Vice President of Finance & Administration

Project Kitty Hawk

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Project Kitty Hawk is seeking a strategic, mission-aligned Vice President of Finance & Administration to join our senior leadership team. This is a player-coach role for a leader who is equally comfortable setting financial strategy and rolling up their sleeves on pro formas and projections for internal and external audiences. The right candidate will find satisfaction in building systems and processes that ensure compliance and transparency, developing a team, and enabling the organization to pursue its mission with clarity and confidence. The VP, Finance & Administration will oversee a portfolio of internal functions — finance, people operations, and procurement of internal technology — providing the operational backbone that allows our student- and university-facing teams to do their best work. This position manages three direct reports (Controller, Sr. Director of People Operations, and Manager of Contracts, Procurement, and Governance) and one contractor (financial planning and analysis).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher required
8+ years of progressive experience in finance or operations, with at least 3 years in a management role
Nonprofit finance experience strongly preferred, including familiarity with fund accounting, grant compliance, and Form 990
Experience in higher education finance, including familiarity with fund accounting, grant compliance, and public or university-affiliated financial environments, strongly preferred
Demonstrated experience managing an audit process and working with external auditors
Prior responsibility for human resources functions, including benefits, compliance, and employee relations
Comfort with contract negotiations and vendor management
Strong financial acumen and analytical skills; can translate complex financials for non-financial audiences
Clear, direct communicator who builds trust across the organization — with frontline staff, leadership, and the Board
The ideal candidate must have experience in accounting and be deeply familiar with GAAP, GASB and FASB reporting practices, and other financial standards
Organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities without losing sight of the bigger picture
Mission-driven: the ideal candidate will be energized by the idea of building operational infrastructure in service of PKH’s mission to expand educational opportunity for more adult learners
Exercise independent judgment, concentrate, think, communicate, interact with others, manage multiple tasks, and cope with stressful situations and deadlines.
Ability to perform sedentary physical activity of an administrative nature. The team member must occasionally lift office products and supplies weighing up to 20 pounds.
Must be able to navigate various modes of transportation and drive/rent a car. Must be able to independently manage the disposition of all work supplies and personal travel items during travel.

Responsibilities

Serve as the organization's senior financial officer, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and timeliness of all financial operations
Oversee the Controller and accounting team, including accounts payable/receivable, general ledger, payroll, and month-end close
Lead annual budget development and multi-year financial projections and planning in partnership with the Executive Leadership Team and service-area leads
Advise leadership on financial implications of partnerships with universities, including funding structures, cost allocation, and long-term sustainability
Oversee margin reporting and working with business units on their resource allocation plans within the fiscal year
Manage the annual audit process and serve as primary liaison with external auditors
Prepare and present financial reports for the Board of Directors, its Finance Committee, and the UNC System Office
Ensure compliance with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, and all grant and contract reporting requirements
Monitor cash flow, investment accounts, and reserves; advise leadership on financial risks and opportunities
Track PKH contracts to assess vendor performance, identify critical deadlines and decision points, and negotiate favorable terms
Lead and support the Sr. Director of People Operations in setting the strategic direction of the people function, serving as a thought partner on organizational design, workforce planning, compensation philosophy, and culture.
Maintain senior-level accountability for the People Operations function, providing guidance and escalation support on complex employee relations, board and personnel committee matters, and cross-functional people initiatives.
Serve as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organizational strategy and culture
Manage, mentor, and develop direct reports across finance and people operations
Build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships, acting as a collaborative partner to operations, partnership, and technology teams
Represent the organization's operational interests to the Board, funders, and external partners as needed, including the UNC System Office
Work with the Chief Technology Officer to budget for hardware and software procurement for the organization, ensuring staff are equipped with the tools they need
Manage vendor relationships for IT services, software licenses, and technology support
Financial system upgrades and potential migration: responsibility for evaluating the current tools and systems in place for financial reporting and analysis and leading an effort to identify improvements and opportunities to streamline