Chief Financial Officer

Company: Spirit League
Location: Portland
Posted on: May 3, 2025

Job Description:

SUMMARYAs Portland's longest-established language immersion school and the only International Baccalaureate (IB) World School in Portland for preschool through eighth grade, French International School of Oregon educates students from a global perspective, preparing them to engage with inclusivity, achieve with integrity, and excel with distinction. French International has always been a school that embraces change and transformation in order to provide a unique experience for its students, and school leaders have spent the last 47 years developing and delivering an exceptional educational program. French International attracts the best educators from across the globe, who combine language immersion with the IB framework to nurture a global mindset, provide foundational skills for lifelong success, and enable children to navigate the world with empathy and curiosity. The past few years have been ones of marked growth and evolution for the school, with enrollment at an historical high and an exciting $8MM capital campaign already underway to modernize the school's campus.French International is currently hiring for a chief financial officer (CFO) who will contribute to this momentum by providing exceptional leadership around financial analysis, operational efficiency, internal workflows, and strategic planning. The CFO oversees three functional units-finance, HR, and facilities. The point positions for the finance and HR units are both in transition, with a new role (controller) having just been created, and the director of HR position having just come open. Thus, the next CFO should be comfortable evaluating financial and HR processes, eager to assess and improve workflows, and excellent at staff development and team dynamics. All the while French International needs a skilled C-level leader who can plan, forecast, strategize, and develop outstanding partnerships with external stakeholders. The CFO is a member of the senior leadership team and reports directly to the head of school. French International is looking to onboard the next CFO this summer, to ensure a smooth start to the 2025-2026 school year.IMPORTANT INFORMATIONPriority Deadline: April 30, 2025Remote Semifinal Round: Mid- MayOn-site Final Round: Late May / Early JuneDecision Announced: June 13, 2025Start Date: Summer 2025Reports To: Head of SchoolClassification: Full-time, ExemptSPECIFIC DUTIESFinancial Oversight & Strategy

• Oversee the school's finances and provide direction for appropriate and maximum use of financial resources to achieve the school's strategic priorities prioritizing long-term health and sustainability of the institution.
• Build multi-year operating and capital budget models and forecasts and develop key performance indicators to achieve the school's strategic priorities for its operating budgets, debt management, capital projects, and investments.
• Standardize and streamline budget-to-actual reporting for all departments on a regular basis, and partner with department heads to build and forecast annual budgets.
• Partner with the head of school and director of admissions to propose, allocate, and budget for annual financial aid awards for students.Systems & Operations Management
  • Lead the development, implementation, and execution of standard operating procedures for the business office, facilities, and schoolwide operations to enhance cross-departmental work-flows.
  • Partner with the head of school and owner's representative to develop project timelines and capital expense reports for capital construction projects.
  • Work closely with the controller to establish and maintain best-practice financial controls, as well as identify and implement improvements to workflows and operational procedures in areas such as AP/AR, payroll, cash management, and budget management to ensure the school is in compliance with GAAP and other state, local, and international laws and regulations.
  • Lead staff training to ensure the school community has sufficient resources and training to use systems such as Veracross, Paycor, and Incident IQ effectively.
  • Oversee and ensure the successful completion of the annual independent audit.Team Leadership & General Administration
    • Supervise three functional units (finance, HR, and facilities), along with other operational areas as needed.
    • Provide counsel and guidance on financial and operational matters to other members of the senior leadership team.
    • Oversee the school's risk management framework with guidance from the board audit committee to assess and mitigate financial, operational, and compliance risks.
    • Serve as the primary liaison to the board finance and budget committee, audit committee, and construction subcommittee, and provide effective communication, presentations, and updates to the full board.
    • Report to the head of school, participate as a collaborative member of the senior leadership team, and perform other duties as assigned.QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIESProfessional Qualifications
      • Bachelor's degree required, advanced degree or certifications (CPA, MBA, or related fields) preferred
      • 5+ years of experience in financial management, preferably in an educational or non-profit setting
      • Demonstrated success in change management and process improvement, with experience working across departments to achieve institutional goals
      • Expertise using financial management software and Google Suite; experience with Veracross preferred but not required
      • Familiarity with J-1 visa processing, and international financial aid programs (i.e. Bourses Scolaires) desiredLeadership and Personal Qualities
        • Ability to communicate financial information with clarity and accessibility for non-financial stakeholders
        • A collaborative mindset with exceptional communication, teambuilding, and interpersonal skills
        • An analytical and organized approach toward financial and operational management and decision making
        • An eagerness to build trusting, transparent relationships with staff, faculty, parents, and the board
        • Capacity to manage competing priorities, balancing short-term needs with long-term goals
        • Exceptional attention to detail and integrity
        • A creative and strategic approach to problem-solving with the willingness to challenge norms and drive process improvements
        • An understanding of and sensitivity to the school's French and international community and cross-cultural communication
        • A commitment to supporting the school's mission and vision, with a focus on both immediate stability and long-term growthTO APPLYFor more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.
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Keywords: Spirit League, Corvallis , Chief Financial Officer, Accounting, Auditing , Portland, Oregon