Job Description

RISE Director of Finance

Reports to: Executive Director

Location: New Haven, CT (Hybrid), with some in-state travel

Please note that while this role is being posted in December, interviews will start in early January after the holiday break. Please expect to hear from our Talent Team with next steps at that point.

Overview:

The RISE Network’s mission is to ensure all RISE high school students graduate with a plan and the skills and confidence to achieve college and career success. Founded in 2015, RISE partners with public high schools to lead networks where school communities work together to use data to learn and improve. Through its core and most comprehensive network, RISE partners with nine high schools and eight public school districts, serving over 13,000 students; the majority of RISE students identify as Black, Latine, and/or low-income. Through scale partnerships, RISE collaborated with 50+ additional high schools during the 2024-25 school year, spanning six states. RISE high schools work together to ensure all students experience success as they transition to, through, and beyond high school by using data to pinpoint needs, form hypotheses, and pursue ideas to advance student achievement. 

Over the past ten years, RISE Core Network high schools have achieved double-digit gains improving Grade 9 on-track achievement, four-year-high school graduation rates, and student identification of postsecondary plans, while also decreasing subgroup gaps across all indicators. In 2021, the RISE Network was honored to receive the Carnegie Foundation’s annual Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement recognition. Increasingly, RISE is pursuing opportunities to scale its impact through the expansion of the RISE Data Hub and consulting partnerships with public school districts, state agencies, and non-profit organizations. 

Position Summary and Essential Job Functions:

The RISE Director of Finance will play an integral role leading the organization’s finance systems and routines, ensuring the financial health, sustainability, and transparency of the organization. The RISE Network’s annual budget exceeds $7 million with diversified revenue from philanthropic partners and through program services. The RISE team is dedicated to resource stewardship and ensuring investments support our mission of ensuring students experience success in and beyond high school. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment, and is passionate about educational equity and continuous improvement.

The Director of Finance will serve as a member of the RISE Management Team, lead the organization’s finances, and serve as a strategic partner to the leadership team. This includes budget development and management, oversight of accounting operations and compliance functions, coordination of the annual audit, grant budget reporting, pricing strategy for program services, and long-term financial modeling. The Director of Finance will help to align financial systems with the organization’s mission to deliver excellent services and student outcomes. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance will manage direct reports and critical external partnerships. 

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• People and Team Leadership

• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of RISE’s finance functions.





• Establish and monitor finance-related key performance indicators (KPIs).





• Promote team collaboration, including by facilitating purposeful team meetings and work plans. 





• Facilitate the ongoing professional development of all team members through coaching, modeling, mentorship, feedback, and other learning opportunities.





• Maintain an excellent team climate rooted in high expectations, an appreciation for team diversity, and a commitment to create an inclusive and collaborative team environment.





• Engage team members in weekly one-on-one check-ins and ongoing performance management routines, providing staff with ongoing feedback and coaching.





• Serve on the Management Team, helping to advance the organization’s strategy and growth.





• Manage key external partnerships that serve as an extension of the Finance Team’s capacity.





• Present clear, actionable financial information to non-financial stakeholders.





• Supervise finance staff and support the development of financial literacy across the organization.

• Budget Development and Management

• Lead the annual organizational budgeting process, including close collaboration across departments.





• Partner with department leaders to create and monitor budget projections.





• Prepare monthly budget-to-actual reports and financial insights for the Leadership Team and Board of Directors, inclusive of variance flags and recommendations.





• Serve as the finance liaison to the Board of Directors and Treasurer, and facilitate quarterly Finance Committee meetings. 





• Support managers in developing and leveraging team budget tracking tools. 

• Accounting Operations, Internal Controls, and Audit Coordination

• Lead and strengthen systems for accounts payables and accounts receivable, and ongoing accounting functions in partnership with our external accountants.





• Ensure all financial practices and policies comply with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, and internal policies.





• Maintain strong internal controls to safeguard organizational assets.





• Lead the annual audit process, acting as the primary point of contact for external auditors.





• Lead contracting processes, including by negotiating contracts with external vendors.





• Coordinate annual filings.

• Revenue Strategy

• Guide the organization’s pricing strategy for programs and other fee-for-service offerings.





• Serve on RISE’s cross-departmental growth and business development team.





• Maintain systems to track profit/loss for specific RISE products and services.





• Build budget proposals for grant applications and collaborate with the Director of External Engagements around the development of budgets for RISE consulting services and products.





• Maintain financial systems for grant reporting, ensuring compliance with all financial grant requirements and tracking restricted funds.

• Financial Planning 

• Analyze revenue streams, cost structures, and financial risks, recommending strategies for sustainability and growth.





• Lead long-term financial modeling, scenario planning, and forecasting to support strategic decision-making.





• Serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and Board Finance Committee.

Required Knowledge and Skills:

• Experience building and maintaining significant organizational budgets (multi-million dollar annual budgets).





• Experience leading annual audits.





• Strong understanding of nonprofit accounting, grant management, fund accounting, and GAAP.





• Systems-level strategist who can build and codify effective systems that will enhance and support future organizational growth/expansion.





• Strategic thought partner to leaders across functions (i.e. senior leadership team) who can inform and implement financial strategies.





• Proficiency with accounting and budgeting software (e.g., QuickBooks).





• Excellent analytical, communication, and organizational skills.





• Commitment to the mission and values of the education nonprofit sector.





• Proficiency with Google Sheets, Slides, and other Google products.





• Outstanding interpersonal skills and teamwork.





• Commitment to systems-driven solutions for scalable and sustained impact.





• Strong organizational and project management skills.





• Ability to ramp up on new content and work in an independent and self-motivated manner.





• Desire to work in a dynamic, entrepreneurial, and results-driven environment.





• Positive attitude and willingness to work in a collaborative environment.

Preferred Knowledge and Skills: 

• Experience using Quickbooks and Bill.com (or comparable tools).





• 7+ years of progressive professional experience in finance management.





• Staff management experience.





• Alignment to organizational mission and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.





• Has worked with or on behalf of communities with similar demographics/mission as those served by RISE.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of 7 years of financial management experience, ideally within the nonprofit or education sector.





• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field required; CPA or MBA preferred.

Working at RISE:

RISE is committed to being a great place to work! Here’s what you can expect as a member of the RISE team: 

• A hybrid workplace with flexibility to work where and when it makes the most sense for employees to thrive personally and professionally. 





• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision insurance, and full coverage of the premiums for our employee-only base plans. 





• Paid time off plans in addition to 12 organizational holidays and 3 personal days. 





• Paid parental, family, and compassionate leave. 





• A 401k plan with a 5% matching contribution that vests immediately. 





• Employer-provided equipment, including laptop and cellphone with mobile hotspot as well as funds to help set up your office, at home or at work. 





• Investment in continued professional development and learning, through ongoing coaching and development, internal training, funds for external learning opportunities, and a tuition reimbursement program. 

Salary Range

$135,000 - $190,000

Most new hires' salaries fall within the first half of the range, allowing team members to grow in their roles. For those who already have significant and aligned experiences at the same level as the role, placement may be at the higher end of the range.

The Connecticut RISE Network is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Please note that while this role is being posted in December, interviews will start in early January after the holiday break. Please expect to hear from our Talent Team with next steps at that point. 

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