Director of Finance

Bring financial leadership to a mission-driven organization at the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County in Santa Cruz, CA. This onsite role supports a 60-year legacy of trust through GAAP-compliant finance operations, transparent fund stewardship, and leadership of a team that coordinates over 15,000 volunteers annually.

What you’ll get

• True work-life balance: 36-hour work weeks
• Generous paid time off: 12 days vacation (year 1), 10 paid holidays, 3 floating holidays, plus a full paid holiday closure from Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day
• Benefits coverage: full health, dental, vision, and chiropractic coverage
• Retirement: 401(k) with employer match, plus 100% employer-paid premiums for the employee
• Additional support: Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care Reimbursement Program, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Flexible schedule and paid parental leave
• Compensation: $99,963 – $114,710 per year (commensurate with experience)
• Work arrangement: Full-time. Hybrid in-office/remote may be coordinated with Executive Director approval after onboarding

Equity and inclusion are central to the Volunteer Center. The organization is an Equal Opportunity Employer and practices affirmative action to build a diverse workforce reflective of the community.

Responsibilities

• Drive finance strategy by stewarding $5M+ in annual fund accounting and overseeing a 55-person payroll function with absolute transparency and GAAP compliance.
• Optimize financial systems by modernizing and maintaining financial calendars, budget-to-actual analysis, and multi-divisional reporting, including leading a transition to a cloud-based accounting platform.
• Deliver decision-ready reporting by producing and analyzing GAAP-compliant financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow) for executive leadership and funders.
• Lead audits, filings, and compliance, including the annual independent audit, workers’ comp audits, and federal/state tax filings such as IRS Form 990 and California Form RRF-1.
• Own cash planning by developing and maintaining multi-year cash flow forecasts and short-term cash management strategies to support operational liquidity.
• Strengthen internal controls by establishing, documenting, and maintaining internal financial controls and accounting policies, including segregation of duties.
• Oversee reserves and investment activity in coordination with the Executive Director and Finance Committee, aligned with Board-approved policies.
• Manage risk across agency operations, contracts, and funding streams, including benchmarking finance systems against industry standards for sustainability.
• Support government contracts by overseeing cost reporting and claims for local, state, and national government contracts.
• Ensure accurate fund accounting for restricted and unrestricted funds, including timely release of restrictions in compliance with funder requirements.
• Coordinate grant and contract financial alignment by ensuring budgets and reporting meet funder requirements and program specifications.
• Lead payables and receivables to ensure timely processing, accurate coding, and proper documentation across funding sources.
• Partner with leadership by presenting financial summaries and policy recommendations to the Finance Committee and Board of Directors.
• Provide direct payroll oversight for a 60-person workforce, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with California wage and hour law, including W-2 and 1099 preparation and payroll tax filings.
• Maintain compliance knowledge for California labor law, nonprofit tax-exempt requirements, and government contract compliance standards.
• Serve as Finance Committee liaison, updating agency fiscal policies as needed.
• Build the Finance team through supervision, coaching, annual evaluations, reconciliation meetings, training, and documentation of standard operating procedures.
• Reduce single-point-of-failure risk by implementing onboarding and cross-training plans for critical finance functions.
• Support program leaders with financial coaching and oversight to strengthen grant proposals and budget narratives.
• Contribute to succession planning for key finance roles in coordination with the Executive Director.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field
• 5+ years of experience managing non-profit or government budgets of $5M+ scope, including fund accounting, grant compliance, and multi-funder financial reporting
• 2+ years of staff supervision experience, including demonstrated ability to coach and hold staff accountable
• Strong knowledge of GAAP fund accounting, restricted/unrestricted revenue management, and nonprofit regulatory compliance (including IRS Form 990, California Form RRF-1, and government contract cost principles)
• Experience leading or directly managing an annual independent audit from preparation through completion
• Hands-on payroll oversight experience, including California wage and hour compliance and payroll tax filings
• Proficiency in QuickBooks (Desktop or Online) and advanced Excel; database tools such as FileMaker are a plus
• Ability to translate complex financial data into clear reports, graphs, and presentations for boards and funders
• Ability to establish and maintain internal controls and financial policies with limited finance staff
• Ability to pass a criminal records check and commitment to common loss control and stewardship practices

Technologies

• GAAP
• QuickBooks (Desktop or Online)
• Excel
• FileMaker
• Cloud-based accounting platform
• IRS Form 990
• California Form RRF-1
• W-2
• 1099
• P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow

Preferred

• CPA license or progress toward CPA licensure
• Experience with cloud-based nonprofit accounting platforms (QuickBooks Online Nonprofit, Aplos, Sage Intacct, or comparable)
• Experience with government contract cost reporting
• Familiarity with Santa Cruz County or Monterey Bay nonprofit sector and local funding landscape
• Mac OS proficiency

How to apply

Submit a resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references via email to [email protected]. Qualified candidates will progress through a screening call and a two-panel interview process.