Chief Financial Officer

Position Summary

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as the senior financial leader for the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix (CJP) and affiliated entities, including the Jewish Community Association (Federation), Jewish Community Foundation (Foundation), Phoenix Jewish News, LLC and the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus. The CFO is responsible for the integrity of all financial operations across this multi-entity structure, including accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, treasury, payroll, audit, investment reporting, and compliance. As a member of the executive leadership team, the CFO partners with the CEO, Board, Finance Committee, and Foundation Investment Committee to provide the financial insight and stewardship that supports the organization’s philanthropic mission.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Serve as strategic financial advisor to the CEO and executive leadership team, providing analysis and recommendations to support organizational decision-making.

• Serve as primary staff liaison to the Finance Committee and Board; prepare and present entity-level and consolidated financial reports while providing fiduciary, strategic, and risk-management guidance.

• Participate in meetings of the Board of Directors and relevant board committees as a key advisor on financial performance, financial strategy, investment matters, budgeting, and organizational sustainability.

• Develop board and committee financial literacy, including orientation materials and fiduciary guidance for lay leadership.

• Lead annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes across all entities in partnership with department heads.

Accounting & Financial Reporting

• Oversee accounting operations for CJP and affiliated entities, including general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, pledge and contribution revenue, bank reconciliations, and month-end close.

• Ensure financial reporting complies with U.S. GAAP for nonprofit organizations, including fund accounting (restricted and unrestricted net assets), functional expense allocation, and revenue recognition for pledges, grants, and events.

• Prepare the Schedule of Functional Expenses and maintain defensible cost allocation methodologies across administration, fundraising, and program functions.

• Manage annual independent audits and tax filings (Form 990 and related returns) for all entities.

• Oversee inter-entity accounting and financial relationships among CJP, Federation, Foundation, Phoenix Jewish News, and Campus.

Team Leadership

• Lead, develop, and mentor the finance and operations team; define roles, delegate effectively, and structure the department to meet organizational needs.

• Establish internal controls, policies, and procedures that safeguard organizational assets and support efficient operations.

Systems & Operations

• Own the financial systems environment, including the fund accounting platform (CSuite), budgeting software, expense management, payroll (PEO), and donation/giving platforms; ensure clean data flows between fundraising and finance systems.

• Lead or co-lead technology initiatives and process automation.

• Serve as primary staff liaison to the Foundation Investment Committee and principal organizational contact for the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO).

• Oversee treasury functions, banking relationships, cash management, liquidity planning, and investment reporting in coordination with OCIO and committees.

• Oversee financial administration and reporting for donor-advised funds, endowments, supporting organizations, and other charitable funds, including spending calculations, distributions, and compliance.

• Administer or support employee benefit and retirement plan compliance, including plan terminations, distributions, and coordination with plan providers and counsel.

• Provide executive oversight of technology environment, including outsourced IT services, cybersecurity coordination, vendor management, and technology-related risk.

Risk & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulatory requirements applicable to nonprofit and related entities.

• Oversee insurance coverage, contract review from a financial perspective, and independent contractor compliance.

• Develop and maintain organizational policies with financial or operational impact (e.g., expense, procurement, and technology-use policies).

• Oversee internal controls and fraud-prevention practices related to banking, payroll, payments, vendor management, data security and cyber risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or related field; CPA and/or MBA strongly preferred.

• 10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, including significant nonprofit experience; multientity experience strongly preferred.

• Deep knowledge of nonprofit GAAP, fund accounting, functional expense reporting, and Form 990 requirements.

• Demonstrated success presenting financial information to boards, committees, and non-financial audiences with clarity and candor.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience working with CRM, financial management, and other business software platforms; familiarity with Microsoft Dynamics 365, Community Suite, Budgyt, and similar systems is preferred. Ability to quickly learn and effectively utilize new technology platforms.

• Experience leading and developing accounting teams and building scalable processes and controls.

• Strong systems orientation, including fund accounting software, CRM/donor databases, budgeting tools, and modern productivity and AI tools.

• High integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to the mission of the Jewish community of Greater Phoenix.