ACG Chicago JobSource℠

The Quad Preparatory School

Chief Financial Officer (Immediate)

Updated: April 30, 2022

***Want to learn more about Quad Prep? Connect with us! ***

The Quad Preparatory School is an alternative, non-profit, K-12 college preparatory school dedicated to the education of twice-exceptional students, bright and creative children who learn differently. Quad Prep is a young, fast-growing school founded in 2013 that is a vibrant professional and collegial learning community for employees.

The Quad Preparatory School transforms the lives of twice-exceptional people – those who are gifted and learn differently – by redefining the experience of school. Our personalized model fully integrates social and emotional learning with challenging academics, empowering our students to rise to the level of their extraordinary talents. Through our innovative programs we are leading a larger movement in service of both twice-exceptional people and society at large.

Our teachers, clinicians, and staff joined together to craft our statement of values, which we are proud to share:

• Quad Prep is a kind and joyful learning community where everyone is celebrated for who they are.

• We ignite students’ strengths and passions and allow for safe academic pursuit at the highest levels by learning from mistakes.

• We are trustworthy and steadfast, and our high academic expectations challenge students to grow uniquely as people and in the way they learn.

• We widen our students’ perspectives, giving them the tools to know themselves and find success in the future of their choosing. 

• We never give up on each other and are driven by the ethos of “not if, but how.”

As Quad Prep is rooted in the community of New York City, we commit, as a matter of justice and equity, that we shall work toward enrolling a student body and employing a staff that fully reflects the makeup of our community.

As education at Quad Prep is rooted in the idea that our neurodiverse students are to be proudly celebrated for their unique talents and potential, we commit that the whole self of every individual student, parent, and staff member shall be welcomed, valued, included, and treated always with the deepest respect and empathy.

And, as at Quad Prep our community is a single fabric supporting the development of all, we commit that every student shall benefit from the richness of the backgrounds and experiences that make up that fabric, so that they leave Quad fully prepared to engage with the exciting and wonderful diversity of this world.

The Quad Preparatory School is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) who possesses a deep command of strategic financial operations and budgeting practices and who can balance a strong vision for a dynamic and evolving organization with effective financial strategy and decision-making across the organization. The CFO will be an integral partner to the Founder and Head of School and will work closely with the executive team and with the finance and audit committee chairs of the Board. 

The position reports to the Founder and Head of School and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team. 

Responsibilities: 

Team and Organizational Leadership 

• Work in concert with the Founder, ETEAM, and finance team to ensure financial well-being of the organization through sound fiscal management. 
• Serve as a thought partner and strategic advisor to Founder, standing in on meetings and providing recommendations and options to Founder for high impact decisions, and following up on actions items with the team accordingly. 
• As a member of the collaborative executive team, shape the organizational vision and strategy, short- and long-term planning, and cross-functional initiatives, lending a strategic financial and sustainability lens to the work. 
• Manage the development of the annual and three-year budgeting process with an emphasis on collaborating with budget holders, transparency, wise and financially sound investments of resources, and development of new revenue sources, performance reporting, and accountability for approval by Founder/Head and Board of Directors. 
• Work with the Founder and Development Department to create, present and simplify financial reporting for the Board and External Stakeholders. 
• Manage, support, and lead team including accounts payable and receivable, reporting, and audit to ensure they are coached, developed, and well positioned to achieve their goals. 
• Partner with and cultivate strong working relationships with organization-wide leadership, board members, and external funders on financial considerations. 
• Identify the best strategies for improving overall efficiency of department; establish goals, cross-departmental strategies to communicate with colleagues, team, and stakeholders, highlighting revenue and expense realities with programs and objectives in support of the school’s mission, priorities, and strategic initiatives; and 
• Foster a team culture that embodies a customer service orientation where staff communicate regularly across the organization to anticipate challenges and engage in collaborative, proactive problem solving. 

Financial Management and Oversight 

• Lead financial strategy and decision making for the organization's $25M operating budget and ensure all decisions are guided by the mission and vision and in service of our children and families. 
• Generate monthly financial statements and reports which analyze all expenses, revenues, cash flow and the balance sheet. 
• Oversee all fiscal and fiduciary responsibilities for the organization, in conjunction with the finance committees to maintain a strategic financial plan that ensures stability and sustainability. 
• Generate a monthly financial dashboard which accurately forecasts cash, revenue and expenses; help ED/CEO and Board Finance Committee Chair to “see around the corner”; 
• Review expenditures to ensure budget compliance and efficient use of funds. 
• Develop and maintain systems to guarantee accuracy and compliance of accounting and reporting, as well as leading the financial affairs of The Organization in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and city, state, and federal government regulations. 
• Represent the Organization and manage relationships and needs with external auditors, financial institutions, and taxing authorities. 
• Effectively communicate and present critical financial matters to the Founder, the executive team, and the board as well as to key external stakeholders (e.g., funders, lenders, authorizers) at regular intervals and on an ad hoc basis. 
• Partner with program leaders to develop budgets and ensure teams operate within budget allocations. 
• Manage the Organization’s cash flow and debt obligations and work with banks to ensure compliance with all covenants. 
• Recognize and anticipate opportunities and challenges as they relate to financial systems and procedures; streamline and improve fiscal functions through successfully implementing enhanced and efficient processes. 
• Work across the organization with Program, Operations, HR, Legal teams to ensure fiscally sound policies, procedures, practices and supporting leases and contracts are supported by the Organization.
• Work closely with the development team to provide necessary financial analysis and support for revenue generation. 
• Manage annual audit and serve as the liaison with the audit firm. 
• Prepare and manage all tax submissions to IRS, including Form 990; and 
• Lead finance department in ensuring grant compliance and organizational contract oversight. 

Qualifications 

1. A pronounced and profound passion for the work and mission of our school including our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 
2.  A strong affinity for collaboration and proven ability to act collaboratively with a distributive leadership team and all stakeholders. 
3. An ability to flexibly change course and an affinity for entrepreneurial organizations 
4. A minimum of 10 years broad finance related experience with deep expertise in finance and accounting; nonprofit independent school experience preferred, including 5-7 years of senior management experience and experience supervising a team 
5. Track record of creating and improving systems and experience leveraging technology to gain insight and increase efficiency 
6. Ability to formulate analyses across various departments: Development, Programs, Legal, Human Resources 
7. Collaborative work style and ability to develop team-wide vision and direction for a portfolio of diverse projects; operates with service ethic and customer service orientation 
8. Experience leading fiscal year planning with multiple teams 
9. Experience building, coaching, and mentoring high-performing, diverse teams with multiple layers 
10. High energy and motivation to understand the perspectives of others 
11. Previous experience interfacing with Board of Directors on financial and strategic matters 
12. Ability to develop and maintain strong relationships built on mutual trust and respect with a variety of internal and external stakeholders 
13. Exceptional analytical and strategic thinking and problem-solving skills with demonstrated experience identifying problems and implementing solutions
14. Effective written and verbal communication including the ability to simplify and clearly explain complex information 
15. ? Knowledge of generally accepted accounting practices and principles as relevant to nonprofit entities 

*** Note that all employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Medical and religious exemptions may be provided. ***

AAP/EEO Statement: The Quad Preparatory School is based on an inclusive philosophy that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, marital status, creed, sexual orientation, familial status, citizenship, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by law in its hiring procedures and policies.