Chief Financial Officer
Position Overview
AACTE is seeking a collaborative, strategic, and mission-driven Chief Financial Officer to join its executive leadership team. This is an important moment for a financial leader who is energized by helping a national association strengthen its financial model, modernize internal systems, and support the future of educator preparation.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the oversight, monitoring, and refinement of AACTE’s board-approved multi-year budget, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, financial sustainability, and evolving conditions.
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the President and CEO, senior leadership team, Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and Board of Directors on financial strategy, risk, opportunity, investments, reserves, cash flow, and long-term planning.
Provide financial modeling, scenario planning, and data-informed guidance to support organizational sustainability, membership stabilization, non-dues revenue growth, and emerging strategic initiatives.
Prepare and present timely, accurate, and accessible financial reports, including budget to actuals, quarterly financial statements, cash projections, and narrative analysis for management and board audiences.
Translate complex financial information into clear insights, trends, and recommendations that help staff and board members understand AACTE’s financial position and make informed decisions.
Strengthen regular budget review practices with department leaders, supporting greater accountability, transparency, and financial literacy across the organization.
Oversee core finance and accounting functions, including accounts payable, payroll coordination, reconciliations, internal controls, financial reporting, banking, investments, and compliance.
Supervise and partner with the Senior Accountant, providing guidance, support, professional development, and appropriate oversight of technical accounting responsibilities.
Lead the annual audit and Form 990 process in partnership with external auditors, staff, and the Audit Committee, ensuring strong documentation, accuracy, and compliance.
Support the continued transition of finance functions in-house by clarifying roles, strengthening procedures, addressing legacy issues, and improving continuity across systems and processes.
Assess and improve financial systems, workflows, dashboards, automation, and data practices to increase efficiency, accuracy, and cross-departmental visibility.
Partner with staff and vendors on administrative, HR, payroll, benefits, contracts, IT, and compliance-related functions as assigned.
Collaborate with the President and CEO, Chief Strategy Officer, VP of Communications and Marketing, VP of Membership, and other colleagues to support membership stabilization, non-dues revenue growth, and long-term sustainability.
Provide financial analysis and modeling for new and existing initiatives, including the professional learning platform, loan program, sponsorships, advertising, events, partnerships, grants, and earned revenue opportunities.
Help assess the financial viability, operational implications, and mission alignment of new opportunities, vendor relationships, contracts, and investments.
Serve as an active member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide planning, decision-making, and cross-functional collaboration.
Build trusted relationships with the President and CEO, staff, board members, committee leaders, auditors, investment advisors, vendors, and other partners.
Model transparent, humble, ethical, and collaborative leadership while helping strengthen a culture of financial literacy, care, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in finance, accounting, or operational leadership, including experience in a senior finance role such as CFO, Vice President of Finance, Director of Finance, or relevant finance leadership position.
Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit accounting principles, GAAP, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, audit coordination, cash flow management, internal controls, and compliance.
Experience developing, managing, or monitoring multi-year budgets, forecasts, and financial models that support organizational decision-making and long-term sustainability.
Experience working with board finance or audit committees, including the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, practical insights for executives, board members, staff, and non-finance audiences.
Proven ability to supervise, mentor, and partner with finance staff, including experienced accounting professionals, while strengthening processes, accountability, and team effectiveness.
Experience supporting organizational change, process improvement, systems enhancement, or the transition from outsourced to in-house finance functions.
Familiarity with banking relationships, investment oversight, reserves, contracts, vendors, payroll, benefits, grants, restricted funds, philanthropic revenue, earned revenue, or other administrative and financial operations.
Experience supporting financial strategy in organizations with cyclical revenue, membership dues, events revenue, sponsorships, non-dues revenue, or cash flow variability.
Experience with Sage Intacct, Martus, ADP Workforce Now, Bill.com, or comparable finance, budgeting, payroll, and accounting systems.
Strong communication, judgment, follow-through, relationship-building skills, and commitment to AACTE’s mission, vision, and values, including diversity, equity and inclusion, quality and impact, and inquiry and innovation.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience required.
CPA, MBA, or similar advanced credential preferred.
How to Apply
If you or someone in your network is interested in exploring this opportunity, please submit your resume and cover letter here. Priority will be given to applications submitted by June 26th, 2026 although we will continue to receive and review applications until the position is filled.
EEO Statement
AACTE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits harassment of any applicant or employee because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law. AACTE allows for reasonable accommodations to enable an individual with a disability to participate in the application process, perform the essential duties and responsibilities of a job, and enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment that are available to individuals without disabilities.