Join our team! Now hiring: Director of Finance and Operations

Van Alen Institute is a 130-year-old design nonprofit that creates more equitable cities through community-led inclusive design. We partner with leaders of historically disinvested communities to support their immediate needs and long term visions with our network, knowledge, and resources. We shape diverse interdisciplinary teams, build cross-sector public/private coalitions, and invest our own funds to support neighborhood priorities. By centering community in everything we do, our inclusive design method responds to the urgent need for social justice in citymaking.

Role Description

The Director of Finance and Operations will: 

• Oversee Van Alen’s financial life, including audits, annual budgeting, cash flow, investment coordination, committee management, and ongoing financial tracking and projections;
• Lead organizational workflows, operations, human resources, building management, and governance functions that advance Van Alen’s mission; 
• Create efficiencies across the organization, develop and execute processes that drive our work, and cultivate an engaging work environment for the Van Alen team
• Support the development and execution of the organization’s iterative institutional strategy, including impact evaluation and annual planning processes. 

The Director of Finance and Operations reports to the Executive Director and collaborates with the senior management team, external accountants, auditors, and Board Committee chairs to strategically direct Van Alen’s resources and ensure financial stability and compliance.

Van Alen is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are committed to reflecting the communities in which we work and encourage members of traditionally underrepresented populations to apply, including people of color, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.

Responsibilities

Finance

• Oversee financial operations, including accounts payable/receivable, payroll, cash flow management, organizational controls, and monthly, quarterly, and annual financial closeouts
• Prepare and manage the annual budget by program, department, and organization, ensuring alignment with strategic goals
• Coordinate external audit processes, 990 preparation, and compliance with tax regulations
• Serve as staff liaison for the Finance and Audit committees, preparing reports and presenting financial updates
• Oversee grant reporting from a financial perspective, track in-kind support, and oversee financial commitments in contracts

Organizational Workflows and Strategy

• Manage organizational workflows and develop and lead meeting schedules (weekly standups, program retrospectives, and monthly shareouts) that support the daily management and continued evolution of Van Alen’s work
• Coordinate with Executive Director and staff on institutional strategy development, including supporting learning and testing processes, program impact measurement, and annual planning 
• Maintain the institution’s annual calendar

Human Resources

• Develop strategies and policies to create and maintain a superior workplace culture, prioritizing Van Alen’s values of equity, diversity, and agency
• Manage and make improvements to the employee lifecycle: recruitment, onboarding, retention, development, and offboarding
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, strategize on organizational staffing needs
• Manage relationship with professional employer organization (PEO); in collaboration with PEO, oversee benefits administration and stay abreast of legal and best practices 
• Develop and conduct ongoing and annual internal performance review processes
• Manage staff requests for time-off and administer holiday schedule
• Manage HR budget in collaboration with the Executive Director

Office & Building Management

• Lead the creation of a superior office environment from office design, to staff celebrations, to collective meals
• Develop systems and tools that enable staff to support office operations such as ordering supplies, sorting and distributing incoming mail, maintaining and improving the IT environment, arranging catering and set-up for internal and external meetings
• Oversee two part-time janitorial staff
• Maintain physical and digital filing systems, manage an offsite archive, and oversee the implementation of the institutional records retention policy
• Perform general reception duties including greeting visitors, responding to inquiries, and answering calls
• In collaboration with property management company, oversee building management and related tasks such as scheduling and overseeing vendors
• Support external CFO and accounting team with ad-hoc tasks such as depositing checks or assisting with finance-related mail
• Manage office and building management budgets

Space Use

• In collaboration with Programs, Communications, and Strategic Partnerships teams, act as logistical support for Van Alen, community-led, and partner events hosted in Van Alen’s space 
• Oversee space rental program for paid events in Van Alen’s space: solicit, coordinate, and act as organizational liaison

Legal/Governance

• Oversee contract development and management across the organization, collaborating with the Executive Director and external counsel
• Maintain organizational insurance policies, tax exemptions, incorporation, and registrations
• In collaboration with the Strategic Partnerships team, coordinate the Governance Committee
• Track compliance with and necessary updates to Bylaws and Board Committee charters
• Review and update organizational policies and procedures (Conflict of Interest, Gift Policy, Whistleblower, Records Retention, 990)

Evaluation

• Ongoing collaboration across teams to measure and evaluate Van Alen’s impact 

Qualifications and Skills

• Collaborative and adaptive mindset; comfort with and interest in iterative and learning-focused processes
• 5+ years experience in nonprofit finance and operations background
• Interest in community engagement, user/participatory research, participatory design, strategic design, urban planning, urban design, architecture, public art, policy, or related field; a commitment to community-led inclusive design and spatial justice
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Highly organized and detail oriented, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and projects, meet deadlines, and produce quality work within tight budget and time constraints
• Proficiency in Google Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, AirTable, Intacct, Bill.com, and Divvy

How to Apply

Please send your application to jobs@vanalen.org with cover letter, resume, and writing sample in a single PDF with subject line “Director of Finance and Operations: [Name].”

The salary range for this position is $100,000–$110,000 annually. Generous benefits are provided at no extra cost to employee. Contribution is required for dependents. Van Alen offers remote work opportunities on Monday and Friday. Van Alen is an equal opportunity employer.