Director of Finance and Administration

About Rainforest Foundation US

For over 30 years, Rainforest Foundation US (RFUS) has worked to address climate change and safeguard biodiversity by promoting the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities and supporting their efforts to protect and defend their rainforests. Science shows that forests managed by indigenous peoples are healthier, suffer less deforestation, capture more carbon, and contain more biodiversity than forests managed by private or public entities--including nationally protected areas. What’s more, scientists tell us that protecting forests is as important as reducing greenhouse emissions if we hope to stem the tide of ecological collapse.

RFUS works in partnership with indigenous and local communities and their representative organizations to protect tropical rainforests by supporting their efforts to secure rights to their lands, strengthen monitoring and land security, influence laws and policies that protect their resources, and build strong and sustainable community leadership. By investing directly in indigenous and local communities, RFUS connects the people rooted in the land with the tools, training, and resources to be effective advocates and protectors of the forests they call home. RFUS currently operates four country programs in Brazil, Guyana, Panama, and Peru, and hosts a number of regional partnerships in Central America, the Amazon Basin, and across the tropical belt.

About the Position

The Finance and Administration Director is a new position meant to support the organization’s growing needs as we aim to significantly scale up our organization’s impact under a new 2030 strategy. The Finance and Administration Director will own the vision and accountability for the annual and long-term performance of the organization’s Finance and Administration teams, ensuring they are aligned with the organization’s strategic priorities. They will lead the finance and administrative teams and be responsible for ensuring that the organization has the internal financial and administrative systems, policies, processes, and resources in place to best support its teams. They will ensure the integrity of accounting systems, and promote the financial health and optimal operations of Rainforest Foundation US.

Responsibilities

Department Leadership and Management

• Serve as a key member of the Senior Management Team
• Oversee finance and administration strategy development and implementation, ensuring that annual work planning, budgeting, monitoring, and evaluation meet the financial and administrative needs of the organization and its long term goals
• Advise and support fellow senior leadership in the finance and administrative components of their work and implementation of organizational strategy
• Provide finance and administration updates to the Board of Directors, senior leadership, and all staff as needed; Liaise with the Board of Directors on finance and administration activities
• Lead, motivate, and manage a full-time staff of four people responsible for the organization’s finance, grants compliance, and overall administration
• Engage in effective and timely internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization
• Provide training, support, and guidance to ensure that all staff have the knowledge required to comply with financial policies and procedures
• Create and promote a positive and supportive work environment

Budget

• Lead organization-wide budget, planning, and analysis, review and forecasting process
• Improve budget tools and processes, working with department heads
• Prepare, analyze, and present monthly and quarterly budget variance and rolling forecast reports
• Meet regularly with department heads to discuss budget variances and other needs
• Lead ongoing efforts to increase financial literacy across the organization to promote effective budget management and develop internal leadership

Finance

• Direct the development and implementation of short-term and long-term fiscal planning including annual budgeting and multi-year forecasting, ensuring the highest levels of fiscal responsibility.
• Optimize finance and compliance systems and implement policies and systems that model best practices in each of these areas
• Oversee finance-related organizational strategy including investment and banking policies
• Support review and approval of payments, credit card, and expense reports
• Lead organizational month end close
• Reconcile all bank, asset and liability accounts
• Record month and quarterly journal entries, including TRNA entries
• Create, analyze, and present monthly and quarterly organization-wide financial reports and performance analyses
• Lead financial management reporting, including KPIs, dashboards, performance trends and performance vs. plan analyses
• Create analyses, commentary and presentation materials for Board meetings
• Coordinate and lead the annual audit process, liaise with external auditors;  assess any changes necessary
• Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting
• Develop, revise and ensure compliance with financial policies and procedures, implement internal control reviews and improvements
• Develop, update, and implement business and accounting policies and procedures according to GAAP in close cooperation with the Executive Director, effectively protecting the organization’s resources
• Effectively communicate and present the critical financial matters to the Executive Director and board of directors
• Oversee the grant system including award amounts, distribution methods, and compliance
• Support proposal and budget development for government awards and oversee compliance processes, including Federal Financial Reports (FFRs)
• Maintain restricted asset and cash schedules
• Lead consolidation efforts of Peru program accounting ledger to US ledger

Administration

• Leads annual administration work planning in coordination with department heads to ensure administrative and operational needs are met across the organization
• Oversee administrative functions as well as facilities to ensure efficient and consistent operations as the organization scales
• Work closely and transparently with all external partners including third-party vendors and consultants; manage relevant vendors and contractors
• Develop organizational policy and procedures, including procedures for procurement and inventory control
• Oversee compliance with city, state and federal regulations as related to organizational operations and reporting requirements
• Manage all organizational subcontract and consultant agreements, maintaining and improving templates and supporting all teams with review and guidance.

Requirements

• Certification as a CPA is required
• BA in Finance, Business Administration, or another relevant degree
• Fluency in Spanish (required)
• 5+ years of broad financial and operations or administration management experience
• Knowledge of CFR 200: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards
• Ability to translate financial concepts to – and to effectively collaborate with -- programmatic and fundraising colleagues who do not necessarily have finance backgrounds
• Experience with having final responsibility for the quality and content of all financial data, reporting, and audit coordination for either a division or significant program area
• Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; knowledge of accounting and reporting software
• A successful track record in setting priorities
• Keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, which support and enable sound decision making
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
• A multitasker with the ability to wear many hats and to be efficient and responsive in a fast-paced environment
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the organization’s mission

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: Compensation for this position is commensurate with experience and ranges between $120,00 - 135,000 USD annually.
• Benefits:
  • full health, vision, and dental insurance
  • 20 days per year of vacation leave
  • 10 days per year of sick leave
  • 2 days per year of personal days
  • 5 days for bereavement leave per event
  • up to 12 weeks of parental leave
  • accommodations for additional time off under extraordinary circumstances.
  • Annual phone stipend
  • Annual Professional Development stipend

Travel

For this role, nights or weekends will not be expected except possibly during work-related travel, in which case compensatory time will be accrued.

Workplace Culture & Conditions

Rainforest Foundation US prides itself on providing a flexible, equitable, family-friendly, and inclusive work environment that values work-life balance. Our offices are pet friendly and located in a historic downtown Brooklyn neighborhood that is easily accessible by public transit and boasts many restaurants and services. This position can be fully remote or in the Brooklyn office.

Commitment to Equality & Equity

​​Rainforest Foundation US does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status in any of its activities or operations. We are committed to an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. Black, Indigenous, and people of color are highly encouraged to apply.

Application instructions

• Interested applicants are encouraged to apply early and advised to carefully study the job description to ensure they meet the requirements and skills we are looking for.
• Applications will not be considered without the submission of a resume and cover letter.
• Please note that the position will be listed as open until filled. Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be contacted.
• The candidate must possess the legal requirements to work in the United States; Rainforest Foundation US will not sponsor visas for international candidates.