Director of Finance & Accounting

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois•Chicago, IL

just now•$110,000 - $124,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Finance & Accounting is responsible for the strategic leadership and operational excellence of Make-A-Wish Illinois’ financial functions. This role oversees accounting operations, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, internal controls, audit coordination, compliance, and cash management for our nonprofit organization. The Director ensures accuracy, transparency, and stewardship of financial resources while serving as a key advisor to the COO, Board Finance Committee, and Investment Subcommittee. The Director leads and develops the accounting team, advances financial systems and automation, strengthens cross-departmental financial management, and ensures that financial operations align with organizational strategy, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field required.
7+ years of progressive accounting/finance experience, with at least 4 years in a senior or management role; nonprofit financial management experience strongly preferred.
Minimum 3 years supervising and developing an accounting/finance team, with demonstrated strengths in performance management, cross-functional collaboration, and leading teams through change or growth.
Demonstrated expertise in nonprofit GAAP, internal controls, risk management, and financial compliance.
Proven experience managing budgets of $10M+ and leading complex nonprofit audits, including preparation, coordination, and resolution of audit findings.
Strong experience with NetSuite preferred; experience with Salesforce, Paylocity, credit card management platforms (e.g., Ramp), and payment automation systems a plus.
Proven success implementing process improvements, automation initiatives, and/or financial system upgrades.
Experience with grant accounting, restricted funds, and compliance for private and public funding sources.
Strong analytical, communication, and business partnership skills, with the ability to translate financial data into actionable insights.
Ability to lead through change and support a culture of data-driven decision making.
Ability to focus on the tasks and details relevant to the position and the organization, while also switching quickly between functions.
Ability to exercise excellent independent judgment and take ownership of decisions.
Ability to think on a broad, system-level relative to the scope of the position.
Ability to work independently and self-manage to achieve goals while being a strong team player.
Ability to organize, meet deadlines, and delegate appropriately.
Ability to cope with and embrace change, risk, and uncertainty.
Ability to develop strong relationships within a collaborative setting that values diverse opinions; enthusiasm for helping drive change as MAWI becomes a more data-driven organization.

Nice To Haves

CPA strongly preferred.
Master’s degree is a plus.
Experience in financial strategy, planning, and analysis within a nonprofit organization preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the organization’s senior financial leader responsible for aligning financial operations with strategic and long-range planning objectives.
Provide financial analysis and data insights to guide organizational decision-making, resource allocation, revenue forecasting, and capital planning.
Partner with the COO to strengthen forecasting, scenario planning, and financial sustainability.
Support the Finance Committee and Investment Subcommittee through preparation of materials, dashboards, analysis, and investment monitoring.
Represent the Finance function as a collaborative partner across departments.
Oversee day-to-day accounting functions including accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, deposits, credit card management, and wish-card administration.
Lead monthly close and produce timely, accurate financial statements, dashboards, cash flow reporting, and variance analysis.
Ensure adherence to GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, and internal policies.
Advance automation and workflow improvements (e.g., payment automation, project codes, API/EDI integrations, NetSuite optimization).
Manage cash flow, liquidity, and banking relationships to support organizational operations and long-term stability.
Maintain a comprehensive internal control framework that prevents fraud, minimizes risk, and strengthens financial governance.
Conduct periodic internal reviews of financial controls, credit card usage, and system permissions.
Monitor and support investment administration in partnership with external advisors.
Lead the annual external financial statement audit, internal audit processes, Form 990 preparation, and all federal/state/local compliance filings.
Ensure payroll compliance in partnership with HR and the payroll system (Paylocity).
Maintain compliance with grants, restricted funding, donor intent, and public and private funding requirements.
Lead the organization’s annual budgeting process, including timeline creation, tools, training, and department budget support.
Develop multi-year forecasts, scenario models, and rolling projections for revenue, expenses, and cash.
Partner with department leaders to improve budget literacy, accountability, and timely financial decision-making.
Provide expense modeling and wish-granting cost analysis to support strategic decision-making.
Serve as the chapter’s content expert for the enterprise accounting system (NetSuite) and point of contact for enhancements, reporting, permissions, and integrations.
Collaborate with Data & Evaluation and Technology team members to improve dashboards, data quality, internal reporting, and cross-system data flow.
Evaluate and implement technologies that improve efficiency, transparency, and data accessibility.
Lead, mentor, and develop the Accounting & Finance team to ensure strong performance, career growth, and operational excellence.
Foster a culture of learning, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Build cross-functional financial literacy through training and partnership.