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New York, NY

Director (or Senior Director) of Finance and Administration, Philanthropy New York

The Organization

Philanthropy New York is a trusted community of nearly 300 grantmaking organizations that develops forward-thinking guidance and programming to address the unique challenges of philanthropy and convenes funders to strengthen ties across the sector. We bring together funders from within and across sectors to form networks, develop and share knowledge and nurture crucial skills to make the work of each grantmaker – and the sector as a whole – more meaningful and more effective. For more information, visit www.philanthropynewyork.org

Philanthropy New York seeks candidates aligned with our Vision, Mission and Values.

Position Overview

The Director of Finance and Administration is a management role that combines day to day finance responsibilities and organizational operations. In addition to maintaining accurate financial records and ensuring that PNY complies with generally accepted accounting principles and reporting standards, the Director oversees a modest fiscal sponsorship program and restricted grants, and monitors the organization’s investment accounts.  The role is responsible for overseeing key operations such as the organization’s facilities, technology, payroll, insurance, benefits and retirement program.  The Director provides important leadership to ensure the effective functioning of the Audit and Finance Committees of the board, coordinates the annual budget process, and creates an operational plan that advances PNY’s strategic direction and racial equity goals.

This is a hands-on position that requires both management and leadership skills as well as day to day operational execution.

Key Responsibilities: 

Finance 

  • Manages accounts payable and accounts receivable.  Tracks and records all monthly expenditures, including petty cash, credit card reconciliation and all vendor payments. Posts interest, dividends, and unrealized gains and losses.
  • Oversees the proper coding of invoices and tracks and records all pre-paid expenses and depreciation.
  • Maintains the general ledger, including accounts payable, vendor file, and fixed asset inventory. Posts general journal entries for payroll, pension plan payments, depreciation and prepaid expenses.
  • Provides ongoing coordination and reconciliation of the organization’s fiscal sponsorship program. Work with fiscal sponsorship projects to ensure receipts, expenses, and revenue are appropriately recorded and reported. Oversee the submission of accurate grant proposals and reports.
  • Completes the monthly, quarterly and annual close process; ensuring balance sheet entries are reconciled, reviewed, and have appropriate supporting documentation.
  • Works closely with organizational leadership to prepare annual budgets, cash forecasts, and helps the Audit and Finance Committee to make decisions around the proper use and safeguarding of organizational assets.
  • Work directly with the organization’s private bank team and investment manager to process all bank wires and account transfers, monitor the organization’s investment account and provide benchmarking for the Finance Committee.
  • Track all the Restricted and Temporary Restricted Grants. Oversee all project/program and Grants Accounting, ensuring that expenditures are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the fund period

Audit and Compliance 

  • Ensures that sufficient internal controls and procedures are in place and being followed and comply with generally accepted accounting principles.
  • Coordinates the organization’s annual audit process with the support of the book keeper and office manager.
  • Oversee the work of vendors to ensure accurate and timely completion and filing of all tax returns including 990, 990T, 5500s, payroll Taxes 941 and NYS45, Consultant’s 1099s, and other state filings.
  • Ensures that the organization is up to date on all regulatory compliance related to HR, benefits management and labor standards.
  • Monitor and manage the organization’s insurance and ensure that the organization is appropriately managing risk. Oversee risk management and legal activities, including: business insurance, contracts, leases, and other legal document and agreements.
  • Working with cybersecurity and IT vendors, mitigate cybersecurity risk.

Operations

  • Work with external HR consultant to oversee the organization’s benefits and employment policies
  • Support the office manager in managing PNY’s phone, IT and other vendors to ensure ongoing maintenance and quality of systems and infrastructure.
  • Partners with the Council on Foundations to curate an annual salary survey for PNY’s membership.

Organizational Leadership and Management

  • Provide management and supervision of PNY’s bookkeeper and office manager.
  • Collaborate with the team to create an annual operations plan for the department and regularly reflect on department learning.
  • Support the development and implementation of racial equity commitments into annual departmental planning.
  • Guide the Audit and Finance Committee in making and tracking annual racial equity commitments aligned with their committee work.
  • Work with volunteer leadership to run the Foundation Financial Managers Group and other professional peer networks across PNY’s membership that align with the role.
  • Regularly utilize PNY’s organizational values as a lens for decision making and action.

Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.

Qualifications and Experience: 

  • Bachelor’s degree in accounting, CPA preferred, and a minimum six (6) years of professional experience and supervision of interns or consultants required for Director-level candidates.  Candidates with eight (8)+ years of professional experience and at least two years of supervising full-time staff will be considered for the Senior Director position.
  • Candidates who have worked in philanthropy, nonprofits and/or membership associations strongly preferred.
  • Experience managing and reconciling a high volume of receivables.
  • Demonstrated experience managing day to day accounting and monthly reconciliation of the books.
  • Budget development, forecasting, reconciliation and audit experience necessary.
  • Experience managing the financial reporting process for restricted grants a plus.
  • Experience overseeing payroll, tax deferred retirement programs, employee benefits a plus.
  • Previous reporting to or support of a board, advisory board or other governance structure a plus.

Skills and Knowledge: 

  • Understanding of structural racism and of the ways that white supremacy culture operates in institutions.
  • Knowledge of and commitment to personal growth and development on issues of racial equity and diversity and to supporting others in growth around issues of racial equity
  • Demonstrated skills in building strong supervisory relationships, including setting expectations, coaching for performance, and giving and receiving feedback.
  • Fluency in Quickbooks. Knowledge of Salesforce or prior work with a database is a plus.
  • Proficient in Microsoft systems, e.g., Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint.
  • Strong project management, time management and organizational skills required. The ability to manage multiple priorities, take initiative, delegate responsibility, prioritize and ensure the delivery of on-time deliverables is key.
  • High ethical standards and strong sense of fiduciary duty. The Director will view and possess significant confidential information regarding all aspects of our finances and human resources. High levels of discretion, integrity and judgment are required.  As part of the final stage of the process, a candidate’s credit report will be reviewed as the position will have access to significant organizational assets.

TO APPLY:  Please send a resume and a cover letter via email to employment@philanthropynewyork.org with “Last Name, First Name – Director of Finance and Administration” in the subject line.. We will not consider applications without a cover letter. In your cover letter, please address the skills, competencies and experience you would bring to the role and tell us what appeals to you about working at Philanthropy New York.

Due to the high volume of resumes we receive, we are unable to respond to all candidates.  We will be directly in touch with candidates for first round telephone interviews.

Philanthropy New York is committed to creating a more equitable workplace.  We are dedicated to the recruitment, inclusion, retention and advancement of people of color, LGBTQ, women, trans and gender non-conforming people, people with disabilities; and/or formerly incarcerated people.

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