Director of Finance & Grant Reporting

Aspire Public Schools • Oakland, CA

7d • $119,773 - $153,754

About The Position

The Director of Finance & Grant Reporting partners with the Chief Financial Officer, Senior Director of Finance, and Aspire LA’s Chief Business Officer to drive strategic financial management across Aspire LA and streamline grant reporting across Aspire NorCal and Aspire LA. The position supports Aspire’s growth and continued role in the charter school movement, and calls for innovative work, best-practice process design and implementation, continuous improvement, and the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

Aspire NorCal is being formed by the Bay Area and Central Valley regions, bringing together 22 schools serving approximately 10,000 scholars across Northern California. The organization aims to strengthen school support, improve consistency and effectiveness, and establish clear accountability systems while remaining responsive to each school community and context.

This is a full-time, exempt position. The salary range is $119,773 to $153,754 annually, commensurate with experience. Work location and in-person expectations are still being finalized. Aspire NorCal expects to provide Finance, Accounting, Payroll, and Retirement services to Aspire LA under a multi-year service agreement; the department’s budget and positions may be affected if the agreement is not finalized, renewed, or continues. Employment is at-will.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance and/or an MBA is listed; the posting describes the degree as preferred.
• At least 5 years of experience in financial analysis.
• Experience in not-for-profit accounting and public sector finance.
• Knowledge of the finance function in a large, geographically dispersed organization and in-depth experience overseeing daily financial operations.
• Knowledge of federal and state accounting regulations.
• Excellent financial, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Solid communication, influencing, and negotiating skills, and the ability to inspire others to achieve excellence.
• Experience continuously improving controls and procedures, with proven experience in process improvement and redesign.
• High degree of initiative and independent judgment.
• Fluency with accounting software packages; proficiency with MS Office and advanced Excel.
• Ability to thrive in a hands-on, fast-paced, growth-oriented, entrepreneurial environment.
• Commitment to Aspire Public Schools’ mission, vision, and values, including antiracism, and ability to uphold confidentiality and ethical standards.

Nice To Haves

• At least 3 years of experience in school finance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance and/or an MBA.

Responsibilities

• Prepare annual budgets and forecast updates for assigned Aspire school and regional sites, and facilitate regular budget and forecast update meetings.
• Work with School Leaders, Instructional Leaders, and Finance and Accounting team members on monthly and quarterly close and reporting, interim and year-end financial reports, and monthly forecasts covering P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow; analyze variances and recommend actions that support financial sustainability and school programming.
• Manage 1–2 Grant Reporting and/or Finance-related direct reports.
• Serve as the primary interface with Aspire LA’s Chief Business Officer or assigned delegate on financial matters.
• Collaborate with the Chief Financial Officer and Aspire LA’s Chief Business Officer to guide strategic financial management of Aspire LA.
• Attend Aspire LA Board and Executive Committee meetings and present as needed.
• Collaborate with the CFO and/or Senior Director of Finance to prepare consolidated and regional financial reporting for external stakeholders.
• Lead finance service-level agreement coordination between Aspire NorCal and Aspire LA, participate in SLA review meetings, and deliver SLA performance reports.
• Prepare budget projections for new sites, including scenario analysis to guide organizational decisions.
• Ensure restricted funding is maximized for each school.
• Provide guidance and oversight on budgeting and forecasting systems.
• Work closely with the Accounting team to integrate data from the transactional level to the consolidated level.
• Identify and implement process improvements, using technology to eliminate inefficiencies while maintaining high accuracy.
• Build relationships with chartering districts, county offices of education, the California Department of Education, and other outside agencies.
• Work with charter authorizers and the California Department of Education to meet local, state, and federal reporting deadlines.
• Prepare school sites for year-end audit and perform ad hoc financial analyses requested by the CFO, Instructional Leaders, and School Leaders.
• Support Aspire Public Schools’ mission, vision, and values, including antiracism, and uphold confidentiality standards and the code of ethical behavior.
• Perform other related duties as required and assigned.

Benefits

• Eligible for Aspire health benefits.
• Retirement through CalSTRS or CalPERS, depending on the role’s credential requirements, with a 403(b) option.
• Paid time off.
• Additional teammate benefits to be determined in accordance with an updated employee value proposition to be shared prior to offer.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director