Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks (Friends) is a vital partner with California State Parks (CSP), creatively working to ensure our cherished local parks and beaches are thriving and available to all. Friends’ innovative and collaborative community partnership provides support and investment for education, equity and inclusion, conservation, facilities improvements, historic preservation and cultural events.
Title: Finance Director
Reports to: Executive Director
Position Objectives and Purpose: The Finance Director collaborates closely with the Executive Director, senior leadership, and the Finance Committee to develop and implement financial strategies across the organization. This strategic role ensures compliance with all laws, regulations, covenants, and contracts related to various revenue sources, including government contracts, sales, donations, expenditures, and reserves. The Finance Director also works with the audit committee to fulfill all fiduciary responsibilities. This position requires adaptability to a continually evolving environment and the ability to thrive in an autonomous, deadline-driven workplace providing financial oversight to the Friends team. A strong commitment to incorporating Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in all financial reporting and accounting activities, as well as developing and implementing financial policies and procedures that align with industry best practices, is essential.
Essential Functions of the Finance Director include, but are not limited to:
PLANNING & POLICY
Contribute to organizational policy development as a member of the senior management team.
Act as the primary staff liaison to the Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and Board Treasurer.
Lead the Finance Committee in creating short-, medium-, and long-term financial plans and projections.
Collaborate with the Audit Committee to oversee the annual audit process.
Represent the organization to financial partners, including California State Parks, financial institutions, donors, foundation executives, auditors, and consultants.
Stay current on non-profit accounting and audit best practices, as well as State and Federal laws regarding non-profit organizations and operations.
FINANCE
Develop and oversee the organization's budget.
Create financial business plans and forecasts.
Direct and manage cash flow planning to ensure funds are available as needed.
Oversee cash deposits, investments and asset management.
Lead, plan, and manage financial strategies and activities, including banking relationships.
Develop and utilize forward-looking predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insights into the organization's operations and business plans.
ACCOUNTING & ADMINISTRATION
Oversee the accounting department to ensure proper maintenance of all accounting systems and functions, including monthly reconciliations, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and general ledger management.
Supervise the organization’s accounting staff and coordinate with all team members on financial functions.
Systemize, document, and oversee accounting procedures for all phases of the fiscal cycle, coordinating various staff functions.
Maintain robust internal controls and financial procedures, manage 403(b) administration, and handle corporate credit card management.
Manage the accounting aspects of payroll services, ensuring timely and accurate entry.
Ensure the timeliness, accuracy, and usefulness of financial management reporting for Federal and State requirements, foundations, and the organization’s Board of Directors.
Coordinate audits and the proper filing of tax returns, including payroll and sales taxes. Upon conclusion of the audit, prepare report on financial status for California State Parks.
Implement auditor recommendations for procedural and financial improvements.
Oversee the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements.
Reconcile donations, grants, restricted gifts, and tracking of costs between QuickBooks and the fundraising and grant-making databases.
Reconcile sales between the Point of Sale (POS) system and QuickBooks.
Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all financial functions.
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES:
Establish and maintain effective communication channels with partners, co-workers, contractors, clients, affiliates, vendors, and the public.
Use equipment and materials safely and appropriately, following established safety procedures and common-sense rules in all on-the-job activities.
Conduct oneself in a manner that reflects positively on the organization and encourage others to do the same.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
To successfully perform this job, an individual must be able to satisfactorily execute each essential duty. The requirements listed below represent the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
A commitment to our mission of creatively working to ensure our cherished local parks and beaches are thriving and available to all.
A minimum of 10 years of broad financial experience managing finance (accounting, budgeting, control, and reporting) for a complex organization with multiple funding sources.
A high degree of professionalism and demonstrated skills.
Bachelor's Degree required, with CPA and/or MBA preferred.
5+ years of experience in senior non-profit financial management, including partnering with executive staff to develop and implement creative financial management strategies.
Significant experience in or knowledge of non-profit accounting, including sophisticated fund and grant accounting, compliance, fundraising, and reporting.
Experience working with information technology staff to manage finance and accounting software packages.
Proven extensive knowledge of Excel and QuickBooks.
Familiarity with ADP Payroll, LightSpeed, and Shopify vendors is a plus.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to interpret rules, regulations, and policies.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment with all organizational staff, volunteers, board members, community members, consultants, and vendors.
Ability to work independently and make sound decisions accurately.
Ability to prioritize work and perform well under pressure.
Excellent analytical, abstract reasoning, and organizational skills.
WORKING CONDITIONS: The working conditions described here represent those that an employee must meet to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Variations in conditions may occur under certain circumstances.
ENVIRONMENT: Job duties are performed both indoors in a standard office environment and on-site at parks.
The noise level in the work environment is typically moderate.
The temperature in the work environment is generally moderate
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
This job may require some or all of the following abilities:
Bend, twist, push, pull, climb, squat, crawl, reach, and kneel.
Sit, climb or balance; stand and walk; grasp with hands and fingers; and lift up to 25 lbs.
Use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
MACHINES, TOOL AND EQUIPMENT:
Automobile, copier, fax machine, computer, 10-key calculator, writing instruments, and telephone.
TRAVEL:
This job involves regular local travel.
Salary:
The projected base salary for this position is $110,000. The compensation for the selected candidate will be determined based on several factors, including experience level, achievements, internal equity, budget constraints, and Fair Market Value evaluation.
Benefits:
This is a full-time, salaried exempt position, offering health insurance, a 403(b)-retirement savings plan with employer match, a Flexible Spending Account for healthcare expenses, and group dental, vision, acupuncture, and chiropractic insurance. Additional benefits include vacation and sick pay, and 15 paid holidays.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Friends is committed to equal employment opportunity. We do not discriminate on any basis
protected by state and federal law, meaning that we do not base employment decisions on any
Legally Protected Characteristic possessed by the employee or any person with whom the employee is associated. Friends’ Equal Employment Opportunity policy governs all aspects of employment, including
hiring, assignments, training, promotions, compensation, employee benefits, employee
discipline and discharge, and all other terms and conditions of employment. It prohibits
supervisors and managers from making such decisions based in any way on any Legally Protected Characteristic. Coworkers and third parties are also prohibited from discriminating against Organization employees based on any Legally Protected Characteristic. Friends offers reasonable accommodation to qualified employees with physical or mental disabilities to the extent the accommodation will enable them to perform the essential functions of the job unless doing so would result in undue hardship. Friends also offers reasonable accommodation for an employee’s religious beliefs or observances.
APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL MARCH 3, 2025 OR UNTIL THE POSITION IS FILLED
We will respond to all applications under active consideration.