Chief Financial Officer

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Organizational Stewardship
• Reinforce a service-oriented finance culture grounded in fiscal discipline, transparency, and equity in resource allocation
• Model strong leadership and cross-department collaboration
• Provide monthly reporting, forecasting, and strategic analysis to the Executive Director, senior management team, and Board
• Participate as a member of the senior management team in developing, implementing, and evaluating organization-wide financial policies and practices
• Develop tools and systems to deliver timely financial and operational insights; translate analysis into actionable recommendations
• Engage Finance, Audit, and Investment Board Committees plus periodic ad hoc committees on financial trends, risks, and business model changes
• Lead, mentor, and develop the accounting and finance team, ensuring clear work allocation, effective collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Financial Planning and Analysis
• Develop annual budgets and forecasts in collaboration with senior leadership
• Lead long-term financial planning aligned with the Strategic Plan, including assessment of new business opportunities and external partnerships
• Co-own financial performance, pricing, forecasting, and scenario planning with leaders of all revenue-generating business units (The Lair, Travel, Magazine, Wine Club, and three Scholarships)
• Conduct multi-scenario, sensitivity, and predictive modeling to guide strategic and operational decision-making
• Provide analysis of business initiatives, capital allocation decisions, and margin improvement opportunities
• Deliver management reporting and presentations to the Board of Directors, offering strategic and tactical recommendations
• Ensure compliant management of donor-restricted, endowed, and scholarship funds, including adherence to donor intent and close coordination with campus financial aid partners
• Oversee financial stewardship of investment portfolios, scholarship endowments, and fundraising revenue
• Provide financial oversight, risk evaluation, and long-range planning for capital projects, facilities operations, and Lair infrastructure/camp operations
• Treasury, Cash Management, & External Relationships
• Oversee cash flow planning, cash availability, treasury operations, and investment management
• Produce cash and investment reporting and manage asset allocation in accordance with policies
• Leverage technology and automation to improve reporting, controls, and analytical capabilities
• Accounting, Compliance, & Financial Operations
• Lead all day-to-day accounting operations, including month-end close, journal entries, reconciliations, AR/AP, and payroll
• Achieve accurate maintenance of accounting systems and GAAP-compliant financial records
• Drive a multi-year financial systems modernization: legacy GL cleanup, comprehensive reconciliations, strengthened internal controls, and a modernization roadmap for systems and processes
• Oversee audit, tax filings, external reporting, internal controls, and contract management policies
• Ensure timely, accurate monthly/quarterly/annual financial reporting and analysis of purchasing activity and vendor trends
• Implement policies, process improvements, and technology solutions to improve efficiency and control
• Educate staff on financial policies, procedures, and controls

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, finance, or related field; CPA required
• 10 years of experience in financial management, treasury, accounting, and strategic planning, including 5+ years in senior leadership within a non-profit organization
• Expertise in nonprofit accounting, including fund and grant accounting, compliance, and reporting
• Demonstrated ability to build meaningful enterprise and business-unit KPIs, strengthen forecasting and accountability, identify new revenue opportunities, and use financial insights to improve profitability and long-term sustainability
• Experience in hospitality, travel, membership, events, venues, recreation, or other customer-facing businesses with multiple revenue streams; understands pricing, margins, utilization, customer experience, and the balance between mission and commercial performance is a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders including Board members, UC/UCB partners, and internal leaders
• Excellent verbal, written, analytical, and presentation communication skills
• Ability to meet critical deadlines, including some evenings/weekends, and support CAA events
• Must have impeccable credentials and pass verifications, credit, motor vehicle report, and FBI/DOJ criminal background checks
• Experience with QuickBooks and BambooHR payroll systems is a plus

Salary and Benefits

This position is classified as an at-will, full-time, exempt position. Pay range is $175,000-$225,000 annualized. This position is eligible to participate in healthcare benefits, and a retirement plan with company match. We offer great work-life balance opportunities with generous vacation and holiday time-off benefits.

CAA staff, while not University of California employees, are eligible for many UC Berkeley staff programs, professional development and networking opportunities, and discounts on campus. We have a friendly and professional environment, and we pride ourselves on our team approach.

Submit your resume and a brief cover letter highlighting your most significant achievements to recruiting@alumni.berkeley.edu.

Cal Alumni Association
1 Alumni House
Berkeley, CA 94720-7520
Toll Free: 1-888-CAL-ALUM

Founded by University of California, Berkeley alumni in 1872, the Cal Alumni Association (CAA) is a membership-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Directors. CAA operates independently from the university with a mission of engaging alumni in support of the university. CAA is a long-standing, financially stable, self-funded nonprofit with a $14M+ operating budget, three locations, seven revenue-generating business units, and multi-million dollar assets and reserves. Our portfolio includes the Lair of the Bear family camp in Pinecrest, CA, the award-winning California magazine, the Cal Discoveries Travel program, a wine club, and three scholarship programs. Annually, CAA awards more than $2 million in scholarships to approximately 850 students. CAA is one of the most respected alumni associations in the nation and represents a global network of more than a half million graduates of UC Berkeley.