Chief Financial Officer

About the role

The Opportunity Year Up United is on a mission to end the Opportunity Divide by connecting young adults to career pathways and meaningful employment. With a national footprint, a revenue model that leverages both philanthropic contributions and earned income through the delivery of services to external partners, and significant scale, the organization is entering its next phase of growth and transformation. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will play a pivotal role in shaping this future, ensuring financial sustainability while enabling innovation, operational excellence, and expanded impact.

The Mandate

Year Up United seeks a seasoned and strategic Chief Financial Officer to join the Executive Team at a critical inflection point. Reporting to the CEO, the CFO will serve as a key enterprise leader responsible for advancing financial sustainability, strengthening organizational discipline, and enabling mission impact through a blended revenue model of philanthropic contributions and earned income. This is not a traditional controller role - it is a highly strategic, enterprise-facing position requiring a strong, entrepreneurial operator who can translate financial insights into action, elevate decision-making, and help guide the organization through a period of financial complexity and transformation.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  Partner closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to shape and execute a financial strategy that supports mission impact and organizational growth.
  Identify opportunities to modernize financial systems, tools, and processes.
  Lead the design and implementation of forward-looking financial models that inform strategic decisions and investment priorities.
  Champion a culture of continuous improvement, leveraging data, technology, and best practices to drive effectiveness, transparency, and scalability.

• Financial Planning & Performance
  Lead annual budgeting, long-range planning, and forecasting processes in partnership with cross-functional leaders.
  Develop and maintain dynamic financial models to evaluate program effectiveness, growth strategies, and new initiatives.
  Monitor financial performance and trends, providing clear insights and actionable recommendations.

• Systems & Data Transformation
  Assess current financial operations and lead efforts to streamline, standardize, and strengthen processes.
  Implement modern, integrated financial systems that provide real-time visibility and support data-driven decision-making.
  Drive thoughtful adoption of automation and technology to reduce manual effort and improve accuracy.

• Risk Management & Compliance
  Ensure compliance with all financial, regulatory, and legal requirements.
  Oversee audit and tax processes with integrity and transparency.
  Strengthen internal controls and proactively manage financial and operational risk.

The Candidate

The ideal candidate will be strategic and values-driven with a proven track record of financial leadership, transformation, and organizational impact. This candidate brings deep expertise alongside a commitment to building high-performing teams and advancing mission-driven outcomes.

Professional Experience

• 12+ years of progressive financial leadership, including experience in complex or growing organizations.

• Experience serving as a Chief Financial Officer or similar role, with demonstrated experience with modernization of financial systems and development of financial models.

• Demonstrated success leading financial transformation, including systems implementation and process improvement.

• Experience operating within a hybrid revenue model and managing diverse funding streams preferred.

• Strong understanding of how data, technology, and analytics can enhance financial decision-making.

• Experience working with a Board of Directors.

• MBA, CPA, or equivalent experience preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing, mission-aligned teams.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate financial insights into organizational action.

• Hands-on, adaptable leader who thrives in evolving environments.

• Exceptional communication skills, including experience engaging senior leaders and boards.

• High integrity, sound judgment, and a commitment to accountability and transparency.

• Deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to advancing opportunity for all.