The Buckley School is a dynamic, nurturing, learning community committed to equity and
inclusion, and as such, seeks to hire talented employees with diverse backgrounds.
Founded in 1933 by Isabelle Buckley, The Buckley School, a college preparatory school with 830
students, is one of the most respected independent schools in Los Angeles. The talented faculty
and administrative team foster a cutting-edge and coordinated educational program that fulfills
the school’s mission, Portrait of a Graduate, commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and
the Buckley Commitment.
The Mission
The Buckley School’s innovative teachers and challenging programs inspire creativity, courage,
and collaboration. By promoting a balanced development of mind, body, and character, The
Buckley School encourages each student to find joy and meaning in life and make an impact in
the world.
For more information on The Buckley School, please visit www.buckley.org.
The Opportunity
Renowned for the breadth and depth of its educational offerings, its verdant campus, and its welcoming community spirit, The Buckley School (“Buckley”) is also the oldest K-12 all-gender learning institution in Los Angeles. Buckley is seeking a proactive, collaborative, and mission-driven individual for a newly created role, the Director of Finance. This is an exciting opportunity for a financial leader to join a community of faculty, administration, and staff who are sincerely committed to nurturing and supporting each Buckley student.
Reporting to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, the Director of Finance will provide strategic oversight for the organization’s core finance and accounting operations within the Business Office, including quality control and staff supervision. The Director of Finance will balance high-level strategic work supporting the Chief Financial and Operating Officer, as well as day-to-day transactional work as needed. This leader supervises all accounting and auditing functions while preparing the monthly financial report package and variance analysis.
This is an ideal opportunity for a seasoned, hands-on, finance professional to bring innovative solutions and a fresh perspective to streamlining and enhancing the finance and accounting function in support of helping Buckley achieve its organizational priorities.
Essential Functions
Maintain a system to ensure the timely, accurate compilation of financial data for reporting the School’s financial position and operations to School Employees, Administrators, and the Board of Directors
Oversee Enterprise Risk management function
Oversee the functions of tuition collections, financial aid, general ledger, cash receipts, cash management, and accounts payable
Determine available cash and make arrangements for transfer into the Short-Term Fund account
Forecast expected cash receipts and expenditures and make cash transfers as needed, modeling cash flow
Model long-term financial plan
Prepare financial and statistical analyses, as required
Develop the annual budget
Facilitate the budget preparation process in cooperation with department managers
Develop budget projections throughout the fiscal year
Analyze budget variances and revise the forecast for year-end results
Prepare budget forecasts or future budget projections using information from various sources
Conduct analyses of the budget projections for the year and keep Administrators informed of the results
Assist with preparation of year-end financial audit, work papers, and analysis, and answer questions from the auditors
Database manager of Financial Edge NXT
Database manager of Camp Brain
Analyze payroll schedules for various purposes
Supervise the Accounting and Finance team in accordance with the school’s policies
Prepare all periodic surveys and reports
Conduct employee performance evaluations as needed, with a minimum of once per
year
Other miscellaneous tasks as may be assigned in support of the CFO and business office
Responsibilities/Duties
Supervise all accounting functions and team members
Review annual 990 and 5500 reports
Review all ledger accounts for inconsistencies and unusual items
Authorize transfer of funds in coordination with the CFO
Review records of accounts receivable payment plans
Assist in the collection of delinquent accounts and determine adequate reserves for write-offs
Review cash disbursements and cash receipts
Assist in the preparation of the yearly operating budget and budget projections
Monitor budgets and flag material variances from the departmental budget
Oversee risk management including application of insurance renewals, maintenance of policies, standard insurance language, releases, and waivers
Perform debt covenant calculations and ensure timely and accurate payment of debt service
Candidate Profile
Serving as an ambassador for the school, The Director of Finance will be a proactive and experienced financial leader with the ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
With a learning mindset and excellent listening skills, this individual will be open to giving and receiving feedback. A strong complement to the CFOO, they will be relied upon for their strong financial technical skills, good business judgment, analytical mindset, and excellent relationship building and communication skills.
The Director of Finance will exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality in carrying out responsibilities. Successful candidates will have at least 5-8 years of experience, 3 years of experience supervising other people, and ideally, not-for-profit accounting knowledge.
A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline is required, with a preference for a CPA. Hands-on experience with at least one major accounting system is required; knowledge of Blackbaud is a plus. Additionally, flexibility to occasionally work long hours, including attendance at weekend and evening events is required.
In addition, the ideal candidate will have the following attributes and competencies:
In partnership with the CFOO, the Director of Finance will have the ability to develop innovative
strategies and solutions aimed towards streamlining and enhancing the finance and accounting
function of the Buckley School. This leader will nurture and retain a strong team of professionals that is focused on excellence, accountability, and customer service. Critical to success in this role, the Director of Finance will be flexible in adjusting as priorities emerge and change, and be highly organized, able to balance multiple tasks efficiently and effectively. The Director of Finance will have strong business acumen and judgment, with the ability to make practical, realistic, data-driven, and timely recommendations and decisions. This leader will bring strong analytical skills and will proactively anticipate potential issues/questions, in support of the CFOO and the organization, co-developing new strategies to drive outcomes. Skilled in change management, the Director of Finance will be transparent and inclusive, working to gain consensus and buy-in related to change initiatives.
Finance and Accounting Expertise
The Director of Finance will be an experienced leader in the field of finance and accounting with
a demonstrated understanding of generally accepted accounting principles and non-profit, fund
accounting principles. This individual will be proficient in internal controls testing and
documentation, as well as risk management assessment and tracking. They will bring strong GL
accounting and report writing experience. With strong analytical skills, they will bring the ability
to correlate and interpret an extensive variety of financial and operational data. They will be
effective in defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions,
dealing with several abstract and concrete variables in the course of day-to-day activities. They
will be skilled in managing moderately complex treasury portfolios and conducting economic
long-term modeling. The Director of Finance will be proficient in reading, analyzing, and
interpreting financial reports, and effective in responding to all financial inquiries from the
Budget and Finance Committee, Administrators, and/or other members of the school
community. They will be able to perform basic and complex mathematical computations as
required to perform proper financial analyses.
Technology Savvy
The Director of Finance will be technologically savvy enough to partner with the IT department
to determine how to apply technology to improve workflow processes. This individual will have
the ability to learn new and evolving technology, develop salient reporting and analysis tools,
and/or join various data sources to manipulate complex data. The Director of Finance will be
proficient with accounting software (i.e. Blackbaud), computers, and computer software,
particularly Excel (advanced skill level), Word, Outlook, Google Suite, and Internet Explorer.
Excellent Communication, Relationship Building, and Collaboration Skills
The Director of Finance will bring excellent listening and communication skills (verbal and
written) with the ability to communicate timely and effectively with a diverse group of
constituents, translating the financials in a way that is transparent, clear, and relatable. This
individual will create warm and uplifting professional relationships with the ability to work
collaboratively with diverse populations, including students, parents, and faculty. The Director
of Finance will keep the CFOO and others up to date on matters related to the overall finance
and accounting priorities and needs.
Passion for Mission
The Director of Finance will have a passion and commitment for The Buckley School’s mission.
This leader will understand how their role contributes to the overall mission, ensuring that the
Finance and Accounting function works in service of the Buckley School students, faculty, staff,
community, Board of Directors, and alumni. The Director will be an individual of unquestioned
integrity, ethics, and values, treating others with respect.
Compensation & Benefits
The salary range for this role is $150,000 - $165,000 with a generous benefits package. The base
salary is separate from fringe benefits, such as retirement contributions, daily lunch, on-site
parking, contributions to medical, dental, vision, life/AD&D plans, and a generous time off
policy. The pay ranges are reasonable estimates of what the School anticipates paying for a role
but are not guaranteed. If hired at The Buckley School, your actual base salary will be
determined by your education and experience.
Contact
Koya Partners has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Express interest in this role by
filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at
Buckley_DOF@koyapartners.com. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.
Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group is committed to providing reasonable accommodation
to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and
need assistance expressing interest online, please email NonprofitSearchOps@divsearch.com. If
you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to
request an accommodation for the interview process.
The Buckley School is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
About Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group
Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, is the nation’s premier search firm
dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, Koya has had an exclusive
focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can
transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. Koya works
with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities
and around the world.
Diversified Search Group is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.
Learn more about Koya Partners l Diversified Search Group via the firm's website.
