VP of Finance and Accounting

POSITION:  VP of Finance and Accounting

LOCATION: DSST: Home Office located in Denver, CO

SALARY: $132,500 - $160,000 based on relevant experience up to 10 years. 

STATUS: Full time year-round, benefits eligible, exempt, in-person position with three days per week onsite at the DSST: Home Office and two days of flexible off-site work

START: Immediate

The VP of Finance and Accounting is a strategic leader responsible for ensuring DSST’s financial health and direction stays aligned with DSST’s mission to eliminate educational inequity through a transparent budgeting process, robust financial reporting, and ensuring compliance with all external financial metrics. The VP of Finance and Accounting will partner closely with the COO and other Senior Leadership Team members to provide financial updates, risks, opportunities, and direction to the organization. 

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Organizational Financial Management (35%)

• Provide strategic financial leadership to DSST through appropriate budget targets and provide guidance to the Chief Operating Officer and other members of the Senior Leadership Team to ensure the short-term and long-term financial strength of the organization

• Oversee the financial planning cycle processes including annual budgets, quarterly mid-year forecasts, and annual long-term forecasts

• Leverage knowledge of financial reporting to identify strategic opportunities to Senior Leadership Team and other network budget owners

• Develop strong financial reporting systems that provide up to date, accurate, and actionable financial data to end users

• Enhance and monitor staff planning and salary models

• Update financial policies to ensure alignment between budgets and the mission critical work of the organization

Oversight of Accounting Operations (35%)

• Lead the annual audit process to ensure auditors have all information requested to perform the audit in a timely manner

• Work proactively with our audit partners throughout the year to understand changes in reporting requirements and changes are made internally to capture newly required information

• Coordinate the preparation of all required tax returns

• Clearly define, document, and communicate accounting functions and internal control procedures to all staff as necessary

• Understand and research the evolving landscape in the financial risk, internal controls, and accounting standards space and make recommendations for appropriate action to the COO

• Provide leadership on GAAP and GASB standards and communicate necessary information to Senior Leadership Team and network staff as needed

Partnerships (15%)

• Develop and maintain strong relationship with school district leaders

• Finalize, share and present financial information to the Board of Directors and relevant committees of the Board

• Oversee the banking relationship for the network

• Sit on the DSST 401K Committee to provide oversight of the network retirement plan

• Sit on the DSST Workday Governance Committee to provide oversight on the network’s use of Workday and lead any change efforts related to the financial functional areas.

Team Leadership (10%)

• Lead the accounting and finance teams to achieve network, organizational and department goals. Develop Manager of Accounting and Sr Manager of Finance to achieve personal and professional goals

• Define and track Finance Department OKRs to ensure highest leverage workstreams are prioritized and executed

• Manage Finance Department budget

Additional Duties (5%) 

• Model our Core Values, Commitment to the Human Condition, and our commitment to equity as a Leader within the Network

• Play an active leadership role in building and sustaining Home Office culture

• Engage with our school communities to actively build relationships between our schools and the home office

• Participate in & support the execution of Home Office & Network-wide events

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university

• 10+ years of Account