Ideal Start Date: April 1

About The Right To The City Alliance (RTTC) 

Right to the City Alliance (RTTC) emerged in 2007 with a strong and powerful vision to 1) halt the displacement of low-income people, Black, Indigenous, and people of color, LGBTQ communities, and youth of color, and 2) protect and expand affordable housing in tandem with a broader movement to build democratic and just healthy communities for the 21st century.  Since its inception, RTTC has grown to encompass over 80 community-based racial, economic, gender, and environmental justice organizations located in 26 states and 45 cities. Deeply rooted in grassroots leadership of communities most impacted by gentrification and displacement, our member organizations weave together local on-the-ground organizing, policy, and advocacy campaigns to build a robust and unstoppable national movement for inclusive, healthy housing and community development. 

Organizational Work Culture

We take the work seriously, but not ourselves: Right to the City is committed to a work culture of care and balance.  We understand that rigor and rest are compatible and both are necessary to reach our movement building goals.  We actively work to audit our policy and culture in service of our commitment to racial justice and feminist praxis.  Principled struggle and generative conflict are core commitments and we take a transformative approach to resolving harm.  While we take our commitments seriously, our work environment commonly includes jokes, laughter, celebration and all other manner of enjoyable human experiences. 

Position Summary

RTTC’s financial infrastructure is a growing multi-entity ecosystem.  This year we are launching an external back office entity to grow the infrastructure commons for our movement.  The Director of Finance position will serve as the finance lead for the back office entity, providing strategic financial and managerial oversight to its client-partners. 

The ideal candidate will be a finance leader experienced with multi-entity financial infrastructures; able to guide strategy, adapt to changing conditions, someone who believes deeply in self-determination and community power, and who embodies a commitment to both personal and systemic transformation.  

This position Reports to: the Director of the back office entity; participates in the Organizational Leadership Team and leads the Finance Team.

Job Responsibilities

1. Financial Planning and Analysis (20%)        

• Develop and guide overall financial strategy for the organizational ecosystem, including the back office entity and its partners to ensure sustainable growth and execution of its business plan
• Perform financial forecasts; lead multi-year financial planning, scenario and contingency planning processes
• Conduct monthly financial analysis including comparisons of budget, actual expenses, and forecasts, audit performance, and risk management ensuring both stability and sustainability for the organization
• Work closely with organizational leadership team to ensure appropriate level of reporting information to inform decision-making at the board and leadership levels for all partner entities
• Coordinate financial planning systems, ensuring budgets are aligned with long-range financial plans for the ecosystem
• Guide investment strategy

2. Budget Management and Oversight (20%)  

• Lead annual budget development and management systems in partnership with leadership and other staff
• Build the financial literacy and leadership of collaborators and participants in our financial and budgeting systems
• Maintain a rolling three-year budget and produce annual business plans
• Develop and deliver timely and accurate financial reports, dashboards and analysis to support decision making for each partner entity.  
• Oversee preparation and monitoring of cash flow projections on a regular basis
• Oversee creation of board and leadership presentations

3. Finance Team Oversight and Management (20%) 

• Provide supervision to the finance team
• Ensure recordkeeping in compliance with GAAP, monitor internal controls and finance functions, making recommendations for policy changes and process improvements
• Oversee a consistent and timely monthly closing process
• Oversee and direct day-to-day accounting functions and systems 
• Oversee cost allocation framework across the financial ecosystem

4. Operations and Compliance (20%) 

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements; monitor fiscal compliance with funder requirements 
• Ensure ongoing adherence to accountability protocols 
• Align management and oversight systems across partner entities
• Update and implement financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance and efficiency in all aspects of financial management
• Formulate, recommend, and implement sound fiscal policies, procedures and controls in compliance with funder requirements
• Oversee implementation and training of financial systems 
• Oversee financial systems integration and Automation 
• Oversee completion of annual audits and submission of reports

5. Organizational & Department Leadership (20%)

• Set departmental goals and ensure proper staffing levels to meet needs
• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, and training to staff 
• Play a critical support role to ensure have the financial information and capacity needed for their respective responsibilities
• Support a collaborative, performance-driven, and respectful team culture
• Ensure finance team functions, division of labor and capacities are sustainable and grounded in a sustainable growth strategy and business plan 
• Maintain understanding of policies and support compliance through internal systems
• Foster transparent, inclusive dialogue within the leadership team on financial issues
• Model collaborative in decision-making and staff engagement
• Attend and present to leadership bodies in our governance structure as needed

Common Expectations for all positions: 

RTTC intentionally builds collaborative and transformative culture through:

• Organizational participation: (Approx. 10% of time)  team planning, staff meetings and trainings, national convenings, collaborative projects across teams, and HR/administrative tasks common to all positions.   
• Evolution of the work: Areas of work may change over time based on organization and movement needs, and always in consultation with the staff person
• Transformative Praxis: Participate in RTTC’s transformative justice program to align our practice with our values and principles. Build staff unity and cohesion, and principled struggle amongst all team/staff members.  
• Location & Travel: Location is negotiable. RTTC has concentrations of staff in the following areas: Philly, Atlanta, Boston, Brooklyn (physical office), and the SF Bay Area. Travel is required; frequency and duration of travel is negotiable but candidates should expect to travel between 3-5 times per year for 3-5 days at a time.

Qualities We Are Looking For 

• Bold Vision. You bring fierce imagination and deep commitment that we can and will create the world our communities need. You can share that vision in ways that inspire and compel.
• Swiss Army Knife. You are resourceful and creative, willing to do what it takes to make a project succeed. You can handle a lot in a fast-paced, multi-faceted work environment.
• Interdependent. You are able to work independently, self-managing your time, while maintaining close communication with remote teams
. You are flexible and know that changing the world doesn't always happen between 9am and 5pm.
• Low ego, high impact. You are disciplined, rigorous, and more group-centered than self-centered. You have an excellent attention to detail and keep your eyes on the big picture.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or similar discipline.
• 8-10 years experience, minimum of 5 years of experience in a non-profit financial environment; 3 years in a managerial role
• Experience working in multiple entity environment consisting of c3/c4 PAC/super PAC that are engaged in political campaigns
• Experience handling and reporting on multiple grants
• Track record of leadership progression with supervisory experience
• Ability to work effectively at a senior level, including partnership with the Executive Director and the Board of Directors
• Strong GAAP accounting expertise 
• Experience with 3 statement model analysis
• Experience handling and reporting on multiple grants
• Experience with systems such as Sage Intacct, QuickBooks Online, Expensify and other cloud-based financial management platforms
• Advanced proficiency in Excel
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Google Apps Technology, the internet, and comfort with learning new technologies
• Track record of effectively and collaboratively designing, implementing, and managing large-scale, multi-stakeholder projects, systems and processes to ensure effective and efficient operations, including with respect to annual budgeting, multi-year planning and reporting
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills
• A collaborative, team-based approach to build strong partnerships
• Great attention to detail and follow-through 
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to write and speak a second language, preferably Spanish
• Familiarity with CRM systems and Database management
• Experience in a financial-management role at an organization that works with a member base and that receives revenue from different sources
• Some fundraising/grant-writing experience helpful

General Requirements

• Support the mission, vision and goals of the Right To The City Alliance

• Experience and familiarity with housing justice, gentrification, displacement and anti-eviction work and/or grassroots base-building organizations and transformative organizing
• Experience in multi-racial, multicultural settings
• Knowledge of common computer applications: MS Office, Google docs, Adobe Acrobat, Dropbox, Mac environment, and Zoom video tele-conferencing systems
• Access to reliable internet, phone and remote office arrangements. RTTC provides for costs of home offices.
• Drivers license and auto insurance

Salary and Benefits

This is a full time, exempt position.  The salary range starts at $118,000.  Compensation commensurate with experience and competitive with our sector.  RTTC offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package including 100% medical, dental and life insurance, employer contribution towards employees’ 401k retirement plan, wellness benefits, staff development resources, and ample sick and vacation paid time off. 

How To Apply

Interested candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample or work sample through our hiring portal at: https://righttothecityalliance.rippling-ats.com/job/1004298/director-of-finance.   References will be asked for candidates who advance in the process.  Applicants for this position will be required to submit to a background check. Candidates will only be contacted if our hiring team chooses to pursue an interview.

Right To The City Alliance is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  Applicants from communities heavily impacted by gentrification, displacement and housing insecurity are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ability, age, or veteran status.