As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will report to the CEO and serve as an integral member of the Executive Team for our $15 million organization: the American Counseling Association (ACA). You will play an essential role in our growth by forecasting the impact of new initiatives, exploring new business models, and communicating the effects of changes as we map the road ahead.
ACA is the world’s largest organization representing professional counselors in various practice settings.
Our vision: Every person has access to quality professional counseling to thrive.
Our mission: Promote the professional development of counselors, advocate for the profession, and ensure ethical, culturally inclusive practice.
Our values: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Integrity, Proactive Leadership, Professional Community & Relationships, Scientific Practice & Knowledge, Social Justice & Empowerment.
We just finished our best fiscal year yet, but opportunities are endless with over 200,000 professional counselors in the United States who are not yet members. As CFO, you will build on our strong foundation to ensure the organization is capitalizing on our strengths and aligning resources for maximum impact. We will look for you to apply a data-driven approach to evaluating where we can best streamline processes to support the counseling community and expand our reach. You will work closely with budget managers across the organization to analyze program budgets and forecast future needs – and then you will translate your findings into reporting for the board that is relevant and supports strategic decision-making.
You will foster a respectful, collaborative, transparent environment where your team of seven professionals can grow in their careers – while ensuring that all financial reporting is useful and timely. As CFO, you will enhance organizational excellence, including investments, budgeting and forecasting, financial reporting, accounting, legal affairs, and compliance with all financial guidelines and regulations. And as an executive leader, you will help drive the implementation of ACA’s strategy and operating plan for short- and long-term success.
Responsibilities
Financial Management
Manage budget process and assist in allocations with CEO and Treasurer and subsequent monitoring.
Keep CEO and Executive Team informed of all critical issues, including those related to budgeting and planning, cash flow, audit, and other key projects and initiatives.
Provide strategic and financial advice in other areas, including evaluating potential alliances and strategic investments.
Manage day-to-day financial operations; resolve issues through sound decision-making and business practices.
Make recommendations to improve the financial performance of the organization.
Provide financial management and oversight and direct the accounting and budgeting functions, including internal and external financial reporting in accordance with GAAP.
Manage all fiduciary accountability issues, including external audits, IRS reports, dues payments, investment portfolio, final contribution reports, gifts and bequests to the ACA Foundation, and other outside requests for financial information.
General
Work with ACA team members on overall organizational development and implementation of ACA’s strategic plan.
Participate in ACA team meetings, providing updates on team activities, and participate in discussions and planning for overarching organizational issues and projects.
Work collaboratively with appropriate management and governance bodies to achieve organizational goals and objectives.
Liaise with appropriate governance officers, chair, and/or committees as designated and mandated by ACA Bylaws and policies and procedures.
Provide supervision, guidance, and evaluation for team staff, consultants, and vendors.
Establish project plans, outline expectations and responsibilities, and communicate to team staff.
Recruit and provide supervision, guidance, and evaluation for team staff members, consultants, and interns; provide clear project management tools to ensure that involved staff have the information, material, and input needed to deliver on their commitments and deadlines.
Produce articles and materials for ACA publications and communications as needed and requested.
Attend ACA Annual Conference and Expo, governance meetings, and other meetings and special events as requested and required.
Develop and participate in a teamwork culture; work on assigned cross-functional project teams and serve as project leader as requested; and attend inter-department meetings.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree required, master’s preferred, in a financial field such as business administration, accounting, or similar discipline.
Professional certification of CPA (Certified Public Accountant) highly desired. Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation is a plus.
10 to 15 years of professional experience and at least 10 years of supervisory experience, preferably in a nonprofit environment.
Experience working with association management/membership database preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Demonstrated experience in and strong knowledge of current finance, accounting, administration, and information management practices and techniques in a nonprofit environment.
Demonstrated experience in working with a wide variety of computer software, systems, and specialized applications designed to support core business areas.
Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to work well with other staff members and volunteers.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and on a team, always showing respect for the diverse constituencies of ACA and within its membership.
Employs industry-standard technologies to produce work and is responsible for maintaining professional skill level, including knowledge of industry trends.
Understanding of ACA Bylaws, policies, purpose, and structure and ability to communicate ACA’s mission, objectives, and accomplishments to stakeholders.
Able to mentor and foster collaboration among staff and organizational membership.
Able to manage people and resources and skill in managing and evaluating employees.
Detail-oriented with superior problem-solving, decision-making, and time management skills; able to prioritize multiple tasks, organize work, delegate effectively, and follow through independently.
Attributes
Demonstrated strategic thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills, including the ability to plan and implement in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to gather, interpret, analyze, and report statistics and other data.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, written, organizational, and computer skills.
A strong collaborator with superior team building, team management, and team-empowering skills.
A creative problem solver with demonstrated skill thinking outside the box, who can be flexible and bring solutions in limited time frames.
Facility speaking influentially and persuasively to achieve desired outcomes with varied audiences.
Skill proactively and effectively identifying and meeting the needs of members, customers, and stakeholders.
Proficiency managing financial resources in keeping with budget objectives.
What’s Attractive to the Right Candidate?
We are financially strong, with healthy reserves and a history of clean audits.
Your ACA colleagues are mission-driven and passionate about addressing mental health challenges for all Americans.
The current leadership is hungry to realize ACA’s full potential. Bringing your vision and focus to join this talented team of professional colleagues, we can achieve great things. The new CEO brings vision, innovation, high standards, and a drive for results; he will trust you to collaborate with your colleagues and do your job well.
Working here, you can enjoy a hybrid work schedule with most days from your home office and only occasional travel to the office in Alexandria, VA.
All team members are encouraged, supported, and expected to demonstrate The Way We Work Values: Be Flexible, Be Creative, Be Empowered, Be Inquisitive, Be Collaborative and Be Respectful.
We offer a robust benefits package that includes 10 days of PTO, 6 days of sick leave, and 5 personal days each year, plus time off for your birthday month and volunteer time, and additional days off as your longevity with ACA increases. We offer a 403b retirement plan with a 3% match your first year, increasing to 5% at 2 years. We cover a significant portion of premiums for medical and dental insurance, discounted vision and pet insurance plans, a credit union membership, tuition reimbursement, and more.
To Apply
We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.
Use the "Apply" button on this page or simply email your resume to Aileen Hedden at resumes@staffingadvisors.com with “ACA - CFO #2022-2737 ASAE” as the subject of the email.
Please note: The budgeted compensation range for this position is $207K-$251K plus benefits.
Staffing Advisors is committed to reducing bias in every aspect of the hiring process. We have long recommended an evidence-based approach to hiring. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. This position may require pre-employment screening potentially including a criminal background check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certifications, and/or verification of work history.
