Director of Finance

Overview

The Hudson Valley Farm Hub (HVFH) is a non-profit center for resilient agriculture located in Ulster County, New York.  Founded in 2013 with funding from NoVo Foundation, the Farm Hub is dedicated to fostering an equitable and ecologically resilient food system in the Hudson Valley.  To this end, we provide professional farmer training, host and conduct research, cultivate language justice and support food access efforts in the region through food donations and innovative mission-aligned programming.  Our crop rotation includes grains, cover crops, and vegetables with production taking place year-round across 1500 acres of prime farmland and a suite of greenhouses.  The main farmstead is comprised of multiple facilities including a new 20,000 square-foot LEED certified machine shop due for completion in March, 2021.  A diverse staff of 55 full-time employees serve in varied roles in areas of administration, farm operations, and programs.

We are seeking an experienced financial professional to serve as our Director of Finance to support the organization as it enters its next phase of growth and maturation.  He/she/they will bring an intelligent and creative approach to building out the finance department as we complete the Farm Hub LLC’s transfer to a new ownership model in the spring of 2021.  The successful candidate will have deep financial management expertise in a non-profit setting as well as enthusiasm for creating new systems and structures, while managing staff and collaborating with colleagues through organizational transition. Please be committed to our values of equity and ecology in building a resilient regional food system.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance will be a key member of the Farm Hub’s leadership team and should be both a skilled collaborator and an excellent communicator.  He/she/they will be responsible for all aspects of finance including operations, financial reporting, budgeting, risk management, contracting, and accounting functions.  They will be a detail oriented professional ready to create and manage financial systems and workflow, supervise departmental staff, provide guidance to colleagues on budget planning and tracking, work closely with auditors, and present financial information to the Board of Directors.  

Responsibilities

Budgeting and financial reporting 

• Prepare financial reports and communicate financial matters to the Executive Director and the Board
• Develop budget processes to support the organization’s activities and ensure operational efficiencies and best practice; lead annual operating and capital budget planning process
• Provide quarterly expenditure/actual reports for review against annual budget with department managers; coordinate tracking of capital project budgets

• Prepare annual financial statements 
• Ensure all legal and regulatory responsibilities are met, including compliance w/ federal, state regulations and reporting deadlines

Internal accounting processes and controls 

• Lead annual audit process with independent auditors
• Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting
• Manage bank relationships
• Oversee all financial transactions including accts payable, receivable, credit card reconciliations and wire transfers
• Oversee billing, financial statements, general ledger, cost accounting, purchasing, accounts payable and receivable, inventory accounting and expense reimbursement
• Manage insurance policies and relationships with insurance agents
• Together with the Executive Director, oversee financial risk management, including contracts, leases, insurance, and other legal agreements
• Oversee compliance with regards to employer funded pension plan 
• Oversee Payroll 

Team leadership/Supervisory

• Supervise and train finance staff
• Manage relationships with financial consultants and service providers 
• Provide guidance and training on budget development, budget tracking, and reporting to department managers and support staff as needed
• Participate in leadership team meetings, planning sessions, trainings, and staff meetings 

Required Qualifications

• Minimum bachelor’s degree; MBA and/or CPA preferred
• At least 10 years financial management experience in a non-profit setting including budget planning, contracts, audits, tax filings, compliance, and supervising staff
• Demonstrated ability to build departmental capacity and create efficient systems for a growth-oriented organization; experience implementing technological solutions for financial management, bringing the necessary change management skills
• High degree of judgment, discretion and confidentiality
• Superior oral and written communication skills; ability to convey financial information to people with varying levels of financial expertise
• Meticulously detail oriented; excellent project management and facilitation skills
• Ability to develop positive working relationships and problem solve with people of different backgrounds; high level of social-emotional intelligence
• Demonstrated ability to participate in and foster a work environment of mutual respect and collaboration; commitment to a culture of learning
• Commitment to the Farm Hub’s mission and values of equity and ecological resilience

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with agriculture
• Foundation/grant funding experience
• Working knowledge of Spanish
• Enthusiasm for a working farm office environment 

The Finance Director is a full-time, salaried position. We offer a competitive salary and benefits package and are an equal opportunity employer. All candidates, regardless of race, gender, age, or sexual orientation are encouraged to apply. 

Interested candidates should email a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Christina@hvfarmhub.org.  Only complete applications will be reviewed.  Priority review given to applications received by Wednesday, February 24, 2021. 

To find out more, visit the Hudson Valley Farm Hub at http://www.hvfarmhub.org.