Job Description

Museum Vision and Mission:

MOHAI is treasured locally and respected nationally as a vibrant resource where history inspires us to build a better future. To serve our region, we bridge the past, present, and future by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories through compelling, innovative exhibits and community engagement.

Position Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Reports to: Executive Director (ED)

Location: MOHAI McQuaid Resource Center in Georgetown

Classification: Exempt; Full-time (30 hours/week); Salaried

Schedule: Monday – Friday, as agreed

Rate of Pay: $125,000 – $145,000 per year

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; holiday, vacation, and sick pay; 403(b) plan

Position Description:

The Chief Financial Officer is a trusted partner of the Executive Director, team, and Board of Trustees and serves as the principal financial representative for the organization. This person oversees all financial operations, including accounting, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis. They work closely with ED on long-term financial planning and decision-making. They also work closely with the ED and Board leadership on the museum’s capital project and sustainability initiatives, aligning financial strategy with the museum’s mission and strategic goals. This individual will serve as the key liaison to the Finance & Audit Committee and will be responsible for the audit & Form 990. They oversee the organization’s banking institutions, investment portfolio advisors, insurance/risk management company, auditor, benefits broker, and others as required. The CFO manages a team of three and supervises the Controller.

Key Responsibilities:

• Direct fiscal operations, to include all accounting functions, payroll and benefits, compliance, insurance, and risk management.
• Responsible for financial reporting, including revenues and expenses, balance sheets, contributed support, investment portfolio, funds management, and capital projects.
• Ensure that all interactions are culturally responsive, respectful, and based on a foundation of MOHAI’s commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility.
• Provide oversight and strategic analysis of the museum’s operating budget, ensuring compliance with budget goals and identifying areas for revenue enhancements and expense controls.
• Provide oversight and strategic analysis for the museum’s capital budget, working in collaboration with the ED, Board, and external project management team.
• Develop and maintain financial forecasting models that support long-term planning and decision-making. Provide analytic input into multi-year sustainability initiatives in coordination with ED and Board.
• Report on the museum’s financial performance to the ED and staff, including regular updates on budget performance, forecasts, sustainability initiatives, and financial risks and opportunities.
• Prepare and present financial updates to the Board, providing analysis and recommendations as needed.
• Coordinate with the Controller to ensure timely and accurate accounting operations and compliance with all federal, state, local, and contractual requirements and regulatory deadlines.
• Maintain a sound financial control environment. Monitor internal controls.
• Oversee annual financial statement audit and Form 990 preparation, working with a CPA firm.
• Serve as backup to Controller to prepare and submit biweekly payroll.
• Oversee all aspects of risk management and related insurance policies.
• Maintain partnership and fulfill lease requirements with City of Seattle Parks & Recreation Department.
• Review museum contracts and agreements for consistency, payment terms, risk management, etc. Negotiate pricing options and financial services contracts with outside vendors.
• Attend meetings of the MOHAI Board: Executive Committee, Finance & Audit Committee, and Foundation Board. Serve as staff liaison to Finance & Audit Committee and Foundation Board, preparing meeting materials and providing timely, accurate, and complete financial reports and projections.
• Manage cash requirements and monitor cash flow position. Keep ED and Board informed of short- and long-term cash flow needs, including endowment stewardship and capital campaign support.
• Lead and mentor the Fiscal team. Supervise the Controller. Collaborate with Executive Team and managers to explore how the finance function can support their operations.
• Work with Advancement team to create annual and multi-year fundraising goals. Monitor restrictions for support and revenue streams, ensuring proper reflection in net assets and fund balances.
• Collaborate with investment portfolio advisor to ensure that assets of MOHAI and the MOHAI Foundation are managed in compliance with all internal standards and policies.
• Manage cash balances and fund transfers in accordance with the Investment Policy Statement and Spending Policies.
• Formulate policies to support best practices, improve efficiency, and ensure institutional integrity and ethics, in accordance with American Alliance of Museums (AAM) accreditation, legal requirements, and nonprofit standards. Assure honest and reliable business relationships and practices.
• Attend meetings and participate in local arts and culture CFO Roundtable activities.
• Opportunity to serve on IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility) committees.
• Attendance at museum-sponsored events may be required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience as CFO, Finance Director, or VP Finance in a midsized organization, preferably in a museum or nonprofit setting.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, finance, or business or any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved. CPA, CMA, or MBA a plus.
• Demonstrated knowledge of GAAP accounting for nonprofits.
• Successful track record in setting policies and priorities, long-term financial planning, creating institutional budgets, and developing financial analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to think critically and globally to make decisions that support the health and sustainability of an organization.
• Commitment to the institutional values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA). Experience in applying an equity lens to financial policies, practices, resource allocation, and decision-making.
• Experience in working with high functioning boards. Ability to inspire confidence.
• Experience in managing teams, supporting cross-functional collaboration, and developing staff.
• Experience in managing audit and tax engagements with third-party CPA firm.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with integrity, discretion, and professional maturity.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport, demonstrate listening skills and good judgment, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to describe financial concepts and effectively collaborate with program and fundraising colleagues.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret financial data and convey insights.
• Extensive experience with accounting systems, financial reporting software, and Microsoft Excel.
• High level of proficiency with MIP Fund Accounting preferred.
• Proficiency with CRM applications such as Blackbaud Altru. Experience with capital campaigns a plus.
• Bilingual and multilingual skills valued.
• Enthusiasm for MOHAI’s exhibits, programs, and mission.

Find yourself checking many of these boxes but doubting whether you should apply? If you meet some of the requirements and you share MOHAI’s values and support our mission, we encourage you to apply. As part of our ongoing commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace, we’re invested in building teams with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

Museum Overview:

For 70 years, MOHAI has been dedicated to enriching lives by preserving, sharing, and teaching the diverse history of Seattle, the Puget Sound region, and the nation. With a collection of 6.5 million artifacts, photographs, oral histories and archival items, and an expansive schedule of exhibits and programs, MOHAI is the region’s premier history center. MOHAI operates a dramatic and award-winning museum in Seattle’s vibrant South Lake Union neighborhood and a resource center in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood. MOHAI also hosts the Bezos Center for Innovation, focusing on the history and future of innovation in the Puget Sound region. MOHAI is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and has been selected by USA Today as one of the Top Ten History Museums in the nation. For more information, please visit mohai.org.

To Apply:

Please e-mail letter of interest and resume to Human.Resources@mohai.org. No phone calls, please.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

MOHAI is a 501(c)(3) organization and an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a team and an organizational culture that fosters inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility. We encourage candidates of color to apply.

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