Position Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 

Department: Finance and Administration  

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer/President  

Your Opportunity 

We are looking for a dynamic, driven and passionate leader to advance Morris Animal Foundation through the leadership of our financial strategy and the management and mentoring of our Finance and Administration Team. 

About Morris Animal Foundation 

Our Impact 

Morris Animal Foundation improves and protects the health of animals through scientific innovation, education, and inspiration. Founded by a veterinarian in 1948, we continue to be a science-driven organization, funding critical health studies for the benefit of animals. 

Who We Are 

At Morris Animal Foundation, we believe that people are our greatest asset and approach our work with a One Team model, creating the experience of belonging through productive and inclusive teamwork that effectively advances our mission. We believe that by putting our employees first we can provide a healthy, balanced work environment that helps both the employees and the Foundation thrive. We are dedicated to providing benefits and programs that holistically support our employees and their well-being both in and out of the workplace. Engaged employees are critical for organizational success and we are constantly evolving to ensure we remain mission driven and people centric.  

Morris Animal Foundation is committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging throughout the organization, its staff, Trustees, and scientific advisers. These values are a lens for all programming and policies, and we know they enhance our capacity to communicate, strengthen our organization, make our culture more robust and allow us to serve animals, donors and partners more effectively. 

Core Values 

Morris Animal Foundation’s core values are important to us as an organization. We have a positive company culture and encourage our staff (and office dogs!) to live by these values at the office. We’re proud of the people we work with, and stive to apply excellence, respect, compassion, collaboration, innovation, and determination every day in our work. 

The Challenge  

As an integral member of the Foundation’s Executive Team, the CFO will lead and manage the finance and administration team to meet the evolving needs and opportunities of a dynamic and results-driven organization. Reporting directly to the CEO, the CFO serves as both a thought partner for setting both short and long-term strategy as well as leading a team of financial professionals. The CFO engages in a wide range of functions including developing financial and cash flow models, oversight of budget development and management, investments, audit, and legal affairs.  

The Executive Team: The CFO, along with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Program Officer (CPO), Chief Development Officer (CDO), Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) form the Executive Team.  

As a member of the Executive Team, the CFO provides strategic leadership for the Foundation and is jointly responsible for the culture, policies and strategic decisions that drive the Foundation’s success. The CFO will have strong collaboration, communication, problem-solving and delegation skills which will allow them to operate toward furthering the mission of the Foundation and have a lens on the future.   

In addition to keeping current with trends and pursuing continuing education and professional development for themselves, each Executive Team member is responsible for also developing and growing their team, encouraging professional development and advancement with the Foundation when possible. Collectively, the Executive Team works to ensure the Foundation’s stability while anticipating future needs, opportunities, and risks.  

Always supporting our One Team model, they are intentional in their actions and interactions, valuing differences of opinion, acknowledging diverse areas of expertise, seeking to listen and communicate well, and respecting one another. In action, the One Team model ensures direction, alignment and a commitment to Foundation priorities as well as clearly defined roles, responsibilities and shared expectations. Further, the One Team model provides consistent and effective operations and communications and defined decision and evaluation processes across teams to support continuous improvement. The Executive Team serves as an exemplar for teams throughout the Foundation. 

Finance & Administration Department: A mission-driven team of collaborators dedicated to improving and protecting the health of animals. This team of four is responsible for both the accounting and financial management as well as facilities and operations management for the Foundation.

Board Interface: In partnership with the CEO, the CFO is the staff liaison to the Finance arm of the Executive Committee, Investment Committee and Audit and Risk Committee. This critical role also works directly with the Treasurer to prepare monthly reports on financials and projections as well as long-term statistical analysis and financial modelling. At the Foundation, financials are reported in collaboration with the Treasurer and CEO monthly to the Executive Committee as well as Trustees at board meetings. 

The Skill Set  

The ideal candidate will have the following skills, knowledge and abilities: 

• Desire to work with people of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives 
• Strong alignment with our organizational mission and values 
• Entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to be flexible and responsive to changing priorities 
• Ability to be self-directed, take ownership, and see projects to completion in a timely manner 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a strong customer service orientation 
• Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills 
• Ability to extract meaning from numbers and present analysis clearly and concisely to people with varying degrees of financial knowledge 
• Strong project management and organizational skills with a record of developing and strengthening systems and processes 
• Ability to work collaboratively, exercising good judgment, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to achieve shared goals 
• Growth mindset with the ability to accept and provide productive, clear and respectful feedback 
• High-level knowledge of GAAP, including intercompany transactions and exposure to nonprofit accounting practices 
• Effective procurement and vendor management skills including negotiating and contract management 
• High-level of proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Dropbox),?Microsoft GP or other accounting (SAP Concur) software preferred 

Responsibilities of Position  

Executive Leadership: 

• Serve on the Foundation’s Executive Team, helping to develop and execute multi-year business plans and strategies that advance our priorities and intended impact. 
• Provide financial analysis and decision-making support to the CEO, Executive Team and project leads, the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, and the Executive (Finance) Committee and Audit & Risk Committee.  
• Mentor and coach direct reports, delegating work streams effectively and holding team members to a high standard of excellence.  
• Model ingenuity in leading the evaluation and development of cost-effective and efficient systems, processes and contract relationships to maximize return on investment, staff success and impact.  

The CFO, along with the Executive Team: 

• Develops all strategies, tactics and budget decisions working as a cohesive unit to maximize the potential of the Foundation’s personnel and resources.  
• Leads and demonstrates the cultural behaviors that are key to the Foundation’s success. While described as a performance culture, based on accountability, innovation and trust, the Foundation’s culture is much more nuanced. It incorporates the ideal way employees, volunteers and Trustees work together to create an atmosphere where people can thrive, enjoy their professional and personal lives, and contribute significantly to improving the lives and health of animals.  
• Exemplifies the Foundation’s One Team model, creating the experience of belonging through productive and inclusive teamwork that effectively advances our mission. 

Financial Strategy and Management  

• Lead the design and assessment of financial strategy and performance, managing the annual budget and long-term goals while fostering organizational effectiveness and sustainability.  

• Responsible for building and designing program budgets for proposals and business plans, negotiating contracts, forecasting, spending and providing decision support to program management, and ensuring compliance with donor and contractor requirements.  

• Oversee the timely and accurate development of budgets, financial reports, and models that will assist the CEO, board, and other senior managers in making informed program strategy, resource allocation, and investment decisions.  

• Work in partnership with the Foundation’s Investment Committee and investment advisors to properly manage the investment portfolio and cash management policies under federal and state laws and regulations.  

• Review and manage (and establish as needed) internal systems, controls, processes, and procedures to ensure the integrity, accuracy, compliance, and usefulness of financial information and reporting.  

• Oversee successful completion of annual audits, IRS filings, and other mandated reporting for a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  

• Partner with CEO and project leads to develop successful proposals as needed.  

• Oversee finance and accounting team to ensure and deliverables are met both on a monthly and annual basis.  

Legal Affairs and Contract Management  

• Coordinate matters with legal counsel, including contracts, intellectual property, grant agreements, and other matters as appropriate.  
• Maintain the integrity and compliance of relevant corporate governance policies and related documents.  
• Create and sustain productive vendor, banking and contractual relationships and serve as primary liaison with related third parties.  
• In partnership with the Scientific Grants Program Team, develop processes and procedures to ensure the Foundation is receiving its appropriate share of royalty payments and opportunities to patent discoveries per our grant contracts. 

Risk Mitigation:  

• Lead internal efforts to identify and mitigate risk working with an external, neutral third-party risk assessment firm to perform risk assessments and audits.  
• Using the third-party risk report,  develop an action plan based on the level of priorities to be addressed. (Note: the Foundation also hires a third-party audit firm to annually produce a financial audit report and Form 990.)  

Facilities & Administration:  

• Oversee the day-to-day administrative operations of the Foundation and collaborate with other leadership to develop, implement and analyze comprehensive strategic and tactical business plans to meet the organization’s goals and objectives.  
•  Provide strategy and oversight for management of MAF headquarters (HQ) and lead planning for workspace needs, rent/leases, structure of the space, security, equipment needed, etc.  

Benefits (To name a few!) 

Morris Animal Foundation offers 

• Competitive pay based on current market trends & merit-based raises  
• Tuition Reimbursement Program  
• Ample growth and professional development opportunities  
• Health Insurance (100% paid for employees, 50% paid for dependents) 
• Dental Insurance (100% paid for employees, 50% paid for dependents) 
• Vision Insurance (100% paid for employees, 50% paid for dependents) 
• Life insurance 
• HSA/FSA options 
• 403b retirement account with up to 6% employer match 
• Accrued vacation time (accrual grows with tenure); three weeks within the first year.  
• Six personal & sick days per fiscal year & 10 paid holidays 
• $1700 stipend for wellness & personal growth items per year 
• Work from home equipment reimbursement 
• Nine weeks fully paid FMLA medical and parental leave.   

Join a team that is passionately committed to advancing animal health through scientific discovery to help dogs, cats, horses and wildlife live longer and healthier lives. 

Position Specifications: Full-time, exempt position. Job duties include a general office environment, spent sitting and operating a computer and other office machinery. Must be able to read, write, and communicate fluently in English.  

Work Location Requirements: Hybrid Work Model (some in office work required at MAF central office in Denver; exact amount depends on position duties, current projects and schedule needs.) 

Hiring Salary Range: $163,200-$203,900; We anticipate hiring within this range; salary offers are based on the hired candidate’s experience and skill set as they relate to the position requirements. Most candidates begin their employment in the lower to middle part of this range and progress through the range as knowledge, applicable experience and skill set grows.  

Full Salary Range: $163,200-$244,700; This is the current full range potential for this position. Employees will grow within this range as they continue to advance in their role and become proficient in MAF programming and strategy.  

Most employees will reach the potential range when they are thriving in their role after several years working at Morris Animal Foundation.

How to Apply 

As a part of our candidate selection process, we ask potential employees to complete a brief?10-12 minute SURVEY. This is a survey, not a test; there are no right or wrong answers. This tool helps us identify candidate strengths and alignment for the role.  

Covid-19 Vaccination Policy 

MAF is a science-based organization and supports the research community behind FDA-approved vaccines. Proof of Covid-19 vaccination will be required for all employees per our COVID-19 Vaccination Policy. Employees that are not vaccinated due to a qualifying medical condition or on the basis of a sincerely held religious belief can request accommodation at the time of the job offer.  

Morris Animal Foundation Core Values* 

Respect - We act with integrity and are accountable to the needs of others and respectful of their time, expertise and opinions. We listen and communicate thoughtfully, directly and openly, always assuming good intent. We are inclusive and value diversity. 

Excellence – We advance animal health by funding only research that meets the highest scientific standards. We are committed to ensuring the best use of donor funds and Foundation resources to benefit animals everywhere.  

Compassion - We care deeply about animals and the people who care for them. It is our responsibility and an honor to improve animal health. 

Collaboration – We actively partner, creatively work together and freely share ideas to advance the science of animal health and grow our impact. We nurture, grow and educate the animal health community that shares our passion. Together we can do more. 

Innovation – At our core, we value proven science but also seek creative solutions to meet the growing challenges of animal health in a changing global ecosystem. Based on what we learn, we constantly evolve to achieve our mission. 

Determination - We are driven by our mission and seek answers with relentless pursuit. Using science as our compass, we develop pathways to animal health solutions. So long as animals face health concerns, we will continue to find answers. 

*These are core competencies that are expected of all employees of Morris Animal Foundation.  

• 10+ years’ experience in related areas of nonprofit finance, including experience with a grant-making Foundation with a large endowment and investment pool. 
• Experience working for a non-profit organization 
• Skilled in data analysis to inform strategy in real time.  
• Proficiency in developing departmental budgets, analyzing and managing revenue and expenses. 
• Excellent leadership and project development, prioritization, and management skills.  
• Strong skills and/or willingness to learn new relevant software and project management systems (e.g., Microsoft and Adobe products, Asana or other project management software).  
• Experience partnering with development/fundraising leadership to execute strategic marketing campaigns that effectively increase donors and donations.  
• Ability to travel for conferences and board meetings as well as periodically participate in meetings and events outside of core business hours 
• A track record of working with a team of peers. 
• Embody the Core Values of Morris Animal Foundation, using them to guide decision-making, expectations of others and professional behavior including representation of the Foundation among colleagues and stakeholders, internal and external.  
• Must participate in building a culture of accountability, performance, and trust.  
• Adhere to the Foundation’s safety policies and procedures and encourage others to do the same.  

Additional Desired Qualifications:  

• Experience managing remote team members  
• Knowledge of Raiser’s Edge software or similar CRM.