La Scuola International School is a private, Preschool - Grade 8 independent school in San Francisco.  The school founded its preschool, La Piccola Scuola Italiana,  in 2002 and has earned awards and accolades for its work with Reggio Children as a leading example of the Reggio Emilia pedagogy in North America.  In 2012, the school expanded its curriculum through grade 8 and is the only school in San Francisco to offer the International Baccalaureate program for the elementary and middle years as well as the only school in the world to offer this unique program that blends Reggio Emilia, the International Baccalaureate and Italian language immersion. 

The mission of the school is to inspire brave learners to shape the future. The school does this by believing steadfastly in children’s innate ability to learn and by challenging them academically, creatively and innovatively in an environment that is intentionally designed to elicit creativity and curiosity from those that work there.

We believe our community thrives through diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and realities. Only through a persistent drive to listen and learn from one another, create and promote equitable opportunities and to continue to reflect and evolve will we be able to establish systems which will address the needs of the one and the many.

The school currently seeks a Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately to join the school’s senior administration to oversee all financial operations at the school which is in the midst of substantial growth in enrollment and expansion of facilities. The duties of the CFO require working directly with the Head of School, fellow administrators, and Board of Directors to develop and execute the overall financial strategy for the school as it deals with all the moving parts of its growth and expansion.

In addition to embracing the mission of the School, supporting its Head and leadership, and representing the School at professional and public forums, the new CFO has a number of primary responsibilities:

Financial Management and Planning

• Generates accurate and appropriately detailed reports including statements of financial position, statements of cash flow, and analyses of historical and projected income and expenses, in addition to other special reports that may be requested
• Participates in the development of school strategy, providing recommendations, financial analysis, projections, and other data to inform the process
• Manages annual budget process collaborating with the Head of School and Finance Committee and proposes annual budget to the Board of Trustees
• Recommends tuition levels and fees for the school year
• Prepares and presents budget and expense reports for the board/finance committee, including variance analyses and forecasts
• Presents and advises the Board of Trustees pertinent annual surveys on independent school association data, particularly on tuition and salaries
• Manages capital expense budget and fixed assets
• Works with consultants and outside lenders in obtaining and managing commercial funding; monitoring compliance with loan covenants and ratios.

Accounting and Risk Management

• Supervises accounting manager (bookkeeper/business office assistant)
• Oversees all student billing and accounting, including management of past due accounts
• Supports Director of Admissions with financial aspects of student enrollment/re-enrollment agreements, setting tuition for families
• Organizes and manage accounts receivable and accounts payable to ensure accurate and timely oversight of all related functions
• Ensures account reconciliations and financial statements are prepared on a monthly basis
• Maintains inventory, fixed assets detail, and depreciation schedule
• Collaborates with the Director of Advancement to assist in preparing monthly reports and materials for the Development Committee and supporting fund-raising programs
• Supports reconciliation of Annual Fund pledges/gifts and other major fund-raisers (e.g., La Dolce Vita)
• Oversees the preparation and filing various tax reports
• Communicates accounting policies to teachers and staff and ensures compliance with said policies 

• Collaborates with the Early Childhood Director, Lower School Head and Middle School Head on classroom and program expenses
• Manages risk and insurance needs, including insurance reviews and recommendations, liability exposures and coverages, and any claims administration
• Oversee the annual financial and 403b plan audits and filings of tax returns.
• Ensure that the School is in compliance with all local, state, and federal reporting requirements.

Cash Management

• Manages bank accounts; reconcile account statements and investment gains/losses
• Takes an active role in banking relations, debt negotiations, and compliance, cash management and investing
• Reconciles and handle all incoming cash and checks and ensure accurate deposits
• Monitors/projects cash flow and cash needs
• Manage petty cash with campus office managers

Audit and Control

• Monitors internal controls and safeguard confidential information
• Maintains relationship with the school’s independent auditors (CPA)and prepares the schedules and work papers for annual audit
• Responds to auditor’s administrative recommendations in management letter
• Interfaces with CPA on accounting and finance matters; coordinates annual tax filing with CPA
• Maintains permanent office files for all audit schedules prepared by the school 

Human Resources Support

• Manages the payroll process and accounting
• Work with the Director of Administration to ensure sound and consistent employment policies, compliance, adequate staffing levels, compensation, and appropriate benefits programs.
• Collaborates with HR Manager on employee work hours and PTOs, benefits administration, and pertinent provisions in Employee Handbook
• Supports the Director of Administration in implementing and administering all employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, life insurance, and other related plans. Provides guidance and best practices on salary and benefits.
• Assists the Head of School and Director of Administration in salary administration, compensation planning, and FTE planning
• Assists the Head of School and Director of Administration in preparing employee work contracts (employment agreements and offers of employment)

School Surveys and Compliance Reports

• Prepares periodic surveys and reports to associations of which the school is a member (NAIS, NBOA, Cal-ISBOA)
• Demonstrates compliance with various city, state, and county requirements
• Keeps updated on current trends and activities in independent schools related to Business Office functions
• Remains aware of legal changes that might influence school operations

General Responsibilities:

• Serves as key member of the administrative and management team
• Participate as a member of the Facilities and Expansion Committee
• Collaborates with Director of Administration and Facilities Manager on facilities, security, staffing
• Manages the Accounting Manager/Business Office Assistant
• Participates in school‐wide events including Open Houses, annual Roundtable, monthly staff and committee meetings, and other events
• Accepts and performs other duties, as assigned by the Head of School

Oversee the development, administration, and reporting of the operating and long-term budget to the School’s Board of Directors; Finance and Audit committees; auditors; federal, state, and local authorities; lenders; donors; and various School administrative offices.

Building and/or maintaining the School’s short- and long-term strategic financial models.

Working with consultants and outside lenders in obtaining and managing commercial funding; monitoring compliance with loan covenants and ratios.

Serve as chief staff liaison to the Finance and Audit committees of the Board of Directors, working closely with Committee chairs and organizing agendas and meeting materials.

• Collaborate with the School’s counsel and insurance agents regarding all legal and risk management matters.
• Ensure that the School is in compliance with all local, state, and federal reporting requirements.
• Publicly represent the School in a positive and proactive way, collaborating with other School administrators, neighbors, and San Francisco officials.
• Work with the Director of Administration to ensure sound and consistent employment policies, compliance, adequate staffing levels, compensation, and appropriate benefits programs.
• Participate as a member of the Facilities and Expansion Committee 
• Work with the Facilities Manager to ensure smooth functioning of all current and future facilities management across campuses
• Help the Director of Administration to implement and administer all employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, life insurance, and other related plans. Provide guidance and best practices on salary and benefits.
• Collaborate with Director of Administration on participation in industry forums, data-gathering surveys and external outreach efforts.
• Oversee the annual financial and 403b plan audits and filings of tax returns.
• Provide transparent financial reporting and planning that builds trust among administrators, faculty and staff, students and alumni, parents, and board of directors.
• Oversee the work of the members of the Business Office

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA and or CPA preferred.
• 10-plus years of financial and business leadership.
• Experience on senior administrative teams and working with non-profit boards.
• Experience working in an educational setting or another non-profit organization
• Experience dealing with multi year construction projects and their financing.
• Demonstrates cultural competence by understanding and appreciating one another’s differences and is respectful of those different from them.
• Shows willingness to evolve policy and practices to enhance inclusion and respectful engagement with different groups.
• Experience in human resource management, employee benefits (including pension plans), and payroll procedures.

Desired Personal Characteristics

• Child-oriented and committed to education.
• Ability to understand and embrace the mission and values of the School.
• Strategic thinker who sees the larger picture.
• Ability to balance and prioritize the needs of the School.
• Ability to manage and mentor staff.
• A good listener and a good speaker.
• A strong, team player.
• Empathetic, open, and warm.
• Fair, but demanding; 
• Community-minded.
• Versatile and flexible.
• Confident voice in the room.
• Superb people skills.
• Process-oriented.
• Discreet and able to honor confidentiality.
• Committed to diversity and inclusion practices.
• Excellent communications skills.

Compensation package will be highly competitive and commensurate with the scope of the role. 

Submit electronically and as separate documents the following materials:

• Cover letter expressing interest in the CFO position;
• Current resume;
• List of five references with name, phone number, and email address of each