Chief Financial Officer - Open positions at Cara

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

About Cara Collective
Cara Collective seeks to fuel a courageous national movement to eradicate relational and financial poverty. Our Mission is to build an inclusive economy by developing employment pathways to advance transformative individual and community success. Through our four entities – Cara, Cleanslate, Cara Connects, and Cara Plus – we engage job seekers, employers, and other organizations across the country to break the cycle of poverty through the power and purpose of employment.

We believe that there is an incredible and untapped talent pool in our country, one comprised of people often experiencing homelessness and poverty. Our job is to unlock the strengths they already have and showcase them anew to the world. Today, we take the insights gained over the past 30 years to equip other organizations and employers with practices to help build a more inclusive economy.

To ensure that we are centering our work around the individuals and communities we serve, Cara Collective commits to taking an inclusive and equitable approach in all we do: in our program design, diverse representation in our staff, partnerships we choose to enter, and our external and internal communications and policies. We leverage our individuality and differences as a way of deepening community and expanding opportunity in and around our organization.

About the Role
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is instrumental in driving the financial health, sustainability, and operational excellence of the organization. With a strategic mindset and a commitment to fiscal responsibility, the CFO ensures that all financial operations align with the organization’s mission and long-term objectives.

The CFO oversees several critical non-program operations, including Finance and the Contracts & Compliance teams. This role ensures sound fiscal management and efficient support services to the Enterprise’s programs and social enterprises, including Cleanslate and Cara Connects. The CFO manages key enterprise areas such as risk management, financial and tax reporting, annual budgeting, the external audit process, and public grants billing.

Qualifications
We are excited to offer this opportunity for an experienced and strategic leader to join our team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This role is ideal for a mission-driven professional passionate about leveraging financial expertise to support an organization dedicated to racial equity and to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Requirements:

1. 10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, preferably in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization.
2. Proven experience in budgeting, financial reporting, compliance, and audit processes.
3. Strong knowledge of financial and tax regulations, risk management, and asset oversight.
4. Advanced proficiency in financial software and tools, especially Microsoft Excel.
5. Experience leading systems and teams; significant proficiency with Salesforce will be ideal.
6. Expertise in team leadership and cross-departmental collaboration.
7. Commitment to Cara Collective's mission and values, with an understanding of racial equity and poverty alleviation efforts.
8. Exceptional organizational and communication skills.

Reports To
President & CEO

Workplace Type & Team Culture
Cara Collective has a strong team culture that values collaboration, communication, and camaraderie. We believe in the power of working together in person, which is why we expect our employees to be onsite at one of our Chicago-based locations multiple days each week.

Starting Pay Range
This position’s expected starting pay range is $180,000 - $210,000 annually.

Benefits
Medical, Dental, Vision Plans, Basic Life Insurance, Long Term Disability, Personal Technology Stipend, Paid Parental Leave, Vacation Days, Sick Days, Paid Holidays, Employee Paid Benefits, 401(k) Retirement Plan.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Cara Collective is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.