Director of Finance

Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter School

Brooklyn, New York

What is the Role?

The Finance Team at Coney Island Prep (CIP) is the backbone of financial systems and budget lines that supports our entire community from scholars and their families to teachers and operational school leaders. The Director of Finance will serve as a senior-level leader and collaborative partner to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as well as a strategist in managing our growing organization’s financial resources. An operational leader with a keen eye for the minutiae of the accounting, procurement, and budgeting processes, the Director of Finance will collaborate with the CFO to maintain an efficient cash management strategy, as well as support the long-term budget planning and projections, growth, and financing real estate projects. The incoming Director of Finance thrives on building relationships across teams and consistently connects their work back to serving our scholars.

What You’ll Be Asked To Do

Operate with Effectivenessby leading with a systems orientation to drive long term sustainable results that meet our schools’ vision and mission.

• Codify finance operational systems and ensure implementation of best practices across schools, with a particular emphasis on systems that predictably and sustainably deliver a first class experience for scholars, families, and staff
• Conduct accounting activities on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis including bank and credit card reconciliations, accounts payable, journal entries, and recording of income
• Participate in CIP’s annual budgeting process; contribute to the creation of our annual operating budget
• Partner with the Finance Team, the Director of Student Recruitment and Enrollment, the Director of Development and Communications, the CEO, Directors of Operations, and Operations Managers to tackle CIP’s interim and annual audits; generate schedules and gather evidence as requested by our auditors
• Innovate through potential special projects, including budgeting software implementation, annual health insurance rate negotiation, quarterly cash flow projections, and recommendations for investment opportunities
• Partner closely with the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and CFO to execute the organization’s Fiscal Policies and Procedures and effectively manage the organization’s financial resources

Deliver exceptional results by researching, planning, and setting the School’s vision for executing on major finance strategy projects.

• Join the CEO and COO on the School’s upcoming major real estate project, the construction and relocation to a new 60,000 square foot high school facility by modeling and managing the School’s long-term real estate investment strategy and cash management commitmentsCollaborate with the Chief Strategy Officer to support a sustainable scaling model for K-12 after-school, a new initiative formed during the pandemic
• Partner with the COO and CFO to innovate and optimize the School’s purchasing and procurement strategies with finance and budgeting tools that create long term efficiencies across four schools and more than 25 staff across campuses
• Support the School’s cash management strategy for an endowed scholarship program that upholds college persistence 

Collaborate and co-leadwith our two Finance Managers on all aspects of the day-to-day budgetary management of our schools, ensuring that the finance systems are responsive to the operational and academic needs of each campus.

• Connect directly with campus-based Directors of Operations to innovate on finance protocols and systems
• Manage across departmental and positional lines to keep staff on/within budget
• Participate in the payroll execution on a semi-monthly basis with Finance and Human Resources Teams
• Collaborate with the Finance Team to prepare financial statements and relevant reports for quarterly internal budget reconciliations, board meetings, and reporting required by our authorizer, SUNY

What You’ll Need

• Passion for education and a dedication to Coney Island Prep’s mission, beliefs, and values and its commitment to anti-racism 
• Steadfast belief that all students can achieve at the highest academic levels and deserve an opportunity to succeed in the college and career of their choice
• An ownership mindset focused on spotting inconsistencies, mistakes and fraud in spreadsheets
• Proven organizational, oral, and written communication skills; timeliness; accuracy; and consistent and regular communication; and ability to meet due dates
• Comfort with autonomous, repetitious, and predictable work; initiative to engage in the next priority upon completion of tasks and/or projects; an eagle eye for continuous improvement of systems and processes
• Interpersonal skills to foster trust-based relationships and clear accountability across teams and with school leaders and their staff; eagerness to work collaboratively as part of a team
• Skilled at managing expectations around financial resources
• Ability to navigate across lines of difference while demonstrating value of equity and inclusivity
• Curious, self-reflective and open to both providing and receiving feedback, with the ambition to shape development opportunities for those around you; demonstrate significant growth stemming from feedback
• Commitment to travel to all of our four campuses 
• Bachelor’s degree required; background in accounting strongly preferred
• Working knowledge of accounting software (such as QuickBooks or Sage Intacct); experience with Excel and Google Suite required
• Analytical, financial modeling, and budgeting skills required; asset management skills preferred
• Experience with procurement software, budgeting and asset management software, and HRIS a plus 
• Charter school background a plus

Who are we?

Coney Island Prep is a college preparatory public charter school in Brooklyn, New York. Merging growth, performance, and commitment, the Coney Island Prep community takes its responsibility to prepare scholars for the college and career of their choice very seriously, but not ourselves. We balance our sense of ownership and responsibility with humility and levity and support each other every step of the way. Coney Island Prep currently serves over 1,300 scholars across its four schools, including:

• 312 scholars in kindergarten – second grade at the lower elementary school
• 336 scholars in third – fifth grade at the upper elementary school
• 348 scholars in sixth – eighth grades at the middle school
• 349 scholars in ninth-twelfth grade at the high school

Commitment to Anti-racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice

Coney Island Prep is committed to building a team that collectively reflects the various backgrounds, experiences, and identities of our scholars. We recognize and respond to different points of access, so that everyone maximizes their highest potential. We also recognize that because of institutionalized racism and systemic oppression, historically marginalized groups are at a disadvantage when it comes to most application and hiring processes. We want to ensure that all candidates, regardless of their identity, are able to demonstrate their qualifications and are not limited by a lack of opportunity or access. We are committed to creating a space where everyone’s identity is acknowledged, respected, and welcomed. We are intentional about creating an environment where people feel comfortable being their authentic selves at work by constantly examining our organization culture and challenging our traditions.

Benefits and Compensation

• Employees at Coney Island Prep are provided with salaries that are set through a lens of equity and based on an individual’s skills and experiences relevant to the role. The salary range for this position is from $90,000 - 115,000.
• As a regular, full time employee of Coney Island Prep you will be eligible for benefits that include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance as well as a 403(b) retirement benefit package with match and Paid Family Leave.
• Staff are provided with a MacBook Air and access to all the necessary technology and resources needed to succeed in their role.

Are you “All In?” This position starts immediately. To apply, head to our Careers Page!

Coney Island Preparatory Public Charter School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, national origin, citizenship or disability. We want Coney Island Prep to be a place where scholars and staff of all backgrounds, experiences, and identities feel as though they are valued and can excel.