Chief Financial Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position: Chief Financial Officer

Status: Full time, permanent

Location: Ohio History Center, Columbus OH

Salary: $130,000-150,000 per year

Benefits: Full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement pension, paid time off and holidays

Summary:

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will direct and oversee the financial activities of Ohio History Connection, direct the preparation of financial reports and summaries, create forecasts of revenues and expenses, and serve as the organization's financial fiduciary. The CFO serves as a key strategic advisor to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team, providing financial leadership, decision support, and long-term planning to ensure organizational sustainability, growth, and mission impact.

Essential Functions:

Financial Management:

• Directs the preparation of all financial statements, including income statements, balance sheets, stakeholder reports, tax returns, and governmental agency reports.
• Oversees the preparation and presentation of a Monthly Reporting Package for the Executive Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, including variance analysis, KPIs, and actionable insights.
• Presents monthly financial results to Executive Leadership and the Board, clearly communicating trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Leads development of the annual budget and updates the annual forecast quarterly, incorporating operational changes, economic trends, and strategic priorities.
• Develops and maintains long-range financial plans (2–3-year forecasts) aligned with organizational strategy.
• Maintains a rolling 12-month cash flow forecast and oversees liquidity planning and treasury strategy.
• Compares revenue projections to actuals and budgeted expenses to actual expenses; adjusts forecasts and financial strategies accordingly.
• Develops and maintains enterprise-wide KPIs and financial dashboards to measure organizational performance and drive accountability.
• Provides strategic financial analysis and decision support to the CEO and Executive Team, translating financial data into actionable insights.

Strategic Leadership & Planning:

• Serves as a key strategic partner to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team in organizational planning and decision-making.
• Works with leadership and the Board to coordinate planning processes and establish organizational priorities.
• Studies long-range economic trends and evaluates their impact on organizational strategy and sustainability.
• Supports capital planning and investment decisions, including major projects and long-term asset management.
• Oversees and manages the organization's relationship with the Ohio Office of Budget & Management (OBM) and assigned budget analyst, serving as the primary representative for state budget planning, financial reporting, and fiscal oversight; ensures proactive communication, strategic alignment, and compliance with all state funding requirements.

Cash, Investments & Capital Management:

• Responsible for cash management, liquidity planning, and loans/lines of credit.
• Oversees investment of funds and works with investment managers and advisors.
• Serves as fiduciary for organizational investments in conjunction with OHC Foundation.
• Develops and executes treasury strategies, including banking relationships and capital structure planning.
• Supports capital planning efforts across facilities, sites, and infrastructure.

Accounting, Controls & Compliance:

• Oversees and guides the Accounting Department, including financial reporting, audits, Indirect Cost Rate, payroll, and grant compliance.
• Reviews and approves all monthly account reconciliations, ensuring accuracy and integrity of financial statements.
• Ensures compliant accounting and reporting for grants, restricted funds, and public funding sources.
• Establishes and maintains strong internal controls over financial reporting (ICFR) and operational processes.
• Serves as primary liaison for external auditors, ensuring timely and accurate audit execution and resolution of findings.
• Approves and maintains all financial policies, procedures, and SOPs, ensuring compliance and continuous improvement.
• Oversees and executes financial contracts.

Risk Management & Governance:

• Leads enterprise risk management (ERM) efforts, identifying and mitigating financial, operational, and strategic risks.
• Maintains necessary insurance policies (property, liability, auto, collections, catastrophic, etc.).
• Serves as a primary financial advisor to the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, ensuring transparency and strong governance practices.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory, governmental, and fiduciary requirements.
• Presents biennial GRF and Capital budgets to the Office of Budget & Management in collaboration with executive leadership.

Financial Systems & Data Management:

• Oversees financial systems, ERP, and reporting tools to ensure data integrity, efficiency, and scalability.
• Leads improvements in financial systems, reporting capabilities, and process automation.
• Ensures effective use of data and analytics to support organizational decision-making.

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred) from an accredited institution in a relevant field plus over fifteen years relevant working experience.
• Certified Public Accountant strongly preferred
• A minimum of ten years of progressive management experience
• A minimum of five years managing high-level managers and leaders.
• Demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership in developing short- and long-range plans, consistent with an institution's strategic vision
• Ability to manage complex operating and project budgets
• Knowledge of basic Project Management principles and strategies.

Desired Skills & Experience:

• Demonstrated ability to create a shared environment of excellence
• Demonstrated leadership in strategic planning and execution, with a focus on long term growth.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee multiple programs, departments, and divisions simultaneously, evaluate situations and identify solutions quickly.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high-level organizational projects, including planning, setting timelines, and completing deliverables utilizing project management processes
• Experience overseeing high-level managers and leaders
• Experience setting, tracking, and analyzing metrics for organizational-level initiatives with an eye toward continuous improvement and sustainability
• Demonstrated ability to communicate with staff, managers and the public, both orally and in writing, particularly the ability to work diplomatically and effectively with colleagues and the ability to build and maintain partnerships and relationships.
• Excellent presentation skills for both the public and colleagues
• Experience with creating and managing complex budgets from diverse funding streams
• Proficiency in various office software suites and virtual platforms, including but not limited to Microsoft 365
• Effective organizational skills, including attention to detail, prioritizing and managing multiple tasks for yourself and your team, and being accountable to the organization for said tasks.

Required Competencies:

• Can locate and use resources strategically and effectively to align with the organization's goals. Ability to orchestrate multiple strategic initiatives simultaneously, ensuring all activities contribute to the organization's overall mission.
• Ability to oversee high-level managers and leaders using advanced people management skills, including the ability to inspire and motivate their team and guide and mentor managers to further enhance their leadership capabilities
• Able to process organizational-level information in a consistent manner and ensure the information is shared effectively across the organization.
• Intuitive and proactive in all levels of stakeholder identification, relationship building and stewardship that support organizational goals and objectives.
• Willingness to investigate new ideas and implement changes to improve the outcomes of the organization.
• Able to make practical and prudent business decisions and connections for profitability at a high level (division or organizational)

Application Instructions:

Submit Resume/CV and professional cover letter through Ohio History Connection careers website: For questions or accommodations requests, please email [email protected] or call 614-297-2500.

Ohio History Connection is an equal opportunity employer.

All prospective employees are required to undergo a fingerprint background check processed by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification (BCI) in accordance with the Volunteer Children's Act. Additionally, prospective employees will also submit to a drug test. Both will occur after the offer of employment is accepted. The results of the background check and drug test are not immediate disqualifiers to employment and are reviewed in accordance with Ohio History Connection policies and procedures. Inquiries must be directed to the Human Resources Director at 614-297-2390 or via email at [email protected].