Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

Background

Based in Washington, D.C., Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the nation’s leading intermediary and network focused on community development finance. With over $1 billion in total assets under management, OFN manages a membership of over 400 community development financial institutions (CDFIs), which include community development loan funds, credit unions, green banks, banks, minority depository institutions, and venture capital funds.

Our network of CDFIs work to ensure communities underserved by mainstream finance have access to affordable, responsible financial products and services, with deep focus on serving rural, urban, and Native communities across the United States.

OFN is a trusted investment partner to the public, private, and philanthropic sectors – foundations, corporations, banks, government agencies, and others. For nearly 40 years, OFN has helped partners invest in communities to catalyze change and create economic opportunities for people and places traditional finance doesn’t reach.

OFN supports CDFIs through three pillars to increase access to affordable, responsible financial products and services in underinvested communities.

• Money – OFN manages over $1 billion in total assets which help CDFIs lend and invest in markets underinvested by mainstream banks.
• Strength – OFN provides data and research, trainings, and convenings that strengthen and scale the CDFI industry for greater impact.
• Voice – OFN raises awareness of CDFIs and amplifies the voice of the industry through public policy advocacy and communications.

In April 2024, OFN was selected to receive a $2.29 billion award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA) grant competition, part of the EPA’s $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), to finance the clean energy transition in low income and disadvantaged communities across the country. This marks a pivotal step forward in OFN’s commitment to mobilizing financing and private capital to address the climate crisis, increasing access to capital in underinvested communities, and advancing environmental justice by delivering lower energy costs and economic revitalization to communities that have historically been left behind.

Summary

This Executive Vice President (EVP), Chief Financial Officer (CFO) has overall responsibility for ensuring OFN’s financial strength, stability, risk management, and appropriate operational and capital liquidity through the management of OFN’s budget, financial performance, and organizational metrics. The EVP, CFO leads the budget formulation process in close collaboration with the EVP, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CFO is responsible for managing the financial and organizational data for OFN’s annual audit and Aeris rating.

The EVP, CFO is a member of OFN’s Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for the overall management of the Accounting and Finance Team. The CFO works closely with the Finance Committee and the Treasurer of the OFN Board of Directors.

• Location: Washington, DC (Hybrid – 2 days in office, 3 from home)
• Reports to: President & Chief Executive Officer

Responsibilities

Strategy, Management & Executive Leadership:

• Participate in short- and long-term strategic and organizational planning initiatives for OFN as part of the Executive Leadership Team, and the development and execution of OFN’s strategic plan.
• Provide financial leadership and guidance to support strategic initiatives and decision-making.
• Collaborate with other executives to align financial goals with organizational objectives.
• Represents OFN externally on OFN financial matters, and engages with external stakeholders, such as OFN members, community partners, funders, investors, industry and business leaders, and government officials.
• Monitors the organizational financial impact during the implementation of strategic business plans.
• Manages the operations of the Finance & Accounting team including staff, professional development, and training in accordance with company policies and other strategic objectives.
• Works in collaboration with the ELT on fundraising and structuring of new sources of capital and capitalization approaches with loans, investments, and grants to OFN, including on and off-balance vehicles.

Advisory:

• Serve as a key advisor to the President & CEO and the Board of Directors, and act as point person for all fiscal matters.
• Provide strategic financial guidance, insights and recommendations as in-house resource to internal business units to support organizational growth and sustainability.
• Advise on financial implications of business activities and potential opportunities.
• Supports individual operating departments by reviewing line of business financials and programmatic grants with managers and performing financial analysis to facilitate pricing and budgeting.

Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting:

• Develops, implements, and monitors OFN’s annual operating budget and long-range financial projections through close coordination with the President & CEO and ELT.
• Leads the financial strategy and planning, management, and reporting, including related management and policies, procedures, financial systems, key accounting processes, and activities to support OFN’s mission.
• Analyze business and financial trends, existing performance indicators to assist in the development of strategic business plans and objectives.
• Works closely with ELT for compliance and management of Federal budgets.

Financial Management, Performance, and Reporting:

• Provides timely and accurate financial reports, including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements to the President & CEO, Executive Leadership Team, Board of Directors, and other key stakeholders.
• Conduct regular financial analysis and communicate financial results and insights to the executive team and Board of Directors.
• Manage and optimize the organization’s financial performance, including financial operations, cost control, and revenue generation.
• Establish, develop and enforce financial policies, procedures, and controls to ensure sound financial management, including processing departmental and business unit budgets.
• Oversees asset liability matching, liquidity, and covenants for OFN’s financing capitalization and financing, operating and finance funding cash flows, investments, and tracking of OFN’s organizational metrics.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards and regulatory requirements.

Procurement:

• Oversee the organization’s procurement processes, ensuring cost-effective purchasing and compliance with policies.
• Oversee and ensure compliance with federal procurement, budgeting, and reporting for federal programs.
• Develop and manage vendor relationships and negotiate contracts to achieve favorable terms.
• Responsible for overseeing and contributing to policy and procedure development for federal procurement.

Treasury Management and Strategy:

• Develop and implement treasury investment and management strategies for the use of OFN funds and investment returns.
• Oversee cash flow optimization through treasury and cash management planning and forecasting to ensure adequate liquidity and cash flow to meet the organization’s operational and capital needs.
• Support OFN’s capitalization and credit strategies and commitments.
• Develop working partnership and build solutions with key stakeholders and investors.
• Provide oversight for all debt incurrence and management. Ensure debt and tax obligations are satisfied on a timely basis.
• Manage relationships with financial institutions and ensure efficient banking operations.

Audit:

• Oversees internal and external audit processes to ensure the integrity, and strength of financial operations and reporting.
• Serves as the management liaison to the audit committee, auditors, and other external assessments; and implement audit recommendations and ensure compliance with internal controls.
• Oversees and supervises all accounting and tax functions in a timely and accurate manner.
• Manages relationships, and maintain transparent and effective communications, with OFN’s audit and tax firms.
• Works collaboratively with outside vendors including auditors, accountants, attorneys, and bankers to positively impact the financial performance of the organization.

Risk Management:

• Establish a comprehensive financial risk management framework to identify, assess, and mitigate financial risks that could impact the organization’s stability and reputation, devising risk mitigation strategies, implementing internal control systems, and ensuring strict adherence to regulatory guidelines.
• Supervises corporate compliance, including charitable registrations, maintenance of OFN’s tax-exempt status, licensing, and other state and federal regulations.
• Develop and implement risk management policies and procedures.

Financial Systems & Technology:

• Oversee the onboarding, implementation and maintenance of financial systems and technology to enhance financial productivity, operations, performance, and reporting.
• Manages financial systems, including developing and implementing financial and accounting policies and procedures, in addition to establishing and monitoring internal controls.
• Ensure financial systems are secure, efficient, and capable of meeting the organization’s needs.
• Stay informed about emerging financial technologies and best practices

Requirements

Experience:

• Experience as a CFO strongly preferred.
• 10+ years professional experience in accounting, financial management, or investment banking required; including at least 7-10 years in a supervisory or managerial capacity required.
• Strong writing, financial, and analytical experience required.
• Strong oral presentation, communication, and negotiating skills required.
• Experience in corporate finance including asset-liability management, cash flow management, interest rate management, asset and enterprise valuation, and budgeting required.
• Experience with cash management and investment management required.
• Strong knowledge of financial reporting, audit, internal controls, and data analytics.
• Demonstrated experience in creating and assessing financial statements and budget documents.
• Experience in community development finance and knowledge of community development financial institutions (CDFIs), and non-profit management, a plus.
• Proven track record of success facilitating progressive organizational change and development within a complex organization.
• Experience leading and overseeing a team of financial professionals to ensure the effective management of financial operations.
• Experience with developing and adhering to policies and procedures associated with federal grant compliance.

Abilities:

• Must possess a strong passion for, understanding of, and commitment to OFN’s mission, vision, and values. In addition, be a fearless advocate, who is confident and resilient in OFN’s fight to drive capital into underinvested communities.
• Able to serve as a strategic finance partner to the President & CEO and the members of the senior leadership team.
• A collaborative team player who possesses the interpersonal skills to work across all levels of the organization both internally and externally, humility, and a willingness to learn in all areas of our work. Be a strong team contributor, effective and comfortable in leading as well as supporting roles within teams.
• Able to be highly visible and engaged with community partners, funders, CDFI peer organizations, and community business leaders, and provide leadership that motivates the management and the staff to work in partnership with local business, industry, nonprofit, government, and educational organizations.
• Possess a leadership style that emphasizes the value of collaboration, communication, service, transparency, teamwork, and accountability.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, including the capacity to attract, develop, inspire, and retain staff.
• Be a smart, quick seeker of knowledge with the ability to think strategically, creatively, and tactically to analyze results and provide practical recommendations.
• Strong financial, market, and qualitative analysis skills required. Ability to understand, create, and modify financial statements.
• Ability to provide strong leadership, communication, and organizational decision-making skills required.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, ever changing environment.
• Possess high initiative and self-starting capabilities; the demonstrated ability to identify and seize opportunities for impact in sometimes messy, uncertain contexts without direction or oversight.
• Outstanding written, oral, and interpersonal communications skills.
• Superior customer service and relationship building skills.
• Excellent organizational/time management skills required to independently manage multiple tasks and prioritize work on diverse assignments with strong attention to detail in a fast-paced setting in an effective and efficient manner.
• Ability to work well with diverse constituents is required.
• Moderate travel required (up to 30% of time).
• Digital literacy and ability to navigate workplace technology; understands and appreciates the use of technology to drive efficient processes and supporting research and development to keep an eye on emerging new and more efficient technologies.
• Job involves normal physical requirements for an office position as well as ability to travel.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree or 15+ years of work experience in lieu of degree required; Graduate Degree preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

• $250,000 to $300,000

How to Apply

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact:

• Toya Lawson, Partner, Bridge Partners
  toya.lawson@bridgepartnersllc.com
• Debbie Tang, Partner, Bridge Partners
  debbie.tang@bridgepartnersllc.com

Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis, so we urge your prompt consideration of this impactful leadership role