Over 60 years old, NNM serves 556 students from toddlers to 8th Grade along with 140 employees. Located near Wicker Park in Chicago, NNM is one of the largest Montessori schools in the nation. Highly regarded for its Montessori pedagogy and innovation, NNM hosts a rooftop garden, an innovation studio, a swimming pool, a playground, a rooftop urban farm, and a Sandwich Shoppe which is managed by students.

Learn more about us on our website: www.nnms.org

NNM seeks a full-time Director of Finance who ​​is responsible for setting the school's strategic fiscal direction. Responsibilities include management of the business office to ensure that appropriate financial controls are effectively utilized and accurate reporting is assured. Staff areas of responsibility include finance, budgeting, planning, purchasing, collections, legal compliance, and risk management. Reporting directly to the Head of School, the Director of Finance will manage the Human Resources Office, in addition to managing and directing the day-to-day operation of the Finance Office, including payroll, accounts receivable, and payable. 

This position requires active interaction and teamwork with the Head of School, administrators, faculty, students, staff, parents, and Board of Directors. The Director of Finance works closely with the Director of Operations and Strategic Priorities to ensure that financial and operational objectives are in harmony. The Director of Finance is a member of the leadership team that oversees the development and implementation of strategic goals that define the course of the school. The Director of Finance works closely with the Head of School to address the school's financial, investment, and business objectives.

The Director of Finance will:

• Provide financial information and planning that builds understanding and trust among the faculty, administration, staff, and Board of Directors.
• Manage and direct the annual operating budget. With the Controller, plan and prepare forecasts of the school's financial condition and oversee the ongoing maintenance and updating of the ten-year financial model.
• In partnership with the Director of Operations, oversee the PPRRSM/Capital Reserve Fund to ensure that it is deployed to meet the strategic needs of the institution.
• Manage and direct the day-to-day operation of the business office, including payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accounting functions.
• Supervise the work of the business office personnel and use standard accounting (FASB) and bookkeeping procedures to keep an accurate and continuous record of cash and the financial position of Near North. 
• Communicate risks, opportunities, and trends via comparative data collection.
• With the Controller, prepare operating statements for the Head of School and the Board of Directors and provide monthly reports of expenditures for use of each individual budget center within the school.
• With the Controller and Audit Committee, provide for the securing of an annual audit of the school’s financial records and financial positions.
• Oversee all the school's purchasing and contracts, financial investments, banking activities, payroll, and benefits program.
• Oversee the school’s financial investments, including endowment. 
• Provide staff/liaison support to the Audit, Finance, and Investment Committees of the Board of Directors in conjunction with the Head of School. Document all committee meetings
• Establish, review, revise, and ensure legal compliance and risk mitigation with regard to the following practices, procedures, and publications of the school.
• Report and collect data from the school associations (NAIS, ISACS, INDEX, etc.) and manage surveys of data from the benchmark groups.
• Represent the school at various regional, state, and national associations relative to the CFO/Business Manager role.

The qualified candidate should possess the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree required; an advanced degree, MBA or CPA license preferred
• Prior experience as a Director of School Finance/ Chief Financial Officer is highly desirable
• Significant experience supervising other personnel and managing multiple projects and programs
• Strong management, negotiation, and project management skills
• An open and collaborative work style
• A positive outlook and a sense of humor
• A high level of integrity and a strong work ethic
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive matters appropriately
• State-of-the-art computer skills and extensive experience with Google applications and Microsoft, and working with databases such as Blackbaud

Applications should be sent to Angela Garcia, Head of School at agarcia@nnms.org and include a resume, cover letter, and the names of three professional references.

Pay Information: The salary range for this role is $120,000 - $130,000 based on skills and experience.

Near North Montessori offers a variety of benefits which include:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision options
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• EAP Program & Pet Insurance
• Flexible Paid Time off
• Professional Development Opportunities

Near North Montessori believes that each individual is entitled to equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, ancestry, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. The School’s equal employment opportunity practices extend to recruitment, hiring, selection, compensation, benefits, transfer, conditions, and privileges of employment.