SUMMARY

Live Oak School, a K-8 independent school in the heart of urban San Francisco, believes that the best learning happens when students are actively engaged in the process — thinking deeply, exploring ideas, and trying on strategies for solving problems. The school’s approach to teaching and learning is deeply rooted in progressive tradition and informed by contemporary research. Live Oak anchors its instructional program around the students as individual learners, determined to prepare them for the opportunities that will define the lives of graduates in the twenty-first century.

The finance office at Live Oak is an essential business unit, comprising three people: a director of finance, and two full-time staff positions reporting to the director: a controller and an employment resources manager. In addition, the facilities department, which is outsourced to a third-party management company, rolls up to the director of finance. At a school like Live Oak, all administrators serve both strategic and hands-on functions, and they lean into opportunities to support and engage the academic program. Live Oak is led by an outstanding, highly respected, dedicated, and mission-centered head of school, who has worked at the school since 2001 and served as its head since 2009.

Live Oak School now seeks a director of finance to oversee all aspects of the school’s finance and budget management, human resources, and facilities. The director is a member of the head of school’s strategy steering team and has frequent touch points with the board of directors via three standing committees. Five years ago the school nearly doubled in physical size and student enrollment. Many leaders at the school have already started to imagine further expansion via real estate acquisition, for which the director of finance would be an essential partner. Live Oak School looks forward to welcoming the next director of finance later this summer.

12M Recruiting is running the search on behalf of Live Oak School. Applications received by June 9 will receive priority review. For application instructions and the full job opportunity statement, please visit:

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/LiveOak/Finance

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Priority Deadline: June 9, 2024

Semifinal Round: Early-to-mid June

On-site Final Round: Mid-to-late June

Decision Announced: Early July

Start Date: Summer 2024

Salary Range: $240,000 to $270,000

Reports to: Head of School

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

SPECIFIC DUTIES
Finance, HR, and Facilities

• Partner with the head of school to provide advice and support on issues of finance, facilities management, risk management, debt management, governance, legal issues, and human resources.
• Provide strategic direction for appropriate and maximum use of financial resources to achieve the school’s strategic priorities and maintain long-term health of the institution.
• Maintain budgets and financial reports related to capital projects and long-term facilities maintenance, including planning and supervising major construction projects.
• Oversee all human resources functions and campus facilities, including contracts and partnerships with external vendors.
• Partner with the operations manager to ensure ongoing facilities and budgetary support of campus expansion projects.

Compliance, Risk Management, and Reporting

• Prepare and maintain reports for the head of school and board of trustees on financial planning, external reporting, industry benchmarking and analysis, debt management, and capital projects.
• Ensure that the school is in compliance with all local and state reporting requirements.
• Oversee and ensure the successful completion of the annual independent audit.
• Monitor and mitigate risk through a comprehensive risk management program, and lead all campus safety initiatives.
• Manage the school’s 403(b) plan and ensure compliance with human resources policies.

General Leadership and Administration

• Supervise the controller and employment resources manager, and manage external facilities vendor contracts and employees.
• Serve as lead liaison for the finance, audit, and building and grounds committees of the board of directors, and provide effective communication, presentations, and updates to the full board.
• In partnership with the director of enrollment management and admissions, serve as a member of the adjusted tuition committee and oversee all adjusted tuition applications.
• Participate as a collaborative member of the strategy steering team and serve as a trusted advisor to the head, other senior administrators, and board of trustees.
• Report to the head of school, and perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS AND QUALITIES

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA, CPA, graduate-level coursework, or other professional certifications preferred
• Proven success as a financial leader, preferably in a nonprofit organization
• Comprehension of risk management and current legal and regulatory environment within the context of non-profit organizations and/or independent schools
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and using financial models for forecasting, budgeting, strategic planning and analysis
• Experience in setting up and maintaining financial and operational policies, procedures, controls, and standards, and preparing GAAP financial statements
• Robust knowledge of human resource administration and regulatory requirements

Professional and Leadership Qualities

• Capacity to collaborate effectively with a wide range of constituencies, including parents, faculty and staff, trustees, members of the neighborhood community, and vendors
• An analytical and organized approach toward process improvement, financial management, and decision making
• Exceptional attention to detail and integrity
• Demonstrated quantitative and analytical skills in support of projecting, developing, and managing capital and operating budgets
• Outstanding communication, both written and verbal
• A genuine belief in Live Oak’s mission and an excitement to join a supportive community as a key strategic partner to the head of school and other senior administrators

TO APPLY

For more information please visit the following link, which contains the job opportunity statement and complete application instructions.

www.12MRecruiting.com/jobs/LiveOak/Finance