Director of Finance & Organizational Development

Position: Director of Finance & Organizational Development

Teams: Operations Team, Coordination Team

Manager: Executive Director

Status: Full-time Employee (in Jan 2022, YES! is beginning a pilot of a 32-hour work week)

Location: Remote, U.S. (Pacific time hours), with regular travel to Seattle-metro area

Compensation: $95,000 to $110,000 DOE, plus benefits

Are You YES! Media’s Next Director of Finance & Organizational Development?

For 25 years, YES! Media has published solutions-focused journalism for a more equitable, sustainable, compassionate world, and there has never been a more exciting time to join the team. Society is experiencing a period of cultural, economic, and political transformation, and the need for and interest in our work has never been greater. As YES! evolves to meet this need and to model the change we seek in the world, we seek an experienced and gifted professional to help lead our next stage of organizational growth and development.

The Director of Finance and Organizational Development (DFOD) is a new position at YES! Media, designed to ensure the overall health and resiliency of the organization. In addition to overseeing the financial, human, and physical resources of the organization, the DFOD will build the ability of the organization to anticipate and adapt to change. They will report to the Executive Director and oversee a dedicated team of seven finance, operations and IT staff, including three direct reports. We seek a partner with the experience and capacity to be a thoughtful and proactive leader in YES!’s antiracism work, advancing our collective efforts to build an equitable and inclusive organization that is essential to meeting our organizational purpose. This is an outstanding opportunity for a finance and operations executive with a record of creative problem-solving and change management to support a powerful mission.

Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian people are enthusiastically encouraged to apply. If this sounds like a job that would excite you to get up and come to work every day, read on!

The ideal candidate...

• Would love a job where they can be both a “finance person” and a “people person.”
• Likes spending time on both “strategies and plans” and “process and details.”  
• Is energized by the YES! mission to inspire people to create a more equitable, sustainable and compassionate world.
• Loves how a great spreadsheet or financial statement can communicate volumes about an organization’s values, priorities, financial health and future prospects.
• Possesses the emotional intelligence and relational skills to tap into the full potential power that each member of the team can bring to YES!
• Is an accomplished change management leader excited to help employees thrive through change and growth, and appreciates that change can be stressful, even scary.
• Is inspired to help YES! adopt and practice new ways of working that center equity and wellbeing (e.g. like piloting a 4-day work week in 2022). 
• Genuinely enjoys working with people of many different backgrounds and identities.

Responsibilities

Organizational Leadership and Development

• To build capacity and ensure the overall internal health and resiliency of YES!, the DFOD will:
• Through deep learning, listening, and analysis, identify measures of internal health of the organization; assess; and recommend improvements to staff and board.
• Use adaptive, inclusive leadership approaches to address issues and opportunities.
• Collaborate with fellow leadership team members to integrate antiracism practices into internal operations to build a more inclusive and equitable organization.
• Plan and lead organizational initiatives related to financial health and employee wellbeing, and leadership development across the organization.
• Advise the leadership team on financial planning, budgeting, cash flow, personnel and policy matters; support creative delivery of programs within the reality of a budget.
• Serve as liaison to the board on all essential financial and personnel matters.
• Mentor and develop direct reports using a supportive and collaborative approach: assign accountabilities; set objectives; establish priorities; and monitor and evaluate results.

Financial Management

Supporters of YES! generate nearly 100K transactions per year, resulting in an annual budget of ~$3M. The DFOD will ensure our financial strategies and systems support our stability and growth, and oversee all financial and accounting operations to ensure accuracy and compliance. Working with our finance team (bookkeeper, finance administrator, CPA firm), the DFOD will:

• Oversee finance and accounting operations to ensure timely and accurate recording, reconciliation and reporting of revenues, expenses, payroll, and account balances;
• Upgrade and implement policies, controls and procedures related to order entry, finance, accounting, investment, and cash management.
• Lead and coordinate the annual budgeting and planning process with the leadership team; support managers in project/program budget development and management.
• Monitor budget-to-actuals and keep staff abreast of the organization’s financial status.
• Oversee annual audit and 990 processes, ensuring they are timely and accurate; liaise with external auditors, CPA, and the board audit committee.
• Maintain contact as needed with auditors on accounting issues throughout the year.
• Analyze and manage organizational cash flow and forecasting; transfer funds as needed for operations; recommend cash investments as needed.
• Provide quarterly financial updates to the board; serve on relevant board committees.
• Ensure timely compliance with all local, state (multiple), and federal tax laws and filings.
• Keep current on best practices in financial management of nonprofit media orgs.

Staff Support, Development & Wellbeing

The DFOD will lead all aspects of our work to ensure supportive and equitable approaches to staff policy, compensation and benefits, hiring and exiting, professional development, interpersonal and departmental communication, and collaboration. With input and support from the leadership team and HR manager, the DFOD will:

• Promote and steward a people-centered culture that advances diversity, equity and inclusion; strong employee performance and engagement; and iterative learning.
• Partner with all staff to advance our workplace values of mutual respect, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, integrity, accountability, transparency, ingenuity, and excellence.
• Upgrade and ensure consistent implementation of all human resources functions including: recruitment, onboarding, training and development, compensation and benefits, employee handbook, personnel files, and employee relations.
• Oversee performance management systems; coach supervisors in management skills, including giving/receiving feedback, performance reviews and work planning.
• Oversee the design and implementation of employee events, including organizational staff meetings, trainings, retreats, and celebratory gatherings.
• Serve as point for human resource compliance and stay current on employment law.
• Serve as mediator in employee relations, as needed.
• Monitor employee satisfaction; identify and help address areas where YES! can improve.

Customer Support & Operations

Our customer support and fulfillment staff ensure that our readers and donors are well supported. Working with their supervisor, the DFOD will oversee our operations to ensure:

• Timely and high-quality customer service.
• Accurate and timely manual order entry, magazine subscription and product fulfillment, welcome letters, magazine inserts and renewal notices.
• Efficient management of magazine inventory and managing our printer Royle.              

Technology and Office Infrastructure

More than 70% of our staff work remotely full time, with the remaining 30% hybrid remote. We maintain a small administrative office on Bainbridge Island, WA. The DFOD will oversee the development, maintenance and integrity of our office and IT infrastructure for both the physical and virtual workplace. Working closely with our Technology Manager and other operations team members, the DFOD will:

• Build a strategic roadmap for infrastructure, security, systems and tools that streamlines operations and allows the organization to scale.
• Ensure all employees have the hardware, software, space, and IT systems they need to work productively; oversee the purchase and maintenance of equipment and software.
• Ensure all internal operational systems and are up-to-date and well-managed.
• Oversee and negotiate the office lease and any leasehold improvements.
•  

Legal

As a reader-funded nonprofit media organization with 20+ employees working from multiple states, YES! has a range of legal obligations. The DFOD will:

• Ensure legal compliance and manage the organization’s liability risk as it relates to employment and human resources, copyright, libel, and nonprofit law. 
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of all compliance related filings and registrations.
• Ensure sound and consistent use of contract agreements throughout the organization.
• Secure and monitor appropriate insurance coverage.
• Secure outside expertise on legal, accounting, employment and personnel matters.
• Monitor and manage organizational vendor and consultant relationships.

Qualifications Requirements:

In addition to a passion for the YES! mission, applicants should have demonstrated successful leadership of financial and organizational management within values-driven organizations, including:

• At least 10 years of professional management experience with 6+ years in senior roles
• At least 6 years of financial or accounting management experience
• At least 6 years of human resource and/or operations management experience
• BA or equivalent relevant specialized training and/or certifications
• Experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion work in an organization or a team
• Familiar with nonprofit finance and accounting regulations
• Knowledge of federal employment laws; ability to learn and apply state and local laws
• High comfort with office productivity and communications tools and technology, with specific knowledge of accounting and reporting software
• Experience managing an external audit
• Record of success facilitating organizational change, development, and growth
• Excellent relationship-building, facilitation, and proactive conflict-resolution skills
• Exceptional written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Strong skills in project management; high level of organization and attention to detail
• Ability to travel ~25 days per year, mostly to the Seattle area.
• Upon hire, pass a Washington State and national criminal history check

Additional desired qualifications include:

• Advanced degree in business, finance, management or organizational development
• Coursework or certifications in nonprofit management
• Experience of having final responsibility for the quality and content of all financial data
• Experience of oversight of human resources functions for equivalent or larger orgs
• Experience managing within social justice and/or media organizations
• Experience with Quickbooks, Salesforce, Office 365/Sharepoint, and Slack
• Experience and comfort working primarily remotely, with lots of virtual contact

About YES! Media

YES! Media is a nonprofit, independent publisher of solutions journalism. Through rigorous reporting on the positive ways communities are responding to social problems and insightful commentary that sparks constructive discourse, YES! Media inspires people to build an equitable, sustainable and compassionate world. Founded in 1996, we helped drive the “solutions journalism” movement, covering the communities, ideas, and initiatives working to build a better world. We publish stories daily online and quarterly in a print magazine.        

Compensation: This is a full-time position with a salary range of $95,000 to $110,000 per year, depending on experience. Benefits include fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance; long-term disability, generous vacation, holiday, and sick leave; and retirement contribution.

How to Apply: Please complete the short application form at http://www.yesmagazine.org/dfod , including your cover letter and resume as a single pdf. No paper applications or phone calls, please. This position will be open until filled, though applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by January 28, 2021.

Positive Futures Network/YES! Media is a proud equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workplace and encouraging people from underrepresented communities to apply. We encourage the following applicants: people of color, people with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities who are underrepresented in the media field.