Director of Finance

Pine Lake Preparatory Mooresville, NC (Lake Norman area) Full-time

Reports to: Executive Director
Compensation: $90,000 to $110,000 base, plus a $2,500 stipend and bonus potential
Target start: As soon as possible, no later than February 2027

The opportunity

You've spent your career making the numbers right. You know your way around an audit, a tax filing, and
a system that needed fixing. Now you want that expertise to matter for something beyond the bottom line.
Too many skilled finance professionals spend their careers producing numbers for shareholders they'll
never meet. This role puts that same expertise to work for students, staff, and families.
Pine Lake Preparatory is looking for a hands-on finance leader to take ownership of the financial
operations of a stable, established K-12 charter school. PLP serves nearly 1,900 students, operates on a
budget of approximately $20 million, and has a strong performance history and a student waitlist. This is
a role for someone who likes being in the work, not just above it.

What you'll do

Your core work is the engine of the finance function:

• Oversee journal entries and general ledger activity, and reconcile bank accounts
• Manage accounts payable, accounts receivable, and purchasing, and review and approve purchases, operating expenditures, and payroll
• Prepare financial statements and documentation for the annual independent financial and compliance audit
• Prepare and oversee tax filings, including payroll taxes, sales and use tax, 1099 reporting, and IRS Form 990
• Track and report all revenue sources, including federal, state, local, fundraising, and grant funding, and ensure compliance with grant requirements
• Establish and maintain financial procedures that keep PLP compliant with federal, state, and local requirements and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Supervise the finance team, including accounting and payroll, and support our internal grant specialist

What you'll grow into

The role also includes the strategic side of school finance: monthly financial reporting to the Finance
Committee and Board, budgeting and multi-year forecasting, capital and facilities planning, and debt and
cash management. We recognize that these responsibilities take time to learn. We're committed to providing a thoughtful
transition, ongoing support, and the opportunity to grow into the role rather than expecting you to take it all on from day one.

How you'll be set up to succeed

• A real transition. You'll work side by side with our current CFO through June 30, 2027, as she phases out gradually and you take the lead. Opportunities to step into a finance leadership role with months of built-in mentorship from someone who has grown with the position are rare.
• Support around you. PLP is willing to build the right team around this role.
• A thoughtful onboarding. Our goal is not simply to get you started, but to help you feel connected, supported, and positioned for long-term success.

"I want our next Director of Finance to feel welcomed, supported, and set up for success from day one. I look forward to working alongside them, sharing what I've learned over the years, and helping them get to know the people, systems, and culture that make PLP so special."
Sherri Fletcher, Chief Financial Officer, Pine Lake Preparatory

What you bring

• Strong accounting background with audit and tax experience
• Experience with ERP systems and financial management tools
• Advanced Excel and Google Sheets skills, including building and analyzing financial models
• Ability to explain financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders, including leadership and the Board
• Professional maturity, flexibility, and a problem-solving mindset, with a willingness to learn and grow with the role
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, or a related field required; CPA or MPA preferred

Preferred: Supervisory experience overseeing financial operations of similar size and complexity, and
nonprofit financial management experience, particularly in education. We also welcome candidates from corporate finance backgrounds. We're committed to providing the training, resources, and support you need to learn the unique aspects of charter school finance and operations.

Why Pine Lake Prep

• Meaningful impact. A key leadership role with the opportunity to directly impact the success of students, staff, and the broader school community.
• A seat at the table. Work closely with the Executive Director and senior leadership team on significant organizational and strategic decisions.
• Ownership and autonomy. Lead the finance function, with the trust to determine how to keep improving it.
• A team that stays. Most of PLP's leadership team has been with the school for more than a decade.
• A different kind of professional opportunity. A significant leadership role in an environment that values family, offers flexibility, and allows for a schedule that works with life outside of work.
• A desirable location. Lake Norman and Mooresville, close to Charlotte.

Here's what PLP staff have to say about working here:
"What makes PLP so special is the sense of community. It's more than just a place to work; it's a place where people genuinely care about one another, build lasting relationships, and feel supported both personally and professionally."

"I feel well-supported as an employee, and appreciate the trust put in me as a professional and the autonomy given that allows me to do my job effectively."

"The school community and the culture are among the best things about Pine Lake Prep. I feel valued by parents, students and administration. I feel appreciated, which allows me to bring that back to my job and my students."

Compensation and benefits

At PLP, we trust our employees as professionals, recognize that family comes first, and strive to create a
supportive, flexible environment.

• $90,000 to $110,000 base, depending on experience and qualifications, plus a $2,500 stipend and bonus potential
• NC State Health Plan
• NC Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System (TSERS)
• 403(b) retirement savings option
• Supplemental benefits and an Employee Assistance Program
• Up to 16 PTO days per school year, with rollover up to 90 days and payout of unused days at separation
• School calendar schedule, with reduced and flexible summer hours
• Preferential enrollment for children of full-time staff