Director, Finance

About Campaign Legal Center

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is a national nonprofit organization that fights for every American’s right to participate in the democratic process. We believe our democracy should be transparent, accountable and inclusive. CLC was founded in 2002 to advance democracy through law. We use tactics such as litigation, policy advocacy, communications and partnerships to achieve our mission. Our long-term goal is a government responsive to the people. 

CLC’s commitment is to democracy. We do not make decisions based on advancing a particular political party or political outcome. We think about systemic impact when we choose which work to pursue, but we work at all levels of government to introduce innovative ideas that will drive significant change or set an important legal precedent. Our priority is engaging and driving action – whether in the courtroom, newsroom, or statehouse. See our latest annual report.

Position Summary

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is looking for a talented, experienced Director of Finance to lead the organization’s growing finance and accounting operations; to partner in the financial planning process;  and to work collaboratively with the Vice President, Operations and Finance to support the organization’s continued advancement and impact.

Reporting to the Vice President, Operations and Finance, the Director of Finance will oversee all aspects of the finance, accounting, and grants management functions of a rapidly growing national mission-focused nonprofit. The Director of Finance will be a strategic thought partner who will oversee and conduct financial planning and analysis; develop relevant financial information and documentation to support executive leadership and board fiduciary responsibilities; oversee the annual audit and tax return filings; implement internal controls; enhance the organization-wide budget planning process; as well as manage and act as a liaison with an outsourced accounting firm. 

Key Responsibilities

Working with an outsourced accounting team and CLC leadership, the Director of Finance will focus on the following priorities:

• Holding an in-depth understanding of CLC’s finance and accounting structure and providing to the organization’s leadership the accurate, timely, and responsive implementation of finance and accounting functions.
• Successfully managing the Senior. Staff Accountant and utilizing existing staff to maximize efficiencies.
• Overseeing and supporting all financial policies, procedures, controls, and reporting systems; ensuring legal and regulatory compliance for all accounting and financial reporting functions.
• Leading the development of programmatic and organizational annual budgets and serving as the go-to resource for program staff in interpreting and managing their budgets.
• Advancing concise, exact financial information and reporting including cash management, cash flow projections, and multi-year planning forecasts that are accessible to both leadership and the Board. 
• Working with the Development team to understand funding strategy, develop grant financial tracking and reporting, produce monthly budget vs. actual reports for restricted grants, draft proposal budgets, and guide the organization with respect to the use of donor funds.

Accounting & Finance

• Overseeing and managing all aspects of CLC’s financial control environment (including systems for all key finance functions of payroll, grants management, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets, Nexonia software for timesheets and expenses, Intacct, Bill.com, and other systems).
• Leading a prompt monthly close process that includes approval of staff-submitted timesheets; review and approval of individual employee expense reports and activity related to the use of company credit cards; proper documentation of monthly grants and deposits grants/donations monthly releases; coordinating with outsourced accountants; and other related work.
• Reviewing existing internal controls and processes and developing plans and timelines for improvements.

Budgeting & Financial Reporting

• Leading and managing the annual budget process, supporting program-level and organization-wide annual budgeting process.
• Leading the accurate and timely preparation, finalization, and presentation of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting materials and metrics to Vice President, Operations and Finance.
• Overseeing financial forecasting and cash flow for existing programs and proposed new programs.
• Monitoring the overall financial health of CLC over the medium- and long-term, including identifying and mitigating all related potential organizational and financial risks.
• Maintaining financial models and prepare financial analysis related to growth and business opportunities for current and future years.

Audit & Board

• Acting as primary liaison with the organization’s external accounting firm and auditors.
• Preparing materials for and leading discussions for quarterly Board audit committee meetings to review financials as well as semi-annual meetings with the Board budget committee.
• Acting as primary liaison and overseeing all facets of the annual audit and tax return preparation.

Administration & Operations

• Directing/managing vendor relations including contract procurement and competitive bidding process.
• Supporting and helping train staff in their execution of financial tasks.
• Overseeing all technological infrastructure and systems related to fixed assets, contracts, and accounting.
• Serving as finance lead on grants administration while partnering with the Development team on tracking and reporting grant budgets, grant releases, and budget proposals.
• Working with leadership on the financial management of the affiliate (c)(4) and managing all related financial implications of (c)(3)/(c)(4) structure.

Preferred Qualifications

The successful candidate will be a direct and collaborative manager who will partner with the Vice President, Operations and Finance in decision-making as CLC continues to enhance its high-quality work in support of its mission and to strengthen its management and infrastructure to support that work.

CLC leverages a variety of online platforms in support of its accounting and finance functions including Intacct (accounting software), Nexonia (time keeping & expense recording software), ADP (payroll), Raiser’s Edge (fundraising CRM), and Microsoft Office suite.

Ideal candidates for this position will bring a variety of experiences and competencies to CLC including: 

• 8+ years of progressive professional finance experience; ideally at least five years of broad nonprofit financial and operations management experience.
• Experience with managing a team in a growing organization.
• Record of successfully delivering high quality and accurate content of all financial data in a timely manner.
• Ability to translate financial concepts to—and effectively collaborate with—leadership, programmatic, and development colleagues who do not have finance backgrounds.
• Success leading accounting, reporting, and audit coordination for either a division or significant program area; experience overseeing a finance function of at least $10M.
• Experience with grants and individual donation revenue streams as well as tracking and managing grant releases.
• Technologically savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; knowledge of accounting and reporting software.
• A successful record of setting priorities; keen analytic, organizational, and problem-solving skills which support and enable sound decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to align a strategic plan to the budget.
• Demonstrated ability to proactively implement best practices in non-profit finance.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with an ability to prioritize and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent internal and external client service skills.
• Ability to multitask with the willingness to hold diverse responsibilities in a fast-paced growth environment.
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of CLC.
• Proficiency with Excel.
• Bachelor’s degree and CPA required; MBA or master’s degree in relevant field preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

Competitive nonprofit salary and strong benefits package including full coverage of medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as long- and short-term disability, 401(k) retirement plan, Washington Metro SmartBenefits, and an annual technology allowance.

To Apply

Please send a cover letter and resume addressing your interest in and relevant experience for this role with “Director of Finance” as the subject line in an email to jobs@campaignlegalcenter.org. Applications that do not follow these guidelines will not be considered. Please no phone calls about this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is an equal opportunity employer committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment. CLC is proud to be an inclusive organization. It does not make hiring or advancement, or other employment decisions, based on race, national origin, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, familial status or responsibilities, personal appearance, pregnancy, political affiliation, ancestry, military or veteran status, genetic information, disability, record of arrest or conviction, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, District of Columbia, or local law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment including, but not limited to, recruitment, selection, job assignment, compensation, promotion, termination, benefits, and training.

Disclaimer: This description is intended to supply an overview of this position and is not all inclusive of additional duties that may arise as business needs change.