpersonal communication and relationship-building skills, including strong written and verbal communication.
- Ability to prioritize, negotiate, and be responsive to a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
- Values diversity of thought, backgrounds, and perspectives.
The salary range for this position is $87,000-$95,000 annually. ICL’s benefits package includes subsidized health insurance for employees; disability and life insurance; a 403b plan currently with an employer match; access to a Flexible Spending Account; competitive paid time off (starting 3 weeks of vacation, 15 sick days per year, 11 paid holidays, four Fridays off in July, and a 4 or 5-day winter break in December); paid parental leave; and professional development opportunities.
How To Apply
Please submit your cover letter and resume through our website (www.icl.org) by Monday, February 23. PDFs are preferred. In addition to submitting your application materials, the application form includes several initial questions about your experience.
- We will only review applications submitted through our application form.
- Final candidates must pass a pre-employment background screening.
- No phone calls, please. ICL does not accept solicitations from job placement services.
Interview Process
If selected for an initial interview, candidates will participate in a bookkeeping assessment at the beginning of the interview, using Zoom and both the screenshare and remote control functions. There will be a bookkeeping and finance knowledge skills assessment during the interview process.
Equal Opportunity Employer
ICL maintains a strong policy of equal employment opportunity. We seek to achieve equal opportunity for all staff members as articulated by federal, state and local laws. ICL actively recruits and values individuals without regard to race, creed, gender, color, disability, marital status, veteran status, national origin, age, or sexual orientation. Nothing in this job description or posting guarantees employment.
This is a full-time, exempt position based in the Washington, DC Metro area. The job includes work-at-home hybrid and a regular schedule of roughly 2 days a week in the ICL office in Greenbelt, MD.

