About Room to Grow

Room to Grow is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the vision that one day all parents will have the resources they need to unlock their families’ potential and become champions for babies and their community. Its mission is to offer structured parent support, material goods, and community connections to support parents as they activate their natural strengths and expand their knowledge, so children thrive from the start. Room to Grow was founded in New York in 1998 and expanded to Boston in 2005, currently partnering with over 1,500 families with an annual budget of $8.5M and a team of 50 passionate and dedicated staff members. 

Room to Grow uses a two-generation, preventative, and strengths-based approach to engage families. Through its unique program, parents and caregivers partner with program staff to develop strategies to support their child's development, select the material items that their child needs, and connect with community resources that can expand their support network. Room to Grow program staff work alongside parents and caregivers as they build upon their existing skill sets and parenting styles and promote the well-being of their children and family. 

As an entrepreneurial and growth-oriented organization, Room to Grow is in an exciting period of development as it continues to expand its reach and impact in Boston, New York and Chicago. 

Position Summary

Room to Grow is seeking a Director of Finance to lead and oversee accounting functions, financial reporting, and cash management that supports the organization’s continued growth and sustainability. This position will drive the short- and long-term financial planning of the organization, ensure financial compliance and sound internal controls, and collaborate across departments to help drive strategic planning and quality improvement processes.

The Director of Finance reports to the Senior Managing Director of Operations and will oversee a Finance team of up to two full-time team members. This position is a key member of the senior team, working in close partnership with Department heads across the organization to ensure alignment in achieving organizational goals. This is a full-time hybrid role requiring 2-3 days per week in-person at one of our Room to Grow locations in New York, NY or Boston, MA. 

A successful candidate will be a collaborative, resourceful, and adaptable individual with established expertise in non-profit accounting and financial management. This is an exciting opportunity for candidates looking to work cross-functionally at a growing organization to help scale its infrastructure and processes to support long term sustainability. 

Position Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Financial Strategy & Budget

• Direct and oversee the preparation of the organization’s annual budget and support budget managers to develop accurate forecasts that help inform strategic decision-making
• Partner with senior leadership team members to create multi-year budgets for long-term planning; forecast revenue, expenses, and cash flow; and conduct activity-based financial analyses to complement the organization’s operations and programs
• Collaborate with the Development team on grant proposal budgets and monitor spending against grant requirements; oversee compliance and recognition for government contracts (state and city) and private grants
• Monitor cash flow, financial performance, and variances against budgeted projections; analyze financial statements and develop sophisticated reporting (narratives, financials, dashboards, etc.) to communicate financial results and trends
• Provide regular updates to various internal and external stakeholders on finance functions and activities. (presentations at select staff and Board meetings)
• Develop a cash management strategy and support the Board & executives’ efforts to set an investment strategy in alignment with growth plans
• Serve as staff liaison for the Board Finance Committee and primary relationship manager for all financial institutions

Financial Operations: Accounting & Audit

• Lead annual audit and form 990 preparation; prepare audit schedules and liaise with the internal team and audit firm during all audit phases
• Manage all federal and state financial reporting compliance deadlines 
• Ensure all fiscal practices meet the highest standard of integrity and comply with generally accepted accounting principles and other industry standards 
• Implement financial policies and procedures that maintain an effective internal control environment with proper segregation of duties and oversee adherence to policies
• Continually work toward the promotion of efficiency and effectiveness of all finance functions, via process and workflow improvements, support and coaching of the finance team, and investment in and implementation of technology to support automation
• Oversee all accounting functions including general ledger and financial statement preparation; support finance team in the accurate recording and reporting of net assets, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, investments, fixed assets, inventory, etc. 
• Manage and review monthly/quarterly/annual close process to improve efficiency and accuracy
• In collaboration with HR, oversee payroll administration and review bi-weekly and off-cycle payroll runs before submission; work with Room to Grow’s payroll company to stay current with state payroll tax and unemployment rate changes

• Oversee the financial management of benefits programs including medical, retirement (403-b and 457 plans), and employee wellness incentive; partner with HR team on annual review of benefit plans and offerings with an eye towards cost-effectiveness
• Collaborate with the Business Operations team on risk management activities for the organization, including recurring compliance and insurance tasks
• Support in financial analysis related to space planning, subleasing, and real estate projects

Qualifications and Experience

• A passion for the mission, vision, and core values of Room to Grow
• Demonstrated relevant experience in nonprofit accounting and finance required
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or related field required, CPA preferred
• Strong understanding and application of General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and nonprofit audit management
• Experience with QuickBooks online preferred; experience with Apple Operating Systems Microsoft Office, Google Suite, BILL, software a plus
• Experience managing and developing a team 
• Ability to communicate in a clear, friendly, professional, and proactive manner
• Ability to adjust course and thrive in a nimble, fast-paced, and flexible organizational culture
• An exceptionally high level of integrity, accountability, and judgment

Core Competencies

Mission and Culture Alignment - Allows a candidate to thrive at Room to Grow and to be highly motivated by the organization’s work and mission. A successful candidate:

• Embodies RtG core values, including integrity, respect, growth, collaboration, community and inclusion
• Articulates an authentic passion for and unwavering belief in RtG’s mission, demonstrating a commitment to and literacy around the issues of equity that undergird the work 
• Navigates ambiguity and pivots with ease; presents as collaborative and flexible with a strong service mentality and ability to navigate a local/national structure
• Models transparency and encourages open dialogue and inclusivity
• Demonstrates a growth mindset; approaches work with a learning orientation, continuously seeking to improve his or her own work and the work of the organization
• Possesses a deep appreciation for diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to bring people together along lines of difference; is able to model this value in Room to Grow’s internal work by treating our diverse population of families with sensitivity, respect, compassion, and dignity, as well as demonstrating this value with an external presence

Operational Focus: Enables a candidate to efficiently and effectively fulfill their responsibilities while maintaining Room to Grow’s high level of professionalism and integrity to the program. A successful candidate:

• Communicates the organization’s objectives and priorities with team members, with an emphasis on effective management of sites and a respectful and approachable environment for program participants and stakeholder visitors
• Provides a strong framework for effective management while fostering an environment that encourages new approaches or resources that could improve systems
• Embodies the growth mindset, taking every challenge as an opportunity to build efficiencies and streamline processes while maintaining the fidelity of Room to Grow’s program
• Generates goals and priorities in coordination with leadership that are clearly defined and achievable

Strategic Thinking: Allows a candidate to synthesize information and extract key findings and trends in order to develop, communicate, and execute strategy. A successful candidate:

• Develops a shared vision while using expertise and resourcefulness to develop innovative plans and opportunities, giving thorough thought to risk and overall integrity to Room to Grow’s mission
• Possesses a deep understanding of financial analysis to create predictive scenarios that drive action and decision-making with multiple stakeholders
• Naturally and effectively translates a vision for a team, department, or organization into effective strategies for execution, setting ambitious goals, and delivering results 
• Keeps abreast of emerging trends, local current events, updates from community partners, and feedback from stakeholders to inform and analyze organizational processes and direction
• Acts as a leader by constantly acquiring knowledge and insights and promoting the sharing of knowledge not only across departments, but also across the entire organization

Data Management: Allows a candidate to process large amounts of data with accuracy and agility and extract key findings and trends in order to inform both the current and future work of Room to Grow. Enables a candidate to help problem solve and to continuously improve service performance, implementation, and delivery. A successful candidate:

• Empowers team members to implement and leverage data in their work and decision-making
• Synthesizes information, extracts key insights/trends and uses intel to create actionable next steps across departments
• Identifies areas of improvement and creates opportunities for growth and education to enhance the team’s effectiveness

People Management: Enables a candidate to lead, motivate, and manage a cross-functional team to results while managing organizational priorities and operations. A successful candidate:

• Has experience managing through layers and supporting leaders who might have content expertise in areas outside their own, supporting them in hitting their respective goals.
• Offers thoughtful, productive guidance and clarity regarding individual responsibilities and overall performance, with an emphasis on empowerment and growth 
• Provides learning and training opportunities for team members, uses gained knowledge to increase productivity, streamline processes, and more effectively serve Room to Grow’s mission

Compensation and Benefits

Room to Grow offers a collaborative work environment, competitive compensation, and a comprehensive benefits package including:

• 8 weeks of paid time off per year
• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance, Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA
• 403(b) retirement savings with matching program
• Quarterly wellness reimbursement up to $150 per quarter
• So much more! 

Salary and benefits will be competitive for our field and commensurate with experience. Room to Grow is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds.

Reasonable Accommodations

We are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. We encourage you to share any required accommodations with april.beakley@roomtogrow.org and elise.spector@roomtogrow.org, who will treat your requests as confidentially as possible.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We view differences between individuals (e.g., race, gender, age, cultural heritage, physical ability, education, beliefs, and lifestyle) as an asset. We celebrate what makes us unique and strive to create an inclusive environment for all. We are focused on fostering a culture of empowerment in an effort to better understand and serve the multifaceted cultures and identities of all of those within the Room to Grow community.

At Room to Grow, our DEI efforts focus on uplifting the experiences and perspectives of underrepresented groups and doing the work that draws out the best in all of us.

To Apply

Submit your application via Room to Grow’s career portal.