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Description

Position Summary  

PBLWorks is poised for its next phase of growth, innovation, and impact. Our Strategic Plan 2024–2028 expands our focus beyond professional learning to new products and redesigned services that help all teachers implement PBL, including adaptable curriculum units and a digital platform teachers can access anytime, anywhere. 

PBLWorks seeks a hands-on, collaborative, enthusiastic, detail-driven individual who understands the outsized impact a high-performing financial team can bring to an organization. They will serve as a key member of the leadership team and a strategic advisor, functional expert, and thought partner on all finance and accounting matters. Our ideal candidate will be a strong manager of people and a true finance business partner in a mission-driven education nonprofit. The Vice President of Finance will be as comfortable digging into numbers, spreadsheets, and formulas as they are interacting with team members across the organization to support the organization's growth and development. They will work closely with colleagues across the organization to assess and implement process and system improvements that make the organization more efficient and scalable.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, an exceptional leader, a people manager who cultivates team alignment with organizational priorities and the Racial Equity Imperative, and has a passion for driving financial excellence in a mission-driven education organization with strong core values.

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership and Team Management

  • Serve as a key member of the leadership team and the Strategy Execution Team. Keep the Finance Team’s work aligned with organizational priorities and available resources.
  • Act as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the CEO, COO, and organizational leaders, interpreting complex financial information to support sound, timely decisions.
  • Attract, develop, and retain a high-performing Finance Team. Help staff take on more responsibility, scope, and impact, and mentor them in a supportive, collaborative way that reflects PBLWorks’ mission, core values, and Racial Equity Imperative.
  • Anticipate gaps, opportunities, and risks in financial and accounting systems, and develop practical, innovative solutions.
  • Build strong cross-departmental relationships and communication so that Finance works as a true business partner.

Financial Planning, Analysis, and Reporting

  • Lead the annual budgeting process. Work with department leaders to weigh financial trade-offs and investment opportunities, producing a Board-approved budget clearly tied to annual goals and strategic priorities.
  • Set, monitor, and manage financial benchmarks, budgets, and reporting standards.
  • Lead monthly budget-vs.-actuals reviews with budget owners, giving them clear insights and actionable guidance, including those with limited financial experience.
  • Proactively forecast variances to flag potential issues early. Work with the Leadership Team and budget owners on action plans that address shortfalls or capture investment opportunities.
  • Build and maintain financial models that support strategic planning across product lines, services, and departments, including new curriculum products and the digital platform. Use them for forecasting, sensitivity analysis, and scenario planning.
  • Oversee preparation of monthly and quarterly financial reports for the senior leadership team, Finance Committee, and Board of Directors, with both the numbers and a clear explanation of what they mean for the business.
  • Develop internal dashboards and performance metrics that drive accountability and provide high-level analysis of results.
  • Produce accurate, timely financial reports, forecasts, and budgets for funders and other external stakeholders.

Accounting, Cash, and Fund Management

  • Lead the Finance Team’s day-to-day accounting work with precision, timeliness, and accuracy.
  • Oversee the monthly and fiscal year-end close so that statements arrive consistently on time and accurate, including budget-to-actuals, statement of activities, balance sheet, cash flow, and forecasts.
  • Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems, ensuring compliance with GAAP (including interpretation of relevant ASCs), regulatory requirements, and Board policies.
  • Oversee nonprofit fund, government, and grant accounting, including tracking and reporting restricted funds and releasing them on time.
  • Work with the Development team to forecast, track, and plan for philanthropic revenue, and review grant agreements to confirm they align with the budget and reporting deadlines.
  • Manage cash flow, cash and revenue forecasting, and capital planning so the organization has enough liquidity, and manage banking relationships.

Audit, Compliance, and Internal Controls

  • Lead the annual audit and tax filings so they are clean and on time, and maintain the relationship with external auditors.
  • Serve as the primary finance liaison to the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors.
  • Oversee financial compliance, including insurance, business and tax filings, and multi-state sales tax.
  • Review vendor and customer contracts for financial terms, risk, and compliance.
  • Establish, monitor, and enforce internal controls that protect assets, guard against fraud, and keep accounting records accurate and complete.
  • Regularly review and improve financial policies, procedures, processes, and systems for efficiency and scalability, working with colleagues across the organization.
  • Other duties as assigned

Contribution to PBLWorks’ Mission, Vision, and Racial Equity Imperative 

  • Work with other PBLWorks team members to further PBLWorks’ mission, vision, core values, Racial Equity Imperative, and strategic direction. 
  • Through effective collaboration and teamwork, support PBLWorks colleagues and contribute to the full breadth of the organization's work and culture.
  • Engage in ongoing individual and collective learning about advancing racial equity through Project-Based Learning for all students, especially Black and Brown students.   

 

Requirements, Skills and Abilities

The successful candidate believes in PBLWorks’ core values, is driven by our mission and vision, shares our commitment to advancing racial equity, and is comfortable breaking new ground to lead social change. 

  • Bachelor’s degree required. An MBA or Master’s degree with a concentration in finance or a similar field is preferred, and a CPA is a plus.
  • 12+ years of management experience, including at least five years in a senior finance leadership role
  • Nonprofit experience required. Experience in education, or familiarity with schools and educational systems, is a plus.
  • Significant experience with nonprofit accounting systems, fund accounting, and government funding compliance
  • Prior experience building and scaling financial systems and processes at a nonprofit organization

 

Skills and Abilities

  • Exceptional analytical skills and business intuition; data-driven, with strong project management and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to synthesize complex financial matters into clear financial and business summaries that pair the “rolled-up” numbers with a narrative on business implications
  • Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to turn complex financial information into digestible elements
  • Extraordinary organizational skills, with high attention to detail and an exceptional focus on accuracy and accountability
  • Excellent time management, with a proven ability to prioritize and meet deadlines; works with urgency and responsiveness while keeping information accurate and aligned with strategic priorities
  • A hands-on “doer” who rolls up their sleeves, tackles problems, and delivers timely solutions
  • Sound, balanced judgment: willing to take a stand or recommend a hard choice (e.g., adjusting the budget now to avoid a likely negative variance later), while staying open to other perspectives and new information
  • A customer-focused finance partner who understands both the explicit and the underlying business needs, and who is proactive and responsive without becoming unproductively reactive
  • Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and buy-in building skills; a great listener
  • Ability to work inclusively and productively with diverse team members, department leads, senior leaders, board members, and external partners
  • High degree of flexibility and adaptability; thrives in an ambitious, fast-moving environment while driving toward clarity and solutions

 

Attributes

  • Integrity, a positive attitude, and self-direction
  • Belief in transparency, open communication, and the power of one person to improve and enable those around them
  • Passion for addressing equity in the workplace and in education
  • Ability to build trust quickly and be seen as an advocate for all employees
  • A team player who works well with peers and a management team of senior professionals in a collegial, dynamic environment
  • Celebrates success while always looking to improve: makes the most of the current operating model while pursuing targeted initiatives to strengthen it
  • Believes technology-enabled, data-driven, people-centric organizations are energizing places to work
  • A strong work ethic, a passion for PBLWorks’ mission, and above all, a desire to make a positive difference in the world through education
     

Reporting Relationships

The Vice President of Finance manages the Finance Team and reports directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

 

Location

This position may be fully remote or hybrid. PBLWorks is based in Marin County, California, one hour north of San Francisco. The role includes on-site meetings in Marin County as needed and travel 10–20% of the time. 

 

Compensation & Benefits

The Vice President of Finance role is a full-time, exempt position with full health benefits (including medical, vision, and dental), generous retirement contributions of up to 6%, and life and disability insurance. The target salary range for this position is listed below and is commensurate with experience. 

  • The base pay range for this position varies by geographic location of the successful candidate. PBLWorks is committed to internal pay equity and therefore does not negotiate outside of these stated ranges:
    • Zone A (SF Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles): $185,000 - $200,000
    • Zone B (Boston, Seattle, Denver, Chicago): $166,500 - $180,000
    • Zone C (Dallas, Atlanta, Austin, Hawaii): $157,250 - $170,000
    • Zone D (Rest of U.S.): $148,000 - $160,000
    • Your zone is based on where you live, including for remote roles. Within each range, your offer will reflect your skills, experience, and internal pay equity. 
    • Don’t see your city/ area listed? Our HR team will confirm your “zone” if you successfully complete a phone screen interview.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

As a mission-driven education organization, we celebrate and embrace diversity. We actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in every hiring process. PBLWorks is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act). 

 

Buck Institute for Education (dba PBLWorks) participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. We will only use E-Verify once a newly hired employee has accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

Application

Apply on our website with your resume and a one-page cover letter outlining your unique qualifications for this role.