Senior Director, FP&A

Position Summary

The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is seeking a Senior Director of Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) who will serve as the central owner of CFR’s financial planning processes, providing strategic leadership across budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial modeling. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Director, FP&A leads and develops the FP&A function while partnering closely with senior leadership, program, development, and finance teams to ensure strong alignment between CFR’s mission-driven priorities and its financial strategy.

 

This role is responsible for advancing financial transparency, strengthening planning rigor, and supporting data-driven decision-making across the organization. The FP&A Director plays a critical leadership role in budgeting, grant and endowment-related financial planning, indirect cost (IDC) methodologies, and strategic finance initiatives, while fostering strong cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement in FP&A practices.

 

This full-time position is based in CFR’s New York City or Washington, D.C. office four days per week. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are institutional anchor days where all staff are required to be onsite.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop FP&A staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Oversee team’s performance management and professional development.
• Lead the annual budget process and quarterly forecasting cycles, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Serve as a strategic partner to the CFO by preparing executive-level financial analyses, presentations, and insights on budgets, forecasts, and actual performance.
• Champion, manage and, to the extent necessary, reengineer the end-to-end planning cycle, establishing clear expectations, timelines, and accountability for departments and senior leaders.
• Maintain oversight of key financial and performance metrics, in close partnership with the Controller, to support informed leadership decision-making.
• Collaborate with Program, Development, and Executive teams to ensure grant proposals, cost structures, and funding strategies are fully aligned with financial plans and forecasts.
• Maintain oversight of the endowment allocation methodology to optimize fund utilization.
• Provide leadership on indirect cost (IDC) methodologies and operating expense trends, ensuring appropriate application and transparency across planning cycles.
• Analyze key financial drivers, assumptions, and targets, translating complex data into clear insights for senior and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Own and support strategic finance initiatives, including capital expenditure planning, investment performance analysis, and related financial modeling.
• Drive continuous improvement of FP&A tools, processes, and methodologies to enhance financial predictability, transparency, and organizational effectiveness. This may include reengineering parts of the budget process, based on a needs assessment and gap analysis.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and financial stewardship across studies, programs, and administrative functions.
• Perform any other duties or tasks as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field required.

   

• Advanced degree (MBA, MPA, or similar) or professional certification (e.g., CPA, CFA) preferred.

Experience

• At least 10 years of progressive experience in financial planning and analysis, strategic finance, or related roles.

   

• Demonstrated experience managing and developing finance or FP&A professionals, including coaching, performance management, and team leadership.

   

• Proven experience leading complex budgeting and forecasting processes in a mission-driven, nonprofit, academic, or research-oriented organization strongly preferred.

   

• Expertise in grant and endowment governance, indirect cost methodologies, and their application to financial planning cycles.

   

• Experience partnering with senior leadership and presenting financial insights at the executive level.

Related Skills & Other Requirements

• Strong people management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop staff.

   

• Leverage advanced technology skills, including AI and data analytics, to enhance financial modeling, analysis and reporting processes.

   

• Create and deliver comp