Vice President of Finance

Founded in 1972, Rescue Mission Alliance (RMA) is a Christ-centered nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty find hope and lasting transformation. Through emergency services, recovery programs, and long-term rehabilitation initiatives, RMA provides a comprehensive continuum of care designed to help people move beyond immediate crisis toward stability and restored purpose. The organization partners closely with local churches across Southern California to support spiritual nurturing and discipleship.

About the role

Rescue Mission Alliance is seeking a strategic and forward-thinking Vice President of Finance to guide the organization through its next season of growth and impact. As a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, the VP of Finance will shape organizational strategy, strengthen financial and operational infrastructure, and ensure the long-term sustainability of a ministry serving thousands of individuals and families throughout Southern California each year.

This role extends beyond traditional financial stewardship, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership team. The VP of Finance will leverage financial and operational data to improve decision-making, strengthen accountability, and position the ministry for continued expansion and effectiveness.

The scope of the role includes leading finance and accounting functions, providing oversight for key operational areas, supporting strategic business and real estate decisions, strengthening organizational systems, and building infrastructure to support future growth.

Direct reports include: Controller, Sr. Accountant, Accounts Payable/Receivable.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the RMA Executive Team, contributing to organization-wide strategic planning and operational leadership.
• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and Board of Directors on financial matters.
• Partner with Board leadership to provide financial education, planning, risk assessment, and strategic recommendations.
• Develop, communicate, and implement long-range financial and operational strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Support organizational growth initiatives, expansion objectives, and capital planning strategies.
• Provide strategic planning support, project valuation analysis, and implementation oversight.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on operational effectiveness and organizational sustainability.
• Participate in special projects, organizational initiatives, and executive-level decision-making activities.
• Develop long-range operational objectives and organizational performance initiatives.
• Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams through growth, change, and organizational improvement.
• Use financial, operational, and performance data to identify opportunities for cost savings, revenue growth, process improvement, and stronger accountability.
• Model servant leadership and decision-making consistent with RMA’s Christian values and culture.
• Oversee all accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial management, and financial reporting activities.
• Direct all activities of the Accounting Department, including general ledger management, financial statements, balance sheet oversight, accounts payable and receivable, tax filings, compliance, bank deposits, transfers, cash management, asset inventory, and financial audits.
• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Develop and implement financial and operational policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Lead annual and project budget development processes.
• Oversee working capital management, balance sheet management, and debt management activities.
• Manage financing procurement, banking relationships, and credit facility negotiations.
• Develop capital investment proposals and evaluate financial performance metrics.
• Develop financial dashboards, key performance indicators, and reporting tools that support timely executive and Board-level decision-making.
• Evaluate and implement finance technology, automation, AI-assisted workflows, and business intelligence tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and nonprofit financial standards.
• Oversee annual audits, plan analysis, and related fiduciary responsibilities.
• Support profit maximization, operational efficiency, value-added analysis, and business process improvements.
• Strengthen procurement, vendor management, contract review, and expense controls across the organization.
• Ensure responsible use of financial systems, data, and AI tools with appropriate confidentiality, data security, and internal control safeguards.
• Lead financial due diligence and project leadership for mergers, acquisitions, and organizational partnerships.
• Manage organizational investments, real property acquisitions, leasing activities, and divestitures.
• Lead enterprise risk management strategies and governance oversight.
• Oversee contract approvals and ensure organizational compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Maintain strong internal control environments and financial accountability standards.
• Support data privacy, cybersecurity awareness, financial system controls, and responsible technology practices related to finance and operations.
• Monitor emerging nonprofit finance, compliance, technology, and risk management best practices.
• Provide leadership and oversight to Accounting, Finance, Auto Donations, and related operational teams.
• Supervise direct reports including leadership positions such as Controller and Auto Donations.
• Recruit, train, mentor, develop, and evaluate staff performance.
• Promote a culture of integrity, professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Maintain strong working relationships with employees, leadership teams, ministries, donors, vendors, financial institutions, auditors, and community partners.
• Serve as a relational, approachable, and public-facing executive who builds trust with staff, leadership, Board members, high-capacity donors, churches, and external partners.
• Lead with energy, initiative, and a growth mindset rather than maintaining the status quo.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• Current CPA certification preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years of senior finance and leadership experience required.
• Minimum three (3) to five (5) years of nonprofit finance, accounting, operations, or executive leadership experience preferred.
• Strategic leadership experience with demonstrated ability to build and/or lead teams through growth, change, or organizational improvement.
• Deep alignment with RMA’s Christian values, mission, and culture; committed Christian in good standing with a local church preferred.
• Highly relational, outgoing, and comfortable serving in a public-facing executive role with staff, Board members, high-capacity donors, vendors, churches, and community partners.
• Tech savvy, data-driven, performance-oriented, and comfortable using AI tools and modern finance technology responsibly.
• Growth-oriented mindset with the ability to improve systems, challenge the status quo respectfully, and support sustainable organizational expansion.
• Strong knowledge and practical application of GAAP principles, nonprofit financial standards, internal controls, and audit practices.
• Experience with nonprofit accounting, restricted funds, donor-designated funds, grants, budgets, audits, and compliance preferred.
• Demonstrated management and supervisory experience with the ability to recruit, train, mentor, develop, and evaluate staff performance.
• Strong strategic planning, analytical, operational leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and organizational priorities simultaneously.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and ethical leadership.

Skills

• Strong background using accounting, ERP, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and operational software systems.
• Comfortable adopting and responsibly using AI tools to support financial analysis, reporting, forecasting, workflow automation, process improvement, and executive communication.
• Ability to build, interpret, and present dashboards, KPIs, financial models, and performance reports for leadership and Board-level decision-making.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 tools.
• Experience with payment processing, procurement, workflow automation, donor or operational reporting platforms, and business intelligence tools preferred.
• Experience with Sage Intacct preferred.
• Experience with MineralTree preferred.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity awareness, data privacy, confidentiality, and internal controls related to financial systems, AI tools, and organizational data.

Schedule

This position is based in Oxnard, CA.