Jobs

Chief Financial & Operating Officer  |  mid 2023  |  Boston, MA

The Opportunity

Kingsley Montessori School is a premier independent school for 310 students starting at age 2 through grade 6 located in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Kingsley offers an innovative educational program tailored to the talents, curiosity, and growth of each student. The school’s progressive, inquiry based programs cultivate social and academic development and prepare students to advance successfully to top public and independent middle schools. Please learn more about the school at www.kingsley.org

As a driver of innovation and key partner to the Head of School, the Chief Financial & Operating Officer is responsible for all financial, administrative, and operational aspects of the school. With the mandate to create the conditions for a successful learning environment and a resilient community, the Chief Financial & Operating Officer will build relationships, prioritize and anticipate needs, and use collaborative approaches to bring creative data-informed solutions into practice.

Engaging across all of the essential functions in the organization, this person will directly manage the accounting and finance, payroll, information technology, and human resources functions, and provide active oversight of facilities, legal affairs and risk management, auxiliary programs, as well as the campus health, safety, and security functions and the personnel specializing in those areas. The Chief Financial & Operating Officer will support the mission and values of the school by ensuring its financial health and providing conspicuous leadership within the school and broader community.

In support of the governance and fiduciary responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, the Chief Financial & Operating Officer will serve as a staff liaison to board committees and provide timely and accurate analysis and reporting. This person will work directly with the Head of School to craft and execute on the school’s operational and strategic planning, organizational structure, administrative tools and systems, and business decision-making.

The Candidate

The successful candidate will take a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the work, building relationships and implementing best practices in the systems that support efficient school operations. This position requires superb relationship management and organizational skills. The successful candidate will be a team player who is happy and effective working in a culture of civility in an institution focused on delivering an exceptional education and student and family experience. The Chief Financial & Operating Officer will demonstrate personal accountability and operate with integrity and humility.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate the financial performance of the school and provide the context to accurately assess achievements against operational goals, budgets, and forecasts.
• Maintain outstanding relationships with colleagues, the Board of Trustees, and families.
• Participate in and inform key decisions as they relate to strategic initiatives and operational models.
• Oversee and steward the investments in infrastructure, including budgets, planning, legal, funding, coordination, and fulfillment of major campus renovations, ownership changes, and construction projects.
• Lead, support, and supervise the business office: delineate responsibilities, set clear goals, model and implement professional standards and internal controls, and provide for professional growth and development.
• Collaboratively build forward-looking models and activity-based analyses to provide insight and recommendations for growth plans of the school.
• Ensure timely submission and accuracy of audience-appropriate financial, management, and compliance-related reporting for the School’s Board of Trustees, regulatory bodies, educational associations, banks, and foundations.
• Collaborate with and assist departments to meet the Head of School’s goals.
• Select, engage, and provide accountability for relationships with consultants, auditors, vendors, and lenders.
• Partner with the Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management to guide the School’s financial aid and enrollment process. 
• Manage all treasury and cash management responsibilities for the school, including administration and reporting of the TIAA/CREF retirement funds held in trust on behalf of employees.
• Implement policies, procedures, and processes as deemed appropriate by the Head of School.
• Maintain systems and software that support operations and data for decision making, including databases, software services, and financial software in accounting, facilities, and human resources departments.
• Manage preparation and direct support of all external audits and compliance reporting.
• Oversee the physical plant and other strategic assets.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive and a team player who possesses:

• A creative business mind, a positive attitude, curiosity, and a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrated leadership ability, confidence, and executive presence
• A genuine affinity for the life of students and ability to contribute meaningfully to an educational community
• An ability to consistently engage, teach, and motivate staff and build consensus across a mission-driven organization
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills
• Excellent accounting, analytical, reasoning, and problem-solving skills
• Experience working with external auditors, implementing internal controls, and managing compliance-related issues
• Accounting or finance background and experience (MBA preferred), with 5 years minimum experience in management roles; in schools or higher education preferred

Kingsley Montessori School values and celebrates diversity because it makes us a better employer, builds a stronger school community, develops a sense of collaboration, and encourages mutual respect and broader thinking. The school invites candidates to join in this process who bring a substantive and varied combination of educational pursuits and lived experiences that demonstrate the capacity to make a meaningful contribution in this role.

Interested candidates, please contact Narwhal Talent Partners:

Peter G. Hamilton  |  (617) 620-9268 

Christian G. Henry |  (857) 285-3364

search@narwhaltalent.com

All inquiries are treated as confidential.