Senior Director of Finance

Foundation for Defense of Democracies•Washington, DC

1d•$175,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Director of Finance directly oversees the day-to-day financial operations of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), partnering with the Senior Vice President, Finance (SVP), executive leadership, and the Board of Directors to safeguard organizational assets, ensure regulatory compliance, and deliver accurate, timely financial information that supports mission-driven decision-making. Reporting to the SVP, this role leads the accounting function, manages a team of finance professionals, and serves as a strategic operational leader within the Finance and Administration team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a closely related field.
Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license in good standing.
Minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible accounting and finance experience in nonprofit organizations, with demonstrated leadership of a finance team.
Public accounting experience, ideally with exposure to nonprofit audit engagements.
Demonstrated expertise in nonprofit GAAP, including ASC 606 (revenue recognition), contribution revenue accounting, and ASC 842 (lease accounting).
Demonstrated experience leading external audits and preparing IRS Form 990.
Proven supervisory experience with the ability to mentor, develop, and retain finance talent.
Advanced command of nonprofit GAAP, financial reporting standards, and accounting systems.
Ability to utilize technology to streamline workflows and reduce man hours on tasks without risking errors or internal controls.
Ability to translate financial data into strategic insights for executive leadership and the Board.
Demonstrated capacity to lead, coach, and grow high-performing finance teams.
Unwavering ethical standards in safeguarding organizational and donor resources.
Clear, audience-appropriate written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Effective cross-functional partnership with program, development, HR, and administrative leaders.
Disciplined accuracy across reporting, reconciliations, and compliance work.
Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic mission-driven environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a foundation or comparable mission-driven nonprofit.
Hands-on experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge or Financial Edge NXT.
Master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field.
Experience with grant accounting, restricted fund management, and donor financial reporting.
Additional experience in cyber security best practices.

Responsibilities

Oversee the preparation, review, and timely issuance of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and FASB standards applicable to nonprofit organizations.
Analyze monthly financial results, identify variances, cost-savings opportunities, and fluctuations that impact year-end projections, and surface insights to the SVP and program leaders.
Prepare and review monthly cash account reconciliations and serve as back-up reviewer and approver on journal entries.
Assess transactions for proper accounting treatment, including revenue recognition under ASC 606, contribution revenue assessment, and lease accounting under ASC 842.
Lead and oversee the annual financial statement audit, serving as the primary liaison to external auditors and ensuring timely, clean delivery of audit deliverables.
Lead the preparation and review of the annual IRS Form 990 and related state filings in coordination with external tax advisors.
Design, implement, evaluate, and strengthen internal controls and accounting policies to safeguard organizational assets and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and donor requirements.
Implement and lead the annual risk management and compliance review in partnership with the SVP and administrative leadership.
Partner with program staff to develop grant budgets, monitor grant spending, and ensure timely financial reports for programmatic leaders and external donors.
Manage the flow of contract review across the organization, ensuring financial terms are appropriately analyzed and documented.
Manage and optimize the accounting system (Financial Edge) and other platforms that impact organizational finances, including evaluating opportunities for automation and process improvement.
Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, and payroll functions, ensuring accuracy, segregation of duties, and adherence to internal controls.
Oversee administration of organizational retirement plans in partnership with HR and third-party administrators.
Supervise, develop, and evaluate a team of finance professionals, including the Assistant Controller, Senior Staff Accountant, and part-time Accounts Payable Specialist; assess departmental staffing needs and recommend structural changes as appropriate.
Strategically support the SVP, executive leadership, and the Board of Directors on financial matters, including ad hoc analysis, scenario modeling, and presentation of financial information.
Partner with members of the administrative team on issues related to personnel management, facilities, and legal compliance.
Foster a culture of accountability, accuracy, continuous improvement, and ethical financial stewardship within the finance team.