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Position Overview:

Reporting to the Head of School, and supervising a staff of three, the Chief Financial Officer is an integral member of the Leadership Team responsible for all financial and business functions and for establishing financial and administrative objectives, policies, programs, and practices consistent with the Board of Trustees decisions, legal guidance, and National Business Officers Association best practices. This individual will work alongside committed and experienced senior leadership in the allocation of resources to maintain the school’s high-performance standards. In addition, this individual will serve as a business partner to the Head of School in assessing organizational performance against both the annual budget and the institution’s long-term strategy. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to utilize tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to make actionable recommendations on financial and business operations matters.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and oversee financial policies, procedures, and internal controls to safeguard assets, protected confidential information, and ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Oversee school business functions, including tuition billing and collection, accounts payable, contracting, payroll, benefits programs, human resources policies and practices, accounting and reporting, regulatory reporting and compliance, and other business administration activities.
• Administer the annual budget and multi-year forecasting process to align with the school’s goals and mission and maintain account records related to the school’s budget.
• Provide financial reports to school leadership and the board.
• Manage banking, loan, and lease agreements. Receive, account for and disburse monies and securities.
• Supervise accounting for and the investment of the endowment funds and ensure gifts of cash, stock and gifts in kind are applied to appropriate gift categories and corresponding draws are appropriately calculated and applied.
• Oversee financial records for the annual independent audit and retirement plan 403b audit; assist in the preparation of the annual tax return, Form 990, and other returns including Form 5500.
• Oversee financial aid process in collaboration with Head of School and Director of Admission and Placement
• Serve as staff liaison on board committees (Finance, Audit, and Investment)
• Participate in the development of school strategy, providing recommendations, financial analysis, projections, and other data to inform the process.
• Collaborate with and assist the Head of School and the Board of Trustees in meeting fiduciary responsibilities.
• Manage, mentor, and develop direct reports, providing constructive and timely feedback. Model and foster high ethical standards, integrity, and respect for colleagues, alumni/ae, parents, and students in the conduct of the school’s business.
• Ensure that human resources policies and practices are clearly articulated, consistently applied, and conform to legal requirements.
• Remain current with business management trends and cultivate professional standards and development by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, and participating in local, regional, and national professional organizations.

Education and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field. Advanced degree or CPA strongly preferred.
• At least 7-10 years’ experience in finance, accounting, and financial analysis, ideally in education.
• Experience in broad spectrum of administrative responsibilities. 

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with senior directors, parents, faculty, staff, and trustees.
• A positive attitude to interactions with staff, other senior management personnel, and funding sources while presenting a professional image of The Lamplighter School.
• A hardworking, collaborative individual who fully dedicates their energy to a cause and is willing to “go beyond the job description,” including extending extra effort, when necessary, to see projects to successful conclusions.
• Self-confident and able to relate to others in a professional manner.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Hands-on experience with non-profit fund accounting and endowment management a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and enhance the financial health of an organization.
• Ability to create financial models based upon varied scenarios, provide analysis and make recommendations to the Finance Committee and Head of School.
• Demonstrated leadership and facilitative skills.
• High ethical standards.
• Knowledge of financial/business analysis techniques.
• Ability to use independent judgement in conjunction with excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft products such as Word and Excel.
• Experience working with financial and capital assets software programs (i.e., Blackbaud Financial Edge and Raiser’s Edge)

Physical Demands and Work Environment

• Able to deal with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines and a varied and diverse array of contacts.
• May work at a desk and computer for extended periods of time.
• Be able to occasionally lift up to 10 lbs.
• Work primarily in a traditional climate-controlled office environment.

About The Lamplighter School

Lamplighter is dedicated to igniting the potential of each child. Focused on students in Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade, young children are engaged in the joy of learning through intellectual discovery in a nurturing, inclusive, and collaborative environment. At Lamplighter, the student is central and our faculty is extraordinarily skilled at working side by side to nurture each child’s natural curiosity. Lamplighter offers limitless possibilities for learning, including opportunities to solve real problems, develop STEM skills, and benefit from our outdoor environmental science building, barn, and gardens. Students at the School emerge as risk takers, problem solvers, and confident leaders. Founded in 1953, today’s 12-acre campus has an enrollment of 450 students. Lamplighter delivers serious education wrapped in the wonder of childhood.

Connections working at The Lamplighter School