Chief Financial Officer

Job Title: Chief Financial Officer

Reports to: President  

Team: Senior Management Team

Status: 100% time, exempt

 

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND

Horizons Foundation has been dedicated to serving, funding, and helping to lead the LGBTQ community for  more than 40 years. Established in 1980 as a San Francisco–based community foundation, Horizons’ mission statement reads:  

 As the world’s first community foundation of, by and for LGBTQ people, Horizons invests in LGBTQ nonprofits, strengthens a culture of LGBTQ giving, and builds a permanent endowment to secure our community’s future for generations to come. 

Horizons is a national leader in promoting LGBTQ philanthropy, recently recognized as one of the LGBTQ movement’s “Top 10” funders by the national advocacy group Funders for LGBTQ Issues. Last year, Horizons distributed more than $7 million in grants to hundreds of nonprofits throughout the country, with more than half supporting organizations in the Bay Area. Grants were awarded to LGBTQ nonprofits and to LGBTQ-focused programs at non-LGBTQ-specific organizations. Through its donor-advised fund (DAF) program, Horizons also makes grants to non-LGBTQ nonprofits regionally and nationally.

Horizons has long prioritized grantmaking to frequently marginalized members of the LGBTQ community, including LGBTQ communities of color, transgender people, LGBTQ refugees and immigrants, LGBTQ youth and elders, and those with least access to vital services and equal justice. The foundation also has a deep commitment to smaller, grassroots nonprofits and a long record of awarding very early funding to promising nonprofits.

In addition to grantmaking, the foundation offers educational, community-building, and other events for donors and grantee partners throughout the year and is host to one of the LGBTQ community’s best-known annual galas. Horizons also has a powerful vision for the future support of the Bay Area LGBTQ community, one in which the legacy (planned) gifts of LGBTQ people provide the resources that future generations will need to secure and defend their rights, take care of LGBTQ people in need, and celebrate our lives through culture and the arts.

POSITION SUMMARY

Critical to the foundation’s success will be a staff team with the passion, skills, and commitment to make this audacious vision for our community’s future come true. With the transition from its long-time Chief Financial Officer, Horizons is now looking for its next CFO.  

This position functions as a core participant in the foundation’s leadership and its senior management team. The CFO will report directly to the foundation’s president and serve as the staff lead for the finance, audit, and investment committees of Horizons’ board of directors.  

The CFO is supported by a full-time accountant and supervises a staff of three, including the office administrative assistant and the database manager in addition to the accountant.

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL BE:

• An experienced lead financial professional with at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in nonprofit finance, preferably with experience in foundations and/or organizations with complex finance management responsibilities, as well as experience managing endowments and donor-advised funds
• Passionate about Horizons Foundation’s mission with a demonstrated commitment to social justice and to the LGBTQ community
• Committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as core organizational values and to racial, gender, and social justice, and to authentically articulate a commitment to equity and inclusion by their actions
• A stickler for details and data, with an absolute commitment to accuracy
• Technically savvy, with knowledge of accounting software, Microsoft products, databases in general and Salesforce in particular
• A team builder and inspiring leader who is able to work effectively in a diverse workplace; motivate and train volunteers; nurture staff growth, and promote high performance and accountability; and
• Resourceful and innovative: bringing an optimistic, can-do, hands-on approach to achieving the most possible with the resources available and responding flexibly as opportunities and events arise.

 

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS 

Strategy Formulation and Development

Together with the foundation’s president and other senior staff, the CFO participates actively in the development, execution, and monitoring of Horizons Foundation’s annual and longer-range strategic activities.  Specific responsibilities include:

• Participate as an active member of the senior management team in guiding Horizons’ ongoing activities
• Play a central role in ongoing strategic planning, forecasting, and execution
• Lead financial analysis and projections as needed to inform strategic decisions

Finance

The CFO ensures excellent financial management at every level of the foundation. Specific duties include:

• Provide regular reporting and analysis of Horizons’ financial condition and performance for the president and board of directors, including cash flow, financial benchmarks and ratios, and long-term financial forecasts
• Oversee all financial aspects of the LGBTQ Community Endowment Fund and its more than 32 component funds, and ensure proper tracking of and reporting on fund values and income
• Ensure the proper tracking, accounting, and reporting of the foundations more than 150 donor-advised and other special funds
• Prepare and monitor an annual operating budget of $5.6 million and a total foundation budget of $11.6 million, maintaining appropriate accounting systems and financial controls
• Ensure timely preparation and review of monthly financial statements in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for nonprofits
• Manage financial aspects of grantmaking and programs
• Lead the annual budgeting process and mid-year budget review
• Staff and support the Board of Directors Finance Committee
• Coordinate the annual audit and preparation of tax returns and staff the Audit Committee
• Supervise the activities of the accounting assistant and ensure proper recording and processing of all revenues and expenses, including preparation of semi-monthly payroll using payroll service
• Develop budgets for grant proposals and generate financial reports for funding sources as needed
• Prepare financial models for the foundation in general and for legacy giving in particular
• Evaluate planned giving vehicles to maximize asset transfer to the foundation (e.g., gifts of real estate)

Investment

• Manage the Foundation’s outside investment managers and custodians
• Provide staffing, support, and analysis to the foundation’s Investment Committee
• Oversee investments of the LGBTQ Community Endowment Fund and donor-advised funds, ensuring consistency with Horizons’ investment policy and values

Treasury

• Oversee cash management and banking and borrowing relationships
• Ensure renewal of annual line of credit
• Prepare operating cash flow projections

Human Resources

The CFO ensures that Horizons Foundation is an exemplary place to work and recruits and retains excellent employees.

• Serve as first point of contact for employee relations and work with outside HR consultants as needed
• Ensure that the foundation’s commitments to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are integral to all human resource functions, policies, practices, and activities
• Manage and improve the performance management system as needed
• Ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Manage benefits programs including 403(b) retirement plan, health, dental, vision, life insurance and disability programs and policies
• Periodically review and recommend changes to employee benefits and other human resource policies and practices including the employee handbook
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive set of all foundation policies and procedures

Technology

The CFO is charged with lead responsibility for ensuring that Horizons uses technology effectively to further the foundation’s mission.

• Oversee overall technology strategy for the foundation, keeping current with technology trends and issues
• Supervise the database administration functions to ensure that both the fund development and grantmaking departments have ready access to accurate data necessary to support their work
• Manage support for the organization’s IT systems through the use of an outside consultant

Administration

The CFO ensures that Horizons’ office environment is productive, supportive, and welcoming to donors, grantees, volunteers, and staff.

• Oversee office administrative assistant and on-going aspects of office administration
• Oversee risk-management and compliance activities
• Oversee facilities management and planning (current lease in effect til mid-2028)

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed and are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands of this position are light with the expectation that the staff person can exert up to 20lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. The position requires frequent computer use at a workstation.  Horizons Foundation will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the ADA of 1990. This job description and its physical requirements will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s or advance degree in Finance/Accounting and/or related field. CPA preferred. Substantial relevant work experience may be considered in lieu of formal degree.

COMPENSATION, HOURS, AND OFFICE

This is a full-time salaried position. Your schedule may vary based on need and could extend at times into the early evening, with occasional weekend hours. The full salary range for this position is $175,000-$200,000. The starting salary is generally at or near the mid-point of the salary range, with the opportunity for future growth. The generous benefits package includes full health, vision and dental coverage, vacation, sick leave, significant employer contribution to a 403(b) plan retirement plan, a sabbatical plan, and the pride of working at a critical community institution.

Horizons’ current practice is for staff to work from the foundation’s downtown San Francisco office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Mondays and Fridays can be remote-work days. The foundation’s office is conveniently located 1.5 blocks from the Montgomery BART/MUNI station.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Horizons Foundation is an equal opportunity employer that supports and lives diversity in our staffing and values. We actively seek and welcome applications from people who identify as people of color; women; transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary people; LGBTQ; and people living with disabilities.  We comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment, and encourage​ and seek qualified candidates of all backgrounds.

PROCEDURE FOR CANDIDACY

Please email resumes and cover letters to Azzani Search Consultants:

• Tarek Azzani – [email protected]
• Eunice Azzani – is available for questions at 415-987-3300

Thank you for your interest in Horizons and your support for the LGBTQ community.