Head of finance

A well-established financial institution is seeking an experienced finance executive to lead its accounting, reporting, and fiscal operations in a confidential search. This senior leadership role reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer and offers the opportunity to shape financial strategy for a stable, member-focused organization.

Title: Head of Finance

Location: New Bedford, MA

Salary: $150,000 - $180,000 PENSION

Key Responsibilities:

• Oversee all accounting functions, fiscal reporting, and record-keeping operations.
• Provide expert counsel to executive leadership on financial controls, profitability, and strategic planning.
• Prepare, present, and analyze comprehensive financial reports for senior management; actively participate in executive planning discussions.
• Manage daily accounting activities, including maintenance of depreciation/amortization schedules, accruals, prepaids, payables, and initiation of adjusting entries.
• Develop and present the annual operating budget to leadership for approval; deliver regular progress updates on financial performance.
• Monitor liquidity positions, ensure adequate funding availability, advise on investment strategies, and execute approved investment actions.
• Ensure timely preparation and submission of all required regulatory and compliance filings.
• Coordinate internal and external audits; collaborate with auditors, examiners, and oversight committees to review financial records.
• Supervise account reconciliations, correspondent relationships, and related banking activities.
• Prepare month-end, quarter-end, and ad-hoc financial reports as requested.
• Develop financial forecasts, simulations, and asset-liability management analyses to support executive decision-making.
• Manage outgoing payment processes, including wires.
• Track and report on operational unit performance metrics.
• Maintain required records and reporting for secondary market activities and funding sources.
• Monitor pipeline of assets for potential sale or transfer.
• Serve in an advisory capacity to asset-liability and investment oversight groups.
• Lead departmental planning efforts and participate in organization-wide strategic sessions.
• Act as primary liaison with audit oversight functions; coordinate audits, review findings, and ensure appropriate management responses.
• Monitor authorization levels and borrowing activities; report status to leadership.
• Prepare and present regular reports to oversight committees.
• Review and approve certain executive-level expenses.
• Oversee provisioning and monitoring for credit risk reserves.
• Review and update key financial and operational policies in areas such as investments, liquidity, payables, risk management, compliance, and related tools/systems.
• Provide ongoing training, guidance, and performance feedback to finance team members; conduct annual evaluations.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field required; Master's degree (e.g., MBA) and/or professional certification (CPA, CMA, or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• 10 years of progressive experience in financial management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing accounting, reporting, budgeting, and compliance in a regulated financial services environment (credit union, community bank, or similar institution experience highly desirable).
• Demonstrated expertise in financial forecasting, asset-liability management, liquidity management, investment oversight, and regulatory reporting.
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial regulations, audit processes, and secondary market/secondary funding operations.
• Proven track record of leading teams, developing policies, and collaborating with executive leadership and board-level committees.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and presentation skills; ability to translate complex financial data into actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders.
• Proficiency with financial software/systems and advanced Excel/modeling tools.
• High ethical standards, attention to detail, and ability to maintain confidentiality in sensitive matters.