Posted on December 14, 2012

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Director of Finance and Administration

The Urban Assembly is a non-profit organization on the cutting edge of innovation in public education. The UA creates and manages unique schools, scales up promising programs, and coordinates hundreds of partner organizations to positively affect the lives of students from New York City’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. The organization’s mission is to empower underserved youth by providing them with the academic and life skills necessary for college and career success.

In 2012-13, the UA is serving over 8,500 students in 21 Urban Assembly schools in the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. With graduation and college matriculation rates consistently above the NYC average, The Urban Assembly is establishing models of public education recognized across New York, and in cities across the country.

The Position:
The Urban Assembly is seeking a smart, hardworking and experienced financial manager to become its next Director of Finance and Administration (“DFA”). Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), the DFA will be responsible for all financial activities for UA, including financial management and reporting, budget, general accounting, billing, and grants management, as well as for administrative services, human resources, and facilities. The DFA will play a critical role in strengthening and overseeing fiscal management systems and achieving UA’s goals by ensuring cost controls and informing strategic revenue generation. In addition, the DFA will serve as the fiscal agent for many of UA’s schools, enabling them to receive private grants and individual donations.

The DFA is an important part of the executive team and it is critical that he or she be capable of integrating smoothly into the senior management at UA, fitting into the organization’s culture. He or she will provide counsel and support to the CEO and the Board of Directors, including the Finance Committee, on all financial and administrative matters, as well as work on various strategic initiatives.

He or she will work with the CEO, the Board and staff in a supportive and direct manner with a minimum of ego. He or she will have strong interpersonal skills, excellent written and oral communication skills, a hands-on management style, and the ability to address and solve problems or issues as they arise. In addition, he or she will be diplomatic, of the highest integrity, and possess sound judgment as well as a sense of humor.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Manage the agency’s overall budget and finances. Develop and coordinate the agency’s budgeting process and timetable, working with the CEO and members of the senior management team to develop annual financial goals for the agency.
  
• Administer fiscal systems that reflect operating activities, align with internal budgets and reflect compliance with grant and contracting spending stipulations for both the UA and its schools.
  
• Serve as a member of the agency’s senior staff, participating in the development and implementation of overall policies, long-range planning, and daily operational goals and objectives.
  
• Develop and coordinate short and long-range business and financial plans, and facilities plans.
  
• Formulate, recommend and implement sound fiscal policies, procedures and controls, including internal control compliance. Develop and implement controls, systems and procedures for effective operations and timely monitoring and reporting.
  
• Manage and oversee all accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, bank reconciliations, monthly closing schedules and planning and monitoring of cash flow.
  
• Prepare regular financial reports that illustrate budget versus actual spending on both an organization and school-by-school basis.
  
• Prepare quarterly Board reporting and semi-annual grant reporting. Provide primary support for the Finance committee of the Board of Directors and for various ad hoc committees of the Board as needed, working closely with the Board leadership, the CEO and the Director of Development.
  
• Facilitate annual financial audit and tax filings, draft financial statements and serve as liaison to external auditors.
  
• Oversight of all human resources functions, including on- and off-boarding, training, policies and procedures, compensation and benefits. Process personnel paperwork for new/terminated employees. Maintain insurance policies and employee benefits package, conducting an annual review of such policies.
  
• Develop and implement administrative systems that support a smooth office operation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, or CPA preferred.
  
• Master’s Degree from an accredited university in finance, management, public policy, or a related field desired.
  
• Commitment to the mission and goals of The Urban Assembly.
  
• Minimum of ten years of executive level management experience in a multi-faceted financial operation with significant budgeting and accounting responsibility, ideally with experience in nonprofit management.
  
• Experience with financial management of government contracts and/or knowledge of government accounting/financial management a plus.
  
• Knowledge of internal control systems used for general accounting principles and specialized nonprofit industry accounting practices and procedures.
  
• Acumen in maintaining accurate financial records and preparing clear and accurate reports for informational, auditing, and operational use.
  
• Ability to read, analyze, interpret and explain complex financial data.
  
• Ability to work independently, prioritizing workflow to meet critical deadlines while paying exceptionally close attention to detail.
  
• Ability to take initiative, think strategically and collaborate with others.
  
• Proficiency in QuickBooks and Microsoft Office suite required.
  
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  
• Must be personable, bright, courteous diplomatic, analytical, maintain a professional demeanor, of the highest integrity, and possess sound judgment as well as a sense of humor. Must be comfortable with rapid pace of change.
  
• Notary Public a plus.

Application Instructions

To Apply:
The Urban Assembly has retained the services of Harris Rand Lusk to conduct this search. Inquiries, nominations, and applications may be directed in confidence to:

Jack Lusk, Managing Partner or
Anne McCarthy, Senior Associate
Harris Rand Lusk
261 Madison Avenue
11th Floor
New York, NY 10016
UAFinance@harrisrand.com