Chief Financial Officer
10 days ago
Los Angeles
Job Description The ideal candidate is an accomplished finance professional with deep expertise in financial management and a passion for the moving image arts. This leader will provide fiscal leadership to a premier non-profit educational arts institution and work collaboratively across all levels - senior management, the Board of Trustees, staff, donors, sponsors, and other stakeholders. A proven communicator and strategic thinker, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) inspires confidence, motivate teams, and executes approved strategies with clarity and purpose. This individual embraces AFI’s mission, values, and artistic spirt, serving as a trusted ambassador for the Institute. Principal Objective: Provide expert financial and administrative leadership, ensuring the Institute’s fiscal health and achievement of its annual goals. Principal Responsibilities: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) directs all financial and administrative functions while embodying AFI’s mission and values. Reporting to the President and CEO, the CFO serves as the Institute’s primary financial spokesperson and is a key member of the senior management team. Principal Duties: • Lead all financial and treasury operations, including budgeting, financial reporting and analysis, endowment management, audit coordination, and regulatory compliance., • Partner with the President and CEO on the Institute’s strategic vision and foster relationships with AFI Board of Trustees, donors, and sponsors., • Serve as the primary financial liaison to the Board of Trustees, Investment, and Audit Committees, and senior program staff., • Present financial performance summaries and updates to the Board of Trustees at its periodic meetings., • Lead the annual budgeting process in collaboration with senior management, committees, and the Board., • Evaluate prospective contracts and advise on financial implications of programmatic initiatives., • Oversee banking relationships, cash and debt management, investment strategies, and financial risk management., • Develop, implement, and maintain financial policies, procedures, and internal controls to safeguard AFI’s assets., • Manage all fiscal reporting, including budgets, revenue/expense reports, and grant compliance, in collaboration with Advancement., • Oversee independent audits and ensure compliance with U.S. GAAP, A-133 requirements, 403(b) regulations, and all Federal and State reporting regulations., • Provide oversight and direction for the Controller, Accounts Payable/Receivable, and Payroll functions, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency across all financial processes., • Oversee the maintenance and tracking of all fixed assets, including acquisitions, to ensure compliance with Federal regulations., • Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the President and CEO, or the Board of Directors and Trustees. Experience/Skills Required: • Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting required; MBA or CPA preferred., • Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in financial leadership, ideally within a non-profit or educational institution., • Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills., • Strategic and entrepreneurial mindset with strong analytical acumen., • Proven ability to serve as a trusted and strategic thought partner to the President & CEO and Institute leaders., • Expertise in budgeting, forecasting, auditing, and financial performance analysis., • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data., • Demonstrated ability to execute complex initiatives from concept through completion, delivering measurable results., • Strong record of driving collaboration and maintaining momentum in a fast-paced environment., • Demonstrated ability to foster a positive, high-performing culture through leadership enthusiasm and strong interpersonal engagement., • Strong professionalism, diplomacy, and discretion., • Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel in a Mac environment., • Experience with Accounting software – Great Plains or other similar software, • Ability to perform under pressure with integrity, confidence, and composure., • Personal integrity and the ability to inspire confidence and trust.Company DescriptionThe American Film Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers.The American Film Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to champion the moving image as an art form. Established in 1967, AFI launched the first comprehensive history of American film and sparked the movement for film preservation in the United States. In 1969, AFI opened the doors of the AFI Conservatory, a graduate-level program to train narrative filmmakers.