Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

The Director, FP&A reports to the VP Finance & Controller, and oversees the operational and strategic activities of the Financial Planning & Analysis unit. The Director is responsible for providing leadership by managing multiple deliverables and operational processes along with providing strategic support and analysis. In this key role, this individual will lead the budgeting, forecasting, long-term financial planning, implementation, strategic business analysis, financial modeling, and ad hoc reports for the Society. The FP&A team acts as a consultative partner to business leaders, encourages data-driven decision making, process improvement, and supports business growth.

The Director will partner business leaders to review analysis results, and provide insightful suggestions for investment, identify financial risk, cost reduction, and provide strategic business decisions. The Director will lead a team of five staff. The Director will provide financial oversight to managers on day-to-day operations to support the business strategies. The Director will have strong experience in working collaboratively and effectively with widely diverse constituent groups, including volunteer leadership. They must have strong organizational skills: ability to work under minimal supervision and make independent decisions. Must possess strong written and verbal communication skills and maintain positive working relationships.

Position Accountabilities

• Responsible for running the annual budget process across the entire organization, including defining key deliverables & dates, developing templates for review meetings with Leadership, and providing detailed support to functional owners on their respective budgets.
• Own monthly business review meetings, including actuals reporting and monthly forecast reviews presented to Leadership. This includes identifying key risks, opportunities, and changes in trends that the Society needs to act on.
• Provides day to day and strategic leadership to FP&A team including open lines of communication, setting goals, coaching, training, and supporting career development opportunities.
• Manage all aspects of analyzing monthly, quarterly, annual, and long-term financial projections across multiple functions that impact business performance.
• Present financial reporting to Leadership and provide insight and recommendations to improve financial performance and mitigate risks based on predictive modeling of business performance.
• Collaborate with business leaders to understand business initiatives, manage expectations, and provide financial support of business decisions.
• Support team in building predictive business models to help Leadership make data-driven decisions.
• Ensures high levels of performance, achievement of goals, and quality of results through management and team members. Leads by example and create an environment that fosters process efficiency and effectiveness though encouraging ideas for process change.
• Build and maintain relationships by collaborating across units and departments to foster trust, commitment, accountability, and results.
• Analyze and evaluate business processes and recommend actions to streamline processes and improve operational efficiencies.
• Continuously monitor the effectiveness of existing technology and systems to ensure applicability and usefulness of systems.
• Actively support and contribute to ACS's commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.
• Drive special projects and ad-hoc analyses.

Competencies

• Financial Expertise: Deeply understand financial management, accounting principles, and financial reporting and a minimum of ten years of experience in financial analysis, planning, and budgeting. Knowledge of non-profit accounting regulations, compliance, and best practices is required. Bachelor's degree in Finance or Accounting is required, while CPA and/or MBA is strongly preferred.
• Strategic Thinking: Thinks strategically and provides financial guidance aligned with the organization's mission and strategic goals.
• Teamwork/Management: Works collaboratively with others to achieve organizational goals. Excellent leadership skills and capable of managing and mentoring a finance team, particularly at a non-profit organization, including ability to inspire and motivate their team members, and fostering a collaborative and results-oriented work environment. Treats others with respect.
• Decision Making/Judgment: Recognizes problems and responds, systematically gathers information, sorts through complex issues, seeks input from others, addresses root cause of issues, makes timely decisions, can make difficult decisions, uses consensus when possible, and communicates decisions to others.
• Compliance/Risk Management: Thoroughly understand compliance requirements for non-profit organizations, including IRS regulations and legal obligations. They should also be adept at-risk assessment and mitigation strategies to safeguard the organization's financial health.
• Communication: Effective communication skills are essential to present financial information clearly and concisely to non-financial stakeholders. They should also be able to build strong relationships with external partners.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, business acumen, leadership skills, exceptional interpersonal and communication skills - proven ability to interface effectively and influence senior levels of the organization.
• Demonstrated outstanding financial acumen.
• Strong knowledge of business processes and systems. Ability to work collaboratively and in partnership with IT to assess and improve technology needs.
• Supervisory experience including ability to develop and lead staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of not for profit or higher education culture, governance, structures, and mission.
• Demonstrated focus on customer service and collaboration.
• Ability to transfer knowledge to co-workers in a collaborative and engaging manner.
• Be current with business and economic issues relevant to the client’s business.
• Proven success building relationships with internal and external stakeholders and being able to successfully influence and negotiate in complex situations.
• Ability to build and implement process changes across an organization.
• Sustained success in driving financial rigor within a cross functional team.
• Proven ability to produce high end work products.

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or finance, or related degree; MBA/CPA a plus.
• Minimum of ten years of experience with at least eight years in a leadership role. Non-profit accounting experience a plus.
• Experience leading FP&A function, preferably in a not for profit environment.
• Proven ability to collaborate, influence, and build trust in a team environment.
• Extensive experience in financial modeling, financial forecasting, and budgeting required.
• Skilled in use of financial reporting & analysis tools. Strong excel skills, financial databases, etc.
• Knowledge of key financial performance metrics and the ability to interpret and communicate them effectively.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to interact with stakeholders at all levels.
• Proven ability to mentor and develop people.
• Strong project management skills and change management skills.
• Self-starter and strong desire to achieve results efficiently in a dynamic environment, and is passionate about quality, results, and progress

This position will be primarily based in the Washington D.C. office. ACS employees work a hybrid work schedule, consisting of working onsite, three days per week. ACS employees are in the office on Tuesday and Wednesday with the third in-office day scheduled in consultation with the manager. While always welcome to work in the office, employees may work the other two days of the week from a location of their choice. New employees are immediately eligible for this hybrid work arrangement. ACS offers relocation assistance, if applicable.

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