American Progress is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to serve as the senior finance officer of two tax-exempt, mission-driven organizations: the Center for American Progress and the Center for American Progress Action Fund, known together as American Progress. The CFO must be an experienced finance and accounting professional who has exceptional technical skills, is committed to the mission of American Progress, and knows how to lead a team. The CFO will serve as a member of the Executive team and a resource and ally across the organization, helping guide and implement the strategic vision and planning of American Progress. The CFO will lead the organizations’ finances and help measure progress against organizational goals, maximizing the use of available resources across departments and developing innovative tools to help foster cross-department work and streamline reporting. The CFO will also help lead in cultivating the values of American Progress throughout the organizations. The CFO will work closely with the Legal, Human Resources, and Development teams. The ideal candidate will be a proactive partner with a genuinely held belief that no task is too big or too small.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operations of a diverse finance team, including fostering an environment of collaboration, personal investment, accountability, and knowledge sharing.
• Evaluate, improve, and execute accounting practices for a complex, multientity operation to help encourage cross-department work.
• Optimize systems to process payroll, expense reporting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable while ensuring that all dollars are accounted for and coded in a systemic manner in the general ledger.
• Deliver appropriate and regular reporting to senior leadership, the boards of directors, and key funders.
• Optimize and refine a control environment that enables necessary work to happen while protecting sensitive information and minimizing risk of spending misuse or fraud.
• Optimize and maintain a financial operating environment that manages and mitigates risk across American Progress through proactive and regular assessment and continuous improvement.
• Produce accurate and timely budgets, forecasts, and cash flow projections, as well as resolve relevant funding questions to ensure that American Progress’ budget reflects its priorities and that spending stays within resource constraints.
• Oversee development of project and grant budgets and status reports to grant managers and donors. Develop easy-to-use systems that foster seamless cross-team collaboration on projects.
• Oversee financial audits, tax, and other filings, ensuring appropriate accounting treatment.
• Monitor investment portfolio performance and ensure adherence to short-term investment policy, working with and reporting to the governing boards regarding investment strategy.
• Establish and maintain credibility among senior management and the boards of directors, including by building strong relationships across all teams to communicate, translate, and distill financial and budget information.
• Perform other duties as assigned.