Director of Finance and Accounting

Founded in 2001, LEARN is a network of high-performing college preparatory, tuition-free public elementary and middle schools with the mission of providing children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. There are 12 LEARN Schools serving 4,100 students in grades PK-8 across Chicago, Waukegan, North Chicago, and Washington, D.C. 

It is our goal to create an environment, on every campus, in which our staff members feel supported, respected, and appreciated. Our staff work together at each school and across the network to share ideas, problem solve, and innovate to move our schools and students beyond the expected. LEARN and our amazing educators, have received numerous recognitions for making an impact in public education, including the 2018 Chicago Magazine's Top Elementary Charter Schools and the 2018 Illinois Network of Charter Schools Principal of the Year Award. 

LEARN's mission is to provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. LEARN is currently looking for hard-working and passionate professionals that are dedicated to transforming public education.

What You’ll Do: 

LEARN is seeking an experienced, detail-oriented, hands-on self-starter with problem solving skills and a team attitude to join our organization as Director of Finance and Accounting. This individual will report to the Chief Financial Officer and will play a critical role in directing all accounting procedures and activities in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). In this position, you will implement and execute process improvements, operational efficiencies and cost savings.  As a member of a rapidly expanding organization, this position promises to be fast-paced and full of opportunity to implement and execute new and impactful initiatives. Other areas include verification of funding sources, compliance support, financial reports, budgets, forecast and monitor funding sources and the negotiation of purchases and contracts.     

The Director of Finance and Accounting will support the CFO to work on LEARN's long-term financial health and growth. In this role, you will have the opportunity to make an impact and support our strong academic outcomes with students.

Key Responsibilities include but not limited to:

• Review and approve all assignments and projects of the accounting and finance team to ensure accurate and timely record keeping in all areas of accounting including: payroll; accounts payable; month-end close; federal and state funding and general ledger maintenance.  Research and resolve any discrepancies.
• Prepare and review month-end account reconciliations for balance sheet and income statement accounts
• Bank reconciliations for all operating and Investment Accounts
• Revenues from local, state and federal funding entities (specifically per pupil, food service and Title and other federal funding)
• Donor contributions via coordination with the Development Team
• Payroll, Accruals and Fixed Assets.
• Complete and prepare monthly financial reports (actual versus budget) and variance analysis to board and senior management.  Work closely with senior staff and principals to monitor department budgets and identify variances and solutions timely.  Provide a high level of service to schools.
• Complete financial projections, forecasts, cash flow projections and other reports and analyses as assigned by the Chief Financial Officer. 
• Recommend and implement process and operational efficiencies to ensure accuracy, timeliness and strong internal controls for financial operations. Including implementation of new accounting software.  
• Assist in the completion of quarterly financial reporting to banking institutions (including bank covenant calculations), lenders and other regulatory agencies. 

• Assist in the preparation of the annual operating budget for the network and campuses. Ensure that the budget is accurately reflected in the accounting software.  
• Coordinate the fiscal year-end annual financial audit, including the preparation and review of audit work-papers.
• Work with auditors in completion of annual tax returns, including IRS Form 990.
• Maintain high quality staff by coaching, counseling employees including planning, monitoring and appraising job results.
• Stay abreast of emerging accounting and tax issues affecting the not-for-profit industry. Comply with federal, state and local legal requirements by studying existing and new legislation, enforcing adherence to requirements and advising management on needed actions.
• Ensure appropriate internal controls over LEARN’s assets and in the assignment of responsibilities and duties.

• Establish and maintain long-term secure record-keeping systems for all financial documentation required by audit and to ensure compliance with record retention policies.

• Performs other job-related functions as required by the Chief Financial Officer.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance; CPA and MBA/Masters are preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience in following: management of accounting/finance team, general accounting, financial analysis and financial audits. Non profit financial experience preferred.
• Strong analytical skills in budgeting and forecasting to create multi-year operational and strategic plans.
• Experience and direct analysis of real estate expansion is a plus. 
• Treasury management, and experience with monetary bank covenants. 
• Strong business acumen. 
• Ability to critically review vendor contracts and serve in a negotiating/ bargaining capacity.
• Familiarity with generally accepted accounting principles and a firm understanding of accounting concepts.
• Knowledge of non-profit accounting standards, and accounting unique to charter schools, preferred.
• Strong mathematical, analytical and technical skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• High-level proficiency with spreadsheets, computer applications such as Word, Excel and accounting systems 
• Experience with Blackbaud’s Financial Edge and/or Sage Intacct preferred, but not required. 
• Strong organizational abilities with close attention to detail and precision.  
• Ability to foster and work in a cooperative, team-oriented work environment.
• Team building, staff development and supervisory skills.
• Ability to keep information confidential.  
• Strong customer service focus, with an ability to interact congenitally and effectively with a diverse network of employees, customers and vendors.

A Successful Director of Finance and Accounting will possess: 

• Mission & Culture Fit – Believes that all students can achieve college success and exhibits an unwavering determination to do whatever it takes to help LEARN students achieve their goals.
• Entrepreneurial – Exudes a self-starter mentality and workstyle. Independently owns departmental work streams and projects and takes initiative to solve organizational issues proactively.   
• Collaboration – Initiates, builds, and manages cohesive partnerships and professional relationships both internally and externally. 
• Problem Solver – Able to identify problems, collect and analyze data, establish facts and draw conclusions.  Catches errors and proactively seeks out and identifies problems.  Develops and implements recommendations for resolutions in adherence with all applicable compliance related rules and regulations.
• Organization & Project Management – Keeps track of upcoming, ongoing, and past work products. Quickly adjusts to shifting priorities and deadlines and can juggle multiple and varied projects simultaneously. Develops realistic action plans and utilizes the team effectively to achieve department goals.
• Data Analysis & Analytical Thinking – Ability to build and create data, analyze statistics, identify trends and make balanced, objective recommendations in a proactive manner to achieve maximum results.

Benefits Summary: 

We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package for all full time employees, including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Paid vacation, personal days, paid holidays
• Short and long term disability
• Paid life insurance
• 403B Contribution + 4.5% matching as eligible

This job description is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties or skills required for the job and is subject to review and change at any time, with or without notice, in accordance with the needs of LEARN Charter School Network.  Since no job description can detail all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time in the performance of a job, duties and responsibilities that may be inherent in a job, reasonably required for its performance, or required due to the changing nature of the job shall also be considered part of the jobholder’s responsibility.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, family medical history, disability or veteran status.