Director of Finance

Reports to:  Chief Financial Officer

Supervises:  Controller (who supervises the accounting team)

Status:  Full-time, Exempt

Leadership body:  Operating Committee

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Finance is a senior finance leader responsible for the integrity, transparency, and strategic stewardship of the Alaska Community Foundation’s financial operations. Working closely with the Chief Financial Officer, this position oversees fund accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, and regulatory compliance within a complex community foundation structure that includes donor-advised, restricted, endowment, and agency funds. The Director of Finance brings deep technical expertise in nonprofit GAAP and the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for leadership, board members, and stakeholders.

The Director of Finance reviews, analyzes, and reports on the Foundation’s financial activity and supervises the Controller, who owns and executes the monthly and year-end close. The Director supports the CFO above and the Controller below—setting standards, reviewing results, and providing analysis and reporting—without performing the mechanics of the close. Close matters are routed to the Controller for execution.

This position partners closely with executive leadership to ensure that the Foundation’s financial systems, policies, and reporting frameworks support organizational strategy, donor intent, and long-term sustainability. As a member of the Operating Committee, the Director of Finance contributes to cross-functional planning and organizational decision-making, and serves as a key bridge between the finance function and non-finance staff, program teams, and development and donor stewardship partners across the Foundation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Leadership and Strategy

• Serves as a strategic finance partner to the CFO, providing actionable financial insights to support decision-making and long-term organizational sustainability.
• Supports the CFO in long-range financial planning, scenario analysis, risk assessment, and organizational sustainability modeling.
• Contributes to enterprise-wide initiatives, including system implementations, policy development, and operational improvements.
• Translates technical financial concepts into clear guidance for non-finance staff, leadership, and board audiences.

Fund Accounting and Financial Reporting

• Provides oversight and technical review of fund accounting across donor-advised funds, restricted and unrestricted funds, endowments (including principal and spendable classifications), and agency and held-for-others funds in accordance with FASB ASC 958-605 and FASB ASC 958-810, with day-to-day execution performed by the Controller and accounting team.
• Ensures accurate classification and reporting of net assets with and without donor restrictions, including complex transactions such as multi-year pledges, discounting, and contribution revenue recognition.
• Reviews and analyzes the monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements prepared by the Controller, and presents them to the CFO.
• Delivers timely budget-to-actual reporting at organizational and departmental levels, including year-to-date and period-specific analysis.

Close Process and Financial Operations

• Sets close standards and continuously improves the month-end and year-end close framework, and reviews the close executed by the Controller with a focus on accuracy, analysis, timeliness, and reporting—rather than performing close mechanics directly.
• Reviews reconciliations of all key accounts—including cash, investments, pledges receivable, and liabilities—completed by the accounting team under the Controller.
• Oversees cash management, including banking relationships and treasury functions.
• Maintains oversight of accounts payable, accounts receivable, and disbursement cycles, including grantmaking disbursements.

Internal Controls and Compliance

• Designs, implements, and monitors a robust internal control environment aligned with nonprofit best practices and audit requirements, with control execution carried out by the Controller and accounting team.
• Ensures compliance with nonprofit GAAP, federal and state regulations, and organizational policy across all finance functions.
• Develops and maintains finance policies covering expenditure authority, credit card and expense management, grant approval workflows, and revenue recognition and pledge accounting.
• Partners with external auditors and oversees audit preparation, which is coordinated operationally by the Controller on behalf of the finance team.

Systems and Process Optimization

• Serves as the finance lead for core systems including Community Suite (fund accounting), grant management and reporting platforms, and banking and credit card platforms.
• Drives system enhancements, integrations, and process automation to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.
• Develops scalable processes that support organizational growth and increasing operational complexity.

Grantmaking and Financial Oversight

• Oversees financial controls and workflows related to grant voucher approvals and disbursements.
• Ensures compliance with donor intent, fund restrictions, and organizational policies across all grantmaking activity.
• Partners with program and development teams to support accurate, compliant, and timely grant financial activity.

Team and Operational Leadership

• Supervise and develop the Controller, and through the Controller support the growth, performance, and continuous improvement of the accounting team.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets, work plans, and performance metrics in alignment with organizational goals and financial oversight responsibilities.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement across the finance function.
• Work across departments to ensure finance operations align with ACF’s strategic priorities and organizational values.

Operating Committee Participation

• Serve as an active member of the Operating Committee, contributing to cross-functional planning and organizational decision-making.
• Bring a financial stewardship and risk management lens to foundation-wide initiatives and ensure consistent fiscal positioning across the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required; CPA or advanced degree preferred.
• Eight to twelve or more years of progressive accounting and finance experience, with significant experience in nonprofit accounting, preferably within a community foundation or similar philanthropic organization.
• Demonstrated expertise in fund accounting and complex revenue recognition, including pledges, restricted gifts, and endowments.
• Deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP, specifically nonprofit standards under FASB ASC 958, including net asset classifications, endowment accounting, and agency versus owned fund structures.
• Experience working with auditors and leading financial statement preparation and audit processes.
• Experience with fund accounting systems such as Community Suite or similar platforms; advanced Excel and financial modeling skills.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to present financial information clearly to executive leadership, finance committees, and board members.
• A commitment to Alaska, its communities, and the mission of the Alaska Community Foundation.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic financial leadership
• Technical expertise and accuracy
• Complexity management
• Systems and process orientation
• Cross-functional communication
• Integrity and mission alignment

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND ACCESSIBILITY

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible workplace. The physical, sensory, and environmental requirements described here represent the general nature of the role and are not intended to exclude individuals who can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

This role may involve a combination of desk-based and active work in a professional office or field environment. The position requires the ability to effectively engage in communication, operate standard office technology or job-related equipment, and perform the core responsibilities of the role.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable laws to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.