Position: Director, Finance and Operations
Reports to: Executive Director
Bargaining Unit: No
FLSA: Exempt
Type: Full Time
Salary: $153,000 - $170,000
Location: Hybrid, 1 or more days per week onsite at the Oakland office
To Apply: Please email application materials directly to Include “Director of Finance & Operations” in the subject line. Submit:
- Cover letter - including how long you've worked in the non-profit space, experience with Finance, Accounting, Operations, IT, people leadership experience, and why you are drawn to the mission of Central Legal de la Raza.
- Resume - be sure to highlight the required qualifications
- List of three professional references - include two former supervisors and one direct report (this can come later in the process if you prefer)
Position Summary
Join us in powering justice! Are you ready to lead the engine that keeps Centro Legal de la Raza running like a well-oiled machine? As our Director of Finance and Operations, you’ll wear many hats, from financial expert to operations wizard. You’ll oversee everything from keeping our dollars mission-aligned to making sure our IT systems and office spaces hum with efficiency. Your leadership will ensure we’re not just meeting deadlines but pushing boundaries as we fight for equity, social, economic, and racial justice!
You'll report directly to our Executive Director and work hand-in-hand with a dynamic team, including direct supervision of our Accounting Manager, Accounting Specialist, and Office Manager, along with partnering with our external IT squad. We’re a 70-person team in Oakland, CA, and with a $10M budget, your keen eye for detail and strategic thinking will empower us to continue advancing justice for all.
So, if you’re passionate about numbers, logistics, and justice — and you're looking for a role where you can make a tangible difference every day — this is the spot for you!
Position Overview
The Director of Finance and Operations at Centro Legal de la Raza plays a pivotal role in sustaining our mission to provide justice and empowerment to underserved communities. As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will oversee the financial stewardship and operational efficiency that enable us to deliver critical legal services, education, and advocacy. Your leadership will ensure that our organization remains a strong, responsive, and reliable force for equity and justice.
This position is responsible for financial planning and accounting, grant management, information technology, and daily operations.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Management
- Lead the development and management of the organization’s annual budget, ensuring that every dollar supports our mission to protect and advance the rights of vulnerable communities.
- Oversee financial forecasting and long-term planning, aligning resources with our strategic goals of justice and empowerment.
- Collaborate with the Contracts and Grants Compliance team on the financial aspects of grant applications, ensuring that our funding partners’ investments are maximized for impact.
- Supervise the monitoring of grant spending, ensuring that we meet our commitments to funders and continue to be trusted stewards of their resources.
- Prepare and present financial reports to management and the board that reflect our transparency, accountability, and commitment to the communities we serve.
- Oversee the annual audit, including a single audit, ensuring adherence to the highest standards of integrity and financial management.
- Forecast and monitor cash flow to support our ongoing work, including critical accounts payable and receivable processes.
Operations Management
- Oversee the day-to-day operations that keep our mission-driven work moving forward, from facilities management to IT systems.
- Develop, implement, and keep updated the policies and procedures that enhance our efficiency and effectiveness.
- Identify and mitigate operational risks, ensuring that our organization is resilient and able to continue its vital work in the face of challenges.
- Collaborate with executive leadership to develop and implement strategic plans that will deliver on our mission.
- Oversee the management of IT systems and infrastructure, through external partners, ensuring that our tools and technologies enable us to serve our communities effectively and securely.
- Lead facility management tasks, including ensuring security measures, providing staff with essential tools for optimal performance, and handling maintenance requests and lease agreements with the landlord.
Board and Stakeholder Engagement
- Serve as the primary liaison for the finance and audit committees of the Board of Directors, providing insights and guidance that support our strategic goals.
- Engage with funders, donors, and other stakeholders to communicate the financial health and operational strength of our organization, reinforcing their trust and commitment.
- Ensure that our financial and operational strategies are transparent, accountable, and aligned with our mission.
Compliance and Legal
- Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including those specific to nonprofit organizations.
- Oversee the filing of required regulatory documents, such as IRS Form 990.
- Review and manage contracts with vendors, partners, and funders, ensuring alignment with the organization’s legal and financial policies.
Risk Management
- Regularly assess and mitigate potential harms to the organization.
- Collaboratively design and recommend risk management policies and procedures, including insurance policies, and recommend system changes as necessary in alignment with the growth of Centro’s staff and budget.
- Oversee all risk-management policies including but not limited to digital security, COVID-19 protocols, and any other risks to physical or reputational well-being across the organization.
Qualifications
First and foremost, the applicant must profoundly share Centro Legal’s mission and vision of racial, economic, and social justice. Qualifications include:
Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field. This requirement can be met with equivalent work experience.
- Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in finance and operations management, preferably in a nonprofit organization
- Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), especially with regard to nonprofit revenue recognition
- Proven experience managing grant-funded programs, including budget creation, financial reporting, and compliance
- Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting standards, regulations, and compliance requirements
- Supervisory experience is required, in a union setting is preferred
- Comfortable in designing systems, and adapting procedures and processes
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders
- Verbal and written fluency in English is required, Spanish speakers highly desired
Preferred:
- Experience with Intacct, Concur and bill.com is desired
- Highly functional with spreadsheets (Gsheet and Excel) and Gsuite
- Experience working in close collaboration with Human Resources and serving as a thought partner on policies, processes, and systems that have financial implications
- Highly organized with excellent project management skills, including the ability to establish and monitor priorities, maintain flexibility, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced setting; able to handle multiple complex tasks with stringent time constraints
- Ability to work independently as well as in a team, with a track record of collaborating successfully with others
- Excited about innovation and keeping up with trends in Finance, Accounting, Operational best practices, and IT
- Ability to remain nimble by responding to changes and challenges as they arise
- Demonstrated cultural competency and ability to communicate and interact effectively with people across cultures, ethnic groups, and identities
Compensation
This exempt full-time position is competitive and commensurate with experience ranging from $153,000 to $170,000.
Benefits and Perks
We offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance.
- Medical coverage (Kaiser) will be provided at Centro Legal’s expense covering 100% of employee, and 50% for dependents, spouses, and partners. Our alternative health plans with United Health Care at an additional premium cost.
- Additional Benefits include: Health Care FSA, Dependent Care FSA, commuter benefits, pet insurance, and an Employee Assistance Plan.
- PTO: Vacation: 0-1 year 16 days per year, 1-2 years 18 days per year, Over 2 years 23 days per year, (1) paid wellness days per month, 12 sick days per year.
- Office Closure: 12 holidays + 8 work days, to include the period from December 24th through January 1st
Working Conditions
- This position is currently hybrid with a minimum of one day in the Oakland office for team meetings (e.g. 1:1’s, department meetings, etc.)
- Regularly sits at a desk or computer workstation
- Many hours on video conference calls when working remotely
- Centro Legal is proud of the work we do to ensure workers rights. Our non-management positions are members of the IFPTE20 Union. As such, we honor a collective bargaining agreement.
About Centro Legal de la Raza
Visit our website: to learn more about our history, services, and team.
Read our Diversity Statement to learn how we are advancing social, economic and racial justice. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion within and ensuring a workplace where all staff can flourish and grow professionally and well beyond.