Job Description

Position Overview

The Executive Director (ED) of Finance develops and oversees the annual budget for the South Bend Empowerment Zone (SBEZ) and directs the zone’s financial strategy to maximize available funds and align spending to zone priorities. The Executive Director of Finance serves as a strategic advisor to the SBEZ Chief on effective resource allocation, manages key zone financial activities, and liaises closely with the South Bend Community School Corporation (SBCSC) on budget and finance matters carried out by the corporation on behalf of SBEZ.

Responsibilities

The core responsibilities of the Executive Director of Finance include, but are not limited to:

• Lead the annual budget development process and manage spending for the $25M zone budget across five school sites and central zone spending.
• Develop a sustainable multi-year financial plan for SBEZ, including modeling forward-looking projections of revenues and expenses to support budget scenario planning.
• Annually examine the SBEZ budget allocation process and components to ensure effective resource use and alignment with Zone mission and vision.
• As part of the budget development process, work in collaboration with SBCSC to align on critical budgetary inputs including enrollment projections for each school, salary and benefits increases, and other revenue and expense drivers.
• Provide information and develop compensation proposals for collective bargaining processes, as needed.
• Coordinate with SBCSC on annual updates to the pricing and service agreements for corporation-provided required and optional services.
• Create budget guidance documents, reports, and communications, and guide budget rollout to stakeholders and schools in collaboration with the Zone Chief and other SBEZ team members.
• Present the annual budget and key updates at SBEZ Board of Directors meetings and lead SBEZ Board finance subcommittee meetings.
• Create tools to support zone and school staff in managing budgets and financial matters, including tracking vacancies and hiring in the spring and monitoring year-to-date spending throughout the fiscal year.
• Ensure the annual SBEZ budget – including revenue, expense, staffing, and position control information – is accurately translated by corporation staff into SBCSC’s financial and HR information systems.
• Steward the procurement process, in collaboration with SBCSC staff, for key zone contracted services to support SBEZ schools and central team.
• Effectively manage zone spending across various funding sources and grant cycles, including amendments, to ensure all resources are maximized and fully spent down by their expiration dates.
• Liaise closely with SBCSC finance staff, the SBEZ accountant, and the SBEZ Chief in budget monitoring and management.
• Work with SBEZ’s accountant to maintain strong policies, procedures, reporting and controls for SBEZ as a nonprofit, including supporting the annual audit.
• In collaboration with vendors, ensure payroll and employee benefits are effectively administered, and manage SBEZ’s non-profit bank account(s).

Skills, Knowledge, Qualifications, and Experience

• Demonstrated ability and skills in financial/analytical matters.
• Capacity to lead organizational planning with respect to strategic resource allocation
• Knowledge of principles and practices of educational finance, including school budget management, financial planning, and risk management.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex ideas to audiences with varying levels of financial knowledge and expertise.
• Strong ability to drive continuous improvement in systems, including the ability to assess current systems, understand areas for improvement, seek input from diverse stakeholders, generate potential solutions, and drive rigorous implementation.
• Excellent analytical skills and the ability to generate insights and implications from quantitative data.
• A passion for working with urban schools, and a strong commitment to improving educational opportunities for all students.
• Bachelor’s degree required (advanced degree preferred).
• Experience in a public school district/corporation setting preferred.
• Proficiency with financial accounting software and Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Compensation & Benefits

SBEZ offers a competitive salary and benefits package commensurate with qualifications and experience.

 

How to Apply

To Apply If you are interested in applying for this position, please email a resume and cover letter to employment@sbez.org with Executive Director of Finance Application in the subject line.

Bureaus: Indiana. Job Categories: Full-Time. Job Types: Finance.