Lead Financial Analyst

Aspire Public Schools • Oakland, CA

6d • $91,232 - $117,116

About The Position

Aspire NorCal is forming a unified Northern California region serving approximately 10,000 scholars across 22 schools in the Bay Area and Central Valley. The organization aims to strengthen and coordinate school support while remaining responsive to the different communities and contexts it serves, preserving its mission of post-secondary success and commitment to educational equity.

The Lead Financial Analyst works closely with the Senior Director, Finance and/or Director of Finance to provide leadership, training, and support to the Finance team and broader organization. The role provides financial analysis, tracking, and projections for assigned school sites; works with restricted and unrestricted budgets; analyzes program and project spending; guides schools on fiscal management; and prepares financial and compliance reports. It also leads and oversees budgeting and reporting systems, including their administration, training, and continued development.

The position supports Aspire NorCal’s planned provision of finance, accounting, and payroll services to Aspire LA under a multi-year service agreement. The department’s budget is expected to depend in part on that agreement; if it is not finalized, renewed, or continues through its term, department positions may be affected. Employment is at-will. Work location and in-person expectations are still being finalized.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of accounting and/or financial analysis experience.
• Experience in K-12 public education, the nonprofit sector, or government.
• Proficiency with budgeting and reporting systems and the ability to learn new systems.
• Ability to provide timely, meaningful financial analysis in a dynamic, high-growth environment and clearly communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial leaders.
• Ability to problem-solve independently, lead a team of peers, and coordinate routine projects.
• Strong knowledge of accounting, especially in K-12 and/or nonprofit settings, and of restricted and unrestricted charter school revenue sources.
• Strong Excel skills and financial modeling skills; familiarity with accounting software.
• Excellent organizational, time-management, and follow-up skills, including the ability to meet deadlines under pressure with a high degree of accuracy.
• Strong client communication and interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Adaptive Planning.

Responsibilities

• Prepare annual budgets and forecast updates for assigned Aspire school sites and facilitate regular school and regional site budget and forecast meetings.
• Lead other financial analysts, demonstrating expertise in education finance and the California charter school landscape, and promote collaboration, professionalism, and process improvement.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for other analysts on tactical and procedural matters and provide training as needed.
• Perform accurate and efficient financial support work, including attendance reporting, interim reporting, year-end preparation, and reclasses.
• Design robust financial models and improve existing models, workflows, and reporting processes to increase Finance team efficiency.
• Work with School Leaders, Instructional Leaders, and Finance and Accounting team members on monthly and quarterly close, interim and year-end reports, and monthly forecasts covering P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow; analyze variances and make recommendations that support financial sustainability.
• Prepare budget projections and scenario analyses for new sites and help maximize the use of restricted funding for each school.
• Provide guidance and oversight on budgeting and forecasting systems.
• Analyze spending trends across schools, identify best practices and efficiencies, and share findings with the Finance team.
• Prepare school sites for year-end audits and meet local, state, and federal reporting deadlines with charter authorizers and the California Department of Education.
• Perform ad hoc financial analyses requested by the CFO, Director of Finance, Instructional Leaders, and School Leaders.
• Support Aspire Public Schools’ mission, vision, and values, including antiracism; uphold confidentiality standards and the code of ethical behavior.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Support the new Service Level Agreement under which Aspire NorCal will provide finance, accounting, and payroll services to Aspire LA.

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 under an updated employee value proposition, to be shared before an offer.

What This Job Offers

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