Senior Director of Finance and Compliance

American Conservation Experience (ACE) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding service opportunities to over 1,500 members (youth and young adults) each year, and does so with a skilled staff of approximately 150 employees across the U.S. ACE has a national reputation for providing professional development opportunities on a variety of conservation projects for the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and numerous state and local land management partners, either with crew based work or with individually placed interns.

Title: Senior Director of Finance and Compliance

Location: ACE Office Location/Remote Eligible (USA)

Department/Division: ORGS: OPS: Finance

Reports to: President/COO

Status: Full-time, Salaried, Exempt

Schedule/Hours: Full-time, 40 hours/week with additional hours as needed. Typical work hours of 8:30 am – 5:00 pm (Monday – Friday) local time with some adjustment expected to accommodate specific projects and program needs. Some evening and weekend hours may be occasionally required. 

Number of Direct Reports: 5

Travel: This position may require domestic travel, less than 10%.

Start Date: Open until filled. 

Position Summary:

Reporting to the President/COO, the Senior Director of Finance and Compliance (SDFC) has oversight of a $41+ million budget. The SDFC is responsible for the day-to-day operations of finance, accounting, and compliance functions, encompassing crucial areas such as accounts payable, accounts receivable, billing & invoicing, payroll, as well as compliance, grants and agreements administration. The SDFC ensures that ACE maintains robust systems and procedures, facilitating seamless program implementation and flawless audits. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversees all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems to ensure compliance with GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and any other applicable local, state, or federal regulatory requirements across the organization and within program operations.
• Manages the activities of General Ledger (GL) accounts, including regular and allocation journal entries and supervises monthly reconciliations of Balance Sheet accounts, covering banking, fixed assets, prepaid expenses, deferrals, and accruals.
• Oversee cash flow management, invoicing, accounts receivable, advance draws & reconciliation, payroll, and deferred revenue.
• Prepares reports for external financial reporting requirements as needed.
• Continually performs timely reviews of all financials and conducts special analyses as needed.
• Promotes sound fiscal planning and gathers data to allow accurate projections of revenue streams and expenses.
• Responsible for the annual budgeting, re-forecasting, and planning process, and meets with and guides the Program Leadership team regularly with their division financials.
• Leading budgeting processes and managing budget information in NetSuite, while maintaining and updating the Chart of Accounts (COA) in NetSuite.
• Oversees compliance templates, including Crew and EPIC budget templates, SF-425 reporting, invoicing templates, and leftover funding forecasting tool.
• Monitors compliance requirements of all federal and state agreements & contracts (including 2 CFR 200), and oversees grant & agreement budgeting, timely invoicing, and reporting.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with government officials and external partners as a main point of contact, fostering positive relationships and effective communication.
• Oversee the agreement management database, ensuring data accuracy, and give guidance to the organization’s program leaders and staff.
• Oversee Form 990 preparation, COI’s, business licenses, state annual reports, and various corporate compliance reporting.
• Responsible for the annual NICRA submission and takes responsibility for various audits, including financial, single audit (A-133), worker’s compensation, and audits related to 403(b) plans.
• Assists the Leadership team with creating projections and feasibility analysis to support compensation, programs, compliance, and grant & contract administration.
• Demonstrates proficiency in communicating financial concepts to non-financial staff members in an effective and understandable manner.
• Assists with preparing the quarterly board reports, and attends the quarterly board finance committee meetings.
• Remains up to date on nonprofit financial and audit policies and reporting requirements, and updates ACE’s agreements/grants management and accounting policies.
• Exhibits leadership that aligns with the mission, vision and values of ACE.
• Directly supervise, lead, mentor, develop, and coach a high performing team of five direct reports.
• Complete various ad-hoc projects and analyses and assist in special projects as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned by the President/COO.

Required Experience and Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, business administration, finance or related discipline, (CPA, CMA, JD, MBA, or MSA designation preferred).
• Minimum of 7 years’ progressive experience in finance and accounting required; nonprofit finance and accounting experience preferred.
• Minimum of 5+ years’ experience managing finance and accounting staff
• Strong skills in leadership, interpersonal communication, organization, management, conflict resolution and motivating others in a remote environment.
• Experience with CFR 200 and OMB Guidance including familiarity with negotiated indirect cost rates (NICRA) preferred.
• Strong computer systems skills, including proficiency in business and accounting computer systems, and advanced Excel skills with the ability to analyze large amounts of data; Experience with NetSuite, Expensify, and Paycor software is preferred.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and the ability to carry out assigned work independently or with minimal supervision.
• Ability to manage multiple and time-sensitive priorities, workflow, and communicate across the organization, along with being able to work across departments and collaborate effectively towards a common goal.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines, along with flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.
• Possess strong problem-solving skills and ability to identify process improvements.
• Analytic and decisive decision maker with the ability to prioritize and communicate day-to-day tasks, key objectives and tactics necessary to achieve organizational goals.
• Ability to understand and follow ACE systems and processes including supervisor key responsibilities.
• Experience learning new systems quickly, with the ability to train others on their use.
• Passion, humility, integrity, positive attitude, and self-directed.
• Demonstrate sensitivity, understanding and an ability to effectively engage individuals (internal and external) from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, ability and ethnic backgrounds.
• Commitment to ACE’s mission of public service through youth development and volunteerism.
• Ability to receive and provide constructive feedback.
• A deep and continuing interest in the welfare and professional development of ACE participants.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Other Requirements:       

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Proficient in English.
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check.
• Willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:  

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 10 lbs., occasionally moves up to 25 pounds.
• Environmental: Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
• Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: This position may require domestic travel.

Compensation: Starting annualized salary of $100,000 to $110,000 (assuming 40 hours/week for 52 weeks/year), based on experience. 

Benefits:  ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision and other supplemental benefits). ACE Staff members are also eligible to participate in ACE’s retirement plan with a 2% employer contribution.

Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment, then it increases to 120 hours annually. ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays (floating holiday flexibility). ACE provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.

Additional Benefits: Outdoor Perks – As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 – 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.

Phone Provided or Reimbursement Option: You have the option to select one of the following options: ACE work phone device/number provided or monthly phone reimbursement for personal device/number use.