Location: Remote, U.S.-based
Reports to: President & Chief Executive Officer
Status: Full-time, exempt
Salary: Starting compensation of $170,000 annually
The Opportunity
EarthShare seeks a Chief Financial Officer to serve as the organization's senior financial leader and a close partner to the President & CEO, COO, Board of Directors, Finance Committee, Investment Committee, and senior staff. The financial systems, controls, and reporting the CFO leads are the infrastructure our mission depends on.
The CFO will lead EarthShare's finance function across accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, audit, treasury, cash management, internal controls, and financial compliance. The CFO will also design and manage the financial architecture that supports EarthShare's DAF, fiscal sponsorship, and workplace giving programs, including fund accounting, donor and partner reporting, fee modeling, liquidity planning, investment oversight, and risk management.
The CFO and COO are peer leaders on EarthShare's senior team. Operational functions including human resources, technology, and administrative operations report to the COO. The CFO's remit is financial leadership: the systems, controls, analysis, and strategic judgment that allow EarthShare to move capital responsibly and grow with integrity.
Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the CFO will supervise EarthShare's Senior Director, Accounting and work closely with outsourced accounting support, auditors, investment advisors, custodians, and key institutional partnerships.
Key Position Priorities
- Build Financial Infrastructure for Scale. Assess, strengthen, and modernize EarthShare's financial systems, policies, controls, and reporting so they can support a larger and more complex organization, one that is accurate, transparent, audit-ready, and capable of earning the trust of donors and partners at every level.
- Support Philanthropic Program Growth. Develop and oversee the financial architecture for EarthShare's DAF, fiscal sponsorship, and workplace giving programs, including fund accounting, grant and disbursement tracking, investment reporting, fee analysis, liquidity management, and donor and partner reporting.
- Strengthen Strategic Financial Planning. Partner with the CEO, COO, Board, and senior team to develop multi-year financial models, growth scenarios, reserve strategies, and revenue projections that help EarthShare evaluate opportunities and manage risks across its programs and institutional partnerships.
- Increase Transparency and Decision Support. Translate financial information into clear, actionable insights for the CEO, COO, Board, and staff. Develop dashboards and reporting tools that help EarthShare understand performance, manage risk, allocate resources, and plan with confidence.
- Ensure Compliance and Risk Management. Ensure EarthShare's financial practices meet the highest standards of nonprofit accountability, donor stewardship, regulatory compliance, internal controls, and fiduciary responsibility. As financial complexity grows, the CFO will anticipate and manage risks before they become institutional vulnerabilities.
- Serve as a Trusted Partner to the CEO. The CFO will be a key thought partner to the President & CEO, bringing financial clarity, strategic counsel, and discipline to major decisions, including new partnerships, program investments, and institutional priorities.
Position Responsibilities
Executive Financial Leadership
The CFO will serve as EarthShare's senior financial officer and primary steward of the organization's financial health, strategy, and integrity. Specific responsibilities include:
- Partnering closely with the President & CEO as a trusted adviser on financial strategy, growth, risk, and institutional sustainability
- Serving as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to organization-wide strategy and planning from a financial perspective
- Translating EarthShare's strategic direction into financial plans and resource allocation frameworks
- Developing multi-year financial plans and scenario models that support EarthShare's DAF roadmap, fiscal sponsorship growth, workplace giving programs, staffing needs, and institutional priorities
- Providing clear financial analysis and recommendations to support major organizational decisions
- Supporting the CEO in preparing financial and strategic materials for the Board, Finance Committee, and Investment Committee
Finance, Accounting, and Controls
The CFO will lead all core financial functions, including:
- Accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll coordination, treasury, cash management, audit, tax filings, and internal controls
- Preparation of accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements
- Compliance with GAAP, nonprofit accounting standards, donor restrictions, grant requirements, and applicable regulations
- Accounting for restricted funds, fiscal sponsorship funds, DAF assets, operating revenue, investment income, workplace giving revenue, and program-related financial activity
- Annual budget process in close partnership with the CEO, COO, and senior staff
- Budget-to-actual monitoring, variance analysis, and trend reporting
- Internal controls, documentation, approval workflows, and segregation of duties
- Annual audit preparation and primary liaison to external auditors
- Form 990 and other financial, tax, and regulatory filings
- Banking relationships and cash management
- Building financial literacy across the organization so that program managers have timely and useful information
Program Finance and Philanthropic Infrastructure
The CFO will serve as the senior financial lead across EarthShare's core programs:
- Developing and overseeing financial systems for EarthShare's DAF, fiscal sponsorship, and workplace giving programs
- Ensuring accurate accounting, reconciliation, reporting, and controls across DAF accounts, fiscal sponsorship projects, workplace giving campaigns, restricted funds, grants, fees, and program revenues
- Building and maintaining financial models for program growth, including assets under management, contribution scenarios, payout assumptions, fee revenue, staffing needs, technology costs, and administrative capacity
- Supporting pricing and fee analysis for EarthShare's DAF products, fiscal sponsorship services, and philanthropic service arrangements
- Partnering with program leaders to strengthen financial workflows for project onboarding, donor and partner reporting, grant tracking, disbursements, and reconciliation
- Supporting workplace campaign accounting and reporting, including revenue recognition, pledge tracking, partner distributions, and platform reconciliations
- Supporting development and implementation of Investment Committee materials, investment policy documents, and liquidity policies
- Ensuring that financial operations across programs are aligned with donor intent, legal requirements, EarthShare policies, and fiduciary best practices
Finance Systems and Technology
- Assessing and improving EarthShare's financial systems, reporting tools, accounting software, fund accounting processes, and data integrations
- Leading finance-related technology improvements that increase accuracy, automation, controls, and reporting quality
- Partnering with operations, technology, and program staff to improve finance-related data quality and cross-functional workflows
- Developing dashboards and reporting tools that give leadership timely visibility into financial performance, cash flow, assets, liabilities, program economics, and risk
Profile of the Successful Candidate
EarthShare seeks a CFO who combines technical strength, strategic judgment, and genuine commitment to the mission. The right person will understand that EarthShare is moving into a more expansive role as a philanthropic infrastructure provider. This moment calls for someone who can strengthen day-to-day financial operations while helping the organization prepare for significant asset growth, more complex donor relationships, larger fiscal sponsorship portfolios, and deeper institutional partnerships.
The right person will see finance as a form of stewardship. They will understand that EarthShare's credibility with donors, fiscal sponsorship projects, workplace partners, board members, and philanthropic institutions depends on the quality of its financial systems.
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Significant senior financial leadership experience in a nonprofit, philanthropic, community foundation, fiscal sponsor, grantmaking institution, or other mission-driven environment
- Demonstrated ability to translate organizational strategy into financial plans, operating models, and implementation priorities
- Strong facility with multi-year forecasting, scenario modeling, revenue modeling, reserve planning, and cash flow management
- Ability to see the full financial picture while staying grounded in the operational details that determine system success
Philanthropic Infrastructure Acumen
- Experience with donor-advised funds, community foundations, private foundations, fiscal sponsorship, workplace giving, or complex restricted fund environments
- Understanding of fund accounting, donor restrictions, investment reporting, grant disbursements, fee structures, and fiduciary stewardship
- Comfort working with high-net-worth donors, family offices, foundations, investment advisors, custodians, employers, and philanthropic intermediaries
Technical Excellence
- Deep knowledge of nonprofit accounting, GAAP, audits, Form 990 preparation, internal controls, budgeting, financial reporting, and compliance
- Strong understanding of cash management, treasury, investment reporting, liquidity planning, and financial risk
- Experience improving financial systems, accounting processes, and controls in a growing or changing organization
- High standards for accuracy, timeliness, documentation, and accountability
Partnership with the CEO and Board
- Demonstrated experience as a close and trusted adviser to a CEO, Executive Director, or other senior leader
- Ability to provide candid counsel, clear analysis, and grounded recommendations
- Skill in presenting financial information to boards, committees, donors, and non-financial audiences
- Sound judgment about when to raise concerns, when to offer options, and when to help the organization move forward
Builder's Orientation
- Experience building or modernizing finance functions, reporting systems, financial policies, and internal workflows
- Comfort operating in a growing organization where systems are still evolving
- Ability to bring structure and clarity without impeding momentum
- Orientation toward continuous improvement and practical problem-solving
Collaborative Leadership
- Proven ability to manage and develop finance staff and external consultants
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust across departments
- Commitment to helping colleagues understand financial information and make stronger decisions
- A leadership style that balances accountability with humility, and patience with urgency
Mission Alignment
- Genuine commitment to EarthShare's mission of mobilizing resources for a healthy, just, and sustainable planet
- Appreciation for the role that philanthropic infrastructure plays in accelerating environmental progress
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, transparency, and responsible stewardship
- Personal and professional integrity, discretion, and sound judgment
Relevant Experience
Strong candidates may come from nonprofit organizations, community foundations, DAF sponsors, fiscal sponsors, private foundations, public charities, philanthropic advisory firms, financial institutions, or mission-driven enterprises. Relevant roles include CFO, VP of Finance, Controller, Director of Finance,