The Opportunity

Essie Justice Group (Essie) is building grassroots power to dismantle the US incarceration system, the most egregious creator of racial and gender injustice of our time. We are a loving and powerful community of women with incarcerated loved ones. Our community includes cisgender women, transgender women, formerly incarcerated women, gender nonconforming (GNC) people, elders, and young people. 

After ten years of building an active membership across California and beyond, Essie is deepening its base-building and leadership development strategies with the 1 in 4 women with incarcerated loved ones to propel bold decarceration agendas across the nation. We seek to transform the criminal legal system and create a Black feminist future rooted in care, equity, community safety, and liberation. In the midst of significant organizational growth, we are seeking a mission-driven and financially savvy Finance Manager to join our team. 

At Essie, our values are foundational to how we operationalize our work. The Finance Manager is an experienced and strategic professional who thrives on thoughtfully developing and growing a solid fiscal infrastructure that reflects our values and from which our ambitious and visionary movement-building organization can be successful. A highly collaborative, detail-oriented, and confident leader who approaches monthly tasks with excitement and innovation, The Finance Manager works collaboratively to identify and implement sound fiscal policies and solutions across the organization. The ideal candidate is comfortable planning and overseeing fiscal strategies and is also passionate about Essie’s vision and getting all the details right. This accessible, trustworthy, and transparent leader operates from an unwavering commitment to ethics on a daily basis.

Core Responsibilities

Accounting and Financial Project Management - Support the management of financial resources and oversee day-to-day financial processes to ensure that Essie’s teams are well-equipped to make values-driven decisions. 

• Manage check run, deposits, and coordinate month close. 
• Provide research and coordination support to the Deputy Director for the annual budget process.

• Coordinate annual audit materials collection.
• Collaborate with senior finance staff in assessing the efficacy of internal financial policies and procedures and recommend and draft updates, as needed.
• Research new tools or vendors to support efficient processes and lead in implementation as delegated.
• Provide input on financial process improvements, and work with teammates to refine collaborative systems as necessary. 
• Assist with large-scale transitions of financial systems, such as transiting credit card providers for the team, collaborating with leadership to explore suitable banking options, and researching finance management software,

. Training and Support:

• Train staff in the use of finance tools, systems, policies, and procedures, including department-specific budget building processes.
• Provide one-on-one coaching to staff as needed, assisting them in understanding and navigating department-specific budgeting requirements and procedures.
• Serve as an internal resource for financial policies and procedures, offering guidance and clarification on department-specific budgeting principles and practices.

Who We’re Looking For 

Ideal Qualifications

• 3 years of experience in nonprofit finance with at least 3 years serving within the nonprofit sector.
• Knowledge of finance and accounting functions and principles.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel and Google Sheets. 
• Specific experience in movement-based organizations with a clear understanding of the fiscal implications and structures of advocacy work.
• Effective writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Track record as a collaborative team player who excels in managing multiple projects, has a solid ability to connect the details to the big picture for others, and is comfortable working in a fast-paced work environment. 
• Adept with Mac operating systems, Google Suite, Xero, and MS Office Suite. 
• Commitment to the beliefs and values of Essie with a demonstrated passion for progressive politics, specifically in gender justice, race justice and ending mass incarceration.

Qualities

• Sees financial infrastructure as your contribution to people power. You care deeply about the impact of systems and processes on people. You believe that by demystifying financial systems and policies, you can help organizations and teams be more effective, and individual team members be more confident in the process. 

• Possesses a healthy obsession with quality and efficiency. While people are at the core of your strategy for organizational finances, your impact is also driven by a deep love for optimizing processes to maximize organizational resources. You make tough and highly complex decisions and move with a deep understanding of the implications and opportunities in every situation. 

• Discernment and honesty we can trust. You are a thoughtful team member who acts in alignment with your integrity and are unfailingly trustworthy. 
• Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
• Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a positive approach, can-do attitude, and authentic kindness wherever you go.

The Position

The Finance Manager is a full-time, salaried, exempt position. This position is supervised by the Deputy Director. The salary for this position is between $72,000-$95,000 depending on experience with full medical, dental, and vision benefits, optional 401(k), a substantial vacation package, and a monthly personal wellness stipend. The position is based in one of Essie’s offices in Oakland or Los Angeles, California. All Essie staff are required to be vaccinated against Covid-19, with limited exceptions for medical or religious reasons .

To Apply

Please prepare (1) a personal, specific, and thoughtful cover letter to the “Essie Hiring Committee” addressing why you would like to work for Essie and (2) a resume. Submit both items through our hiring portal (https://essiejusticegroup.bamboohr.com/jobs). 

Essie Justice Group provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and skills. Essie does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Essie values and specifically seeks applicants who are people with incarcerated loved ones; formerly incarcerated people; people of color; women; queer, transgender, gender nonconforming (GNC), and gender fluid people. 

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, performance assessment, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

About Essie Justice Group

Essie Justice Group is a nonprofit organization of women with incarcerated loved ones taking on the rampant injustices created by mass incarceration. Our award-winning Healing to Advocacy Model brings women together to heal, build collective power, and drive social change. Essie is Great Place to Work-Certified™ and a recognized leader in Black feminist institution building.

Learn more at www.essiejusticegroup.org.