Chief Financial Officer

Position Overview:

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and three governing Boards (including a related Foundation), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is an active and engaged member of Summit’s Leadership Team who is devoted to allocating resources in education serving a world class charter school management organization with an entrepreneurial incubator. The CFO is the corporate officer that has the primary responsibility of managing the organization’s finances, inclusive of work such as strategic financial planning, managing financial risks, financial and compliance record-keeping, audits, financial reporting to internal and external stakeholders, treasury management, and overseeing the finance and accounting teams.

The ideal candidate has excellent written and verbal finance, accounting, and communication skills, has superb attention to detail, is a proven strategic partner, and is willing to roll up their sleeves and dive into the weeds when needed. Experience in working across multi-functional teams in a fast paced work environment is a must!

This position is preferably based in the San Francisco Bay Area following a hybrid model. However, we will consider fully remote candidates based anywhere in the United States who can accommodate regular travel and work under Pacific Standard Time schedules.

Who We Are:

What if all students graduated high school with the knowledge, skills and habits they need to lead a fulfilled life? This is the question that guides our mission at Summit Public Schools.

Summit is a leading network of public schools that prepare a diverse student population for success in a four-year college and to be thoughtful, contributing members of society. We operate 12 schools serving close to 4,000 students in the Bay Area and Washington state. 100% of Summit graduates are college ready and Summit graduates complete college at double the national average. We need exceptional, diverse, and mission-aligned individuals to help prepare our students for a fulfilled life. Join us!

What You’ll Do:

Financial Leadership

• Serve as a senior leader setting and executing the vision and mission of a world-class charter management organization and entrepreneurial incubator.
• Work with the CEO, finance and audit committees to develop and implement a long-term financial strategy to protect all assets of the organization.
• Prepare reports and present financial results to Summit’s boards and other stakeholders.
• Work closely with Summit’s development team to support grant applications, philanthropy based program expenses and reporting.
• Manage Summit’s treasury assets to ensure safety and liquidity.
• Lead Summit’s capital market activities including meeting bond disclosure and other investor related filings.
• Lead the development and implementation of all annual program budgets for a $80 million organization.
• Lead the development of long-term financial models for different programs within Summit’s organizational umbrella.
• Develop and oversee the implementation of Summit’s financial policies, procedures, and systems to ensure compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.
• Ensure sufficient working capital is available for all programming.

People Management

• Report directly to the CEO and oversee a team of 6.
• Attract, develop and retain a skilled team of accounting and finance professionals.
• Develop and implement anti-bias, anti-racist policies and practices by identifying and interrupting racist practices in your own work and spheres of influence.
• Foster positive, rewarding relationships with school and community leaders to maximize the benefits of available resources.
• Support team members and leaders on other teams relating to budget, finance, and grant reporting.
• Be known as a problem solver and resource.

Communications

• Lead all board and subcommittee meetings related to the organization’s finances.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders with varying levels of financial literacy.

What You Need:

Key Qualities and Skills

• Commitment to uphold Summit’s values and a belief that all children deserve a rigorous and equitable education that prepares them for college and for life
• Bachelor’s Degree (a Master’s Degree in Business or Finance is preferred)
• Minimum of 5 years experience as a Chief Financial Officer or other Senior Finance Leader in a fast paced educational environment.
• Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) under Financial Accounting Standards (FASB) and Government Accounting Standards (GASB)
• Experience in a multi-site, multi-state organization.
• Proficiency in NetSuite or other comprehensive accounting systems.
• Experience with Google Platforms, including Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Docs, and Google Slides preferred.
• Clear TB test and background check

Who You Are:

• You have exceptional knowledge of accounting, finance, capital markets and treasury management.
• You maintain high expectations for all staff and students and believe all students can find success in school, college, and life.
• You thrive while collaborating and are excited to work with your colleagues. You find positivity in shared successes.
• You’re deeply dedicated to social justice and feel motivated by the challenge and impact of working in a heterogenous community and closing the achievement gap.
• You share our vision to reimagine what schools should be and are excited to make an impact on the public education landscape.
• You are positive and resilient in the face of challenges.
• You possess strong people management skills, with the ability to motivate, inspire, develop, and collaborate with a diverse group of teachers, leaders, staff members, and community members.
• You have an ability to apply honest, actionable, and timely feedback that results in improved performance.
• You are empathetic and culturally competent. You’re open to having hard conversations.
• You have a high degree of integrity, maturity and good judgement.
• You thrive in innovative environments, and are comfortable with the ambiguity that can come with a dynamic and progressive workplace.
• You’re committed to continuous improvement, see feedback as a positive, and have a growth mindset.

What You Get:

In addition to joining a highly motivated team and engaging in meaningful work, you’ll have access to a comprehensive suite of benefits including a retirement plan, unlimited “take what you need” time-off policy, 11 paid holidays, and 3 weeks of organization-wide closures during the year. You and your dependents will have access to multiple health, dental, and vision plans at 25% cost (we cover the other 75%) and employee life and disability insurance at no cost. Our compensation policy strives to be equitable and transparent. The salary for this position starts at $203,402 and goes up to $267,664 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Summit is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly intertwined with education. We are ALL better when we are able to bring our whole selves to work and honor each other’s voices across identities, cultural backgrounds, and life experiences. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals who are members of historically marginalized communities. Spanish language proficiency is a plus.