Chief Financial Officer

First Place For Youth-Join Our Team Video

Are you dedicated to empowering and supporting youth, regardless of their background? We're searching for passionate individuals to make a positive impact on the lives of foster youth. Become an integral part of their transformative journey and join the First Place for Youth team.

About First Place for Youth, we're a leading non-profit organization dedicated to supporting foster youth in their transition to adulthood, with a focus on education, employment, and housing. We believe that all young people deserve the opportunity to thrive and lead successful, independent lives. Our comprehensive programs empower foster youth to overcome the unique challenges they face and build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to succeed.

Why Work at First Place for Youth:

• Meaningful Impact: Help to transform the lives of foster youth on the cusp of adulthood. Your role will support them in their journey to conquer challenges, achieve independence, and fulfill their aspirations.
• Innovative Approach: We thrive on innovation, pushing the boundaries of foster care support. Your voice here matters, and you'll contribute to programs that redefine the futures of these young lives.
• Collaborative and Supportive Environment: Embrace a dynamic and supportive workplace, where every team member is valued. Together, we're a force dedicated to uplifting youth. Expect professional growth, fueled by teamwork and collaboration.
• Comprehensive Benefits: We value the well-being of our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package. From health and wellness benefits to retirement plans, we ensure that our team members are taken care of so they can focus on their important work supporting foster youth.
• Culture of Diversity and Inclusion: We celebrate diversity in every form. At First Place for Youth, inclusivity reigns, creating a workplace where all voices are heard, respected, and empowered.

POSITION SUMMARY: The CFO will be a forward-looking and flexible thinker with the ability to quickly gather and synthesize information for the staff and board to drive rigorous planning and decision-making processes. Working closely with the Executive Team, they will bring strategic financial acumen to bear in setting the agency's future direction, shaping policy and funding priorities, monitoring relevant shifts in the regional and national landscape, and developing the systems and practices that will allow First Place to fully capture those opportunities for expansion. The ideal candidate will be a seasoned and strategic finance professional, preferably with experience in non-profit. They will demonstrate superior relationship-building leadership, and diplomatic skills in both leading the finance team and as a key member of the Executive Team. They will have a strong personal commitment to First Place's mission to serving youth, and the ability to grow along with the organization as it plans for a new era of expansion and impact.

The CFO will direct and oversee the financial activities of the organization, direct the preparation of current financial reports and summaries, and create forecasts predicting future growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Vision and Leadership

• Advise CEO and key members of senior management on finances including planning, budgeting, cash flow and policy matters.
• Serve as the management liaison to the board finance and audit committees; effectively communicate and present critical financial statements at select board of director and finance committee meetings.
• Refine systems for generating real-time forecasts and other financial tools to support the organization in making sound business decisions, especially with regard to scaling, developing philanthropic support, and building capacity to review programs from a budgeting perspective.
• Contribute to the development of strategic goals and objectives and to the overall management of First Place for Youth.
• Lead proactive communications efforts to keep the CEO, Executive Team, and board continuously up to date on the financial status of the organization and drive momentum on new initiatives.
• Represent the organization externally as necessary, particularly with respect to banking, insurance and lease negotiations for all First-Place offices.

Finance Department Oversight and Organizational Planning

• Create systems for the production of accurate and timely information on the financial status of all programs and departments upon request, including reports that enable First Place directors and managers to monitor and manage their own departmental, team or project budgets.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute the annual budget process. Lead the development of annual planning tools and systems that encompass broader strategic goals.
• Improve administrative and accounting services such as treasury management, 401K plans, grants payment processing, payroll, accounts payable, and purchasing.
• Ensure accuracy and compliance with First Place accounting policies and procedures as well as regulatory compliance. Oversee the annual audit and ensure a clean opinion.
• Provide administrative services and record keeping as well as internal and external client and bank relations for business lines of credit. Manage liability of extended credit.

IT and Operations Department Management

• Provide strategic planning, operational and budgetary oversight and management of Information Technology (IT) functions ensuring alignment between organization's overall strategic plan and IT projects and processes.
• Oversee First Place's physical infrastructure, including maintenance and upkeep of the facilities, lease negotiation, office allocation, building renovations or upgrades. Seek to use environmentally sustainable building materials, processes, tools and supplies.
• Give effective individual and team leadership to the agency's administrative function, ensuring excellent customer service to people both inside and outside First Place.
• Oversee planning, maintenance and implementation of First Place safety and security protocols.
• Provide cross-functional support for the work of the Program Team regarding general facilities oversight by reviewing building maintenance procedures, supporting effective vendor management, addressing complaints by city regulators, ensuring accurate and timely payment of rents and fees, and assisting the resolution of any significant issues, as needed.

Team Development

• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, conduct annual performance appraisals, and administer all aspects of employee relations for assigned staff.
• Promote a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality and customer service.
• Ensure that staff members receive timely and appropriate training.

Other duties as needed and assigned

Qualification and Requirements:

The CFO will be an experienced financial leader possessing the following key qualifications and characteristics:

• A mission-driven individual with a belief in and commitment to First Place, and an affinity to working with foster care youth transitioning to adulthood.
• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred in a relevant area such as finance, accounting, economics, or business administration.
• A strong dedication to cultural competency that creates conditions that remove barriers and increase a sense of belonging.
• Minimum of seven years of progressive experience in finance, including at least five years in senior leadership roles with responsibility for strategic financial management, planning, and organizational operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets of at least $10 million and overseeing complex financial systems, multi-site operations, and diverse funding streams.
• Proven senior-level managerial and operational experience, problem solving, and financial experience in the nonprofit sector; executive experience in similarly sized public or private sector organizations.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the demonstrated ability to research, assimilate and analyze information, compose documents, and present data in a clear and concise manner to appropriate personnel, including top management, program staff and/or Board of Directors. Aptitude for gathering and evaluating financial information and making actionable recommendations to senior leadership.
• Familiarity with managing a variety of sources of grants and contracts, and gathering accurate financial data for government and foundation grant proposals and reports. Experience leading budget development, financial modeling and forecasting processes in an organization with multiple sites and diverse funding streams. Comprehensive and expert knowledge of internal controls, FASB, GAAP, government accounting policies, cost allocation procedures and fund accounting is desirable.
• Sophisticated leadership skills and presence developed through a minimum of eight to ten years of progressive financial leadership experience preferably in a high-growth, best-in-class organization with a youth-facing and/or direct service focus. Demonstrated values-based leadership and the highest levels of personal and professional integrity. Exemplary people management skills, with the ability to link the development of people with achievement of organizational outcomes. Strong cross-functional capacity to both lead and participate across teams to define issues and agree on processes, strategies and outcomes.
• Strongly results-driven with detail orientation; demonstrated ability to think strategically while executing tactically within a resource-constrained environment. Ability to either take direction or work independently as the situation requires.
• Availability for occasional evening and weekend work as well as travel as needed.

BENEFITS:

• 15 days of vacation time in the first year
• 12 days of sick time
• 2 floating holidays
• 15 paid holidays
• Employee's choice of Kaiser or UCH HMO/PPO with up to 90% of the premium covered by First Place on certain plans
• Principal dental and vision coverage
• Healthcare and Dependent care FSA plans
• Principal basic life and voluntary life insurance coverage
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid sabbatical

• Paid maternity and paternity leave

• We do not offer relocation assistance Local candidates preferred

• Pay will be determined based on Education and Experience.

If you are passionate about making a difference in the lives of transition age foster youth and want to join a dynamic and impactful organization, we invite you to apply. Together, let's empower transition age foster youth to achieve their dreams and build a brighter future. To learn more about First Place For Youth and view our current job openings, please visit our website at

We are unable to sponsor work visas now or in the future.

First Place will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and applicable law. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the California Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage or reviewing this guidance provide by the City of San Francisco. For additional information regarding your rights, please also review the Summary of Your Rights Under the FCRA.