Chief Financial Officer

Established in 1689 by William Penn and members of the Religious Society of Friends, William Penn Charter School (Penn Charter) is a community guided by Quaker values and the central belief that there is "that of God" in every person. Today, Penn Charter is a leading, all-gender, independent day school offering a vigorous pre-K through 12 program in academics, arts, and athletics, all within the context of the Quaker values that have guided the school for more than three centuries.

We invite nominations and applications from seasoned, detail oriented, analytical, and strategic administrators with strong interpersonal skills and deep financial acumen for the position of Chief Financial Officer.

ABOUT WILLIAM PENN CHARTER SCHOOL

Penn Charter is the fifth-oldest school in America and the oldest Quaker school in the world. Over three centuries, even as we have honored tradition, the school has advocated for change. Our curriculum embraces a plurality of cultures and celebrates an array of voices, instilling in us a deeper understanding and empathy for individuals in this community and the world.

The Penn Charter educational program exposes students to a breadth of content and ideas as well as opportunities for deep exploration in the pursuit of personal passion. Guided by research and best practices, faculty collaborate across divisions and disciplines to design and deliver engaging and relevant learning experiences. We provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a complex and changing world.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING

Penn Charter seeks to build a community representing diversity in race, religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, gender, sexual orientation—as well as learning style, opinion, and hometown. When you walk through Penn Charter's red doors, there is a reason our formal-looking school suddenly feels down to earth: the people. Penn Charter was founded not for some people but for all people. That is as true today as it was in 1689. Penn Charter was one of the first schools to open to children of all religions and races, and among the first to educate girls and to offer financial aid. Despite that history, our community is not immune from the racism, sexism, homophobia, and intolerance that challenge this city and nation. Our diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) work is ongoing, and unfinished. 

THE ROLE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

The Chief Financial Officer will lead the school’s strategic and operational finance capabilities and play a key role to ensure the school achieves its mission to “educate students to live lives that make a difference.” They will work closely with the Head of School, the Board, the school’s leadership team, and other key stakeholders, in planning and driving financial excellence, in alignment with the school’s overall goals and objectives.

Reporting directly to the Head of School and collaborating closely with the leadership team, faculty, and staff, the CFO has three direct reports: the Controller, Staff Accountant, and Assistant to the Controller. The CFO will work closely with the Board of Trustees and serve as a key resource and advisor to the Board’s Finance and Investment Committees.

The CFO will be an instrumental partner in addressing key opportunities and challenges:

• Enrollment and Costs: While Penn Charter operates from a sound financial position within the competitive independent school market, it has an opportunity to bolster its presence and become more proactive in its recruitment of new students and families. Working with the Head of School, school leadership, and the Board, the Chief Financial Officer will help identify ways to further distinguish Penn Charter in the crowded and competitive Philadelphia educational marketplace and present options and implement strategies to identify additional sources of revenue, manage and control costs, and manage tuition rates.

• Systems & Processes: The Chief Financial Officer will assess, establish, and codify systems and processes to ensure coordination across the institution and alignment with Penn Charter priorities. The CFO will build a team capable of strengthening the school's financial foundational infrastructure, safeguarding assets, and minimizing institutional risks and costs. An effective leader and collaborator, the CFO will work closely with the business staff as well as those from senior leadership and various departments across the school community.

• Long-Term Financial Sustainability: The CFO, working with the Head of School and the Board, will preserve the value of the endowment and pursue means to increase its growth.

 DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND CHARACTERISTICS

• A minimum of 10 years of broad-based, senior financial leadership experience in a sophisticated, complex, and growing educational institution, or equivalent non-for-profit environment.
• Extensive experience leading all functional aspects of finance and accounting including financial planning and analysis, reporting, accounting, cash management, tax compliance, risk management, financial systems, budgeting, and billing and collections.
• Exceptional business acumen, strategic, commercial, and analytical skills; the ability to synthesize financial and operational data, decipher financial and operational trends, and extrapolate to broader institutional goals, results, and activities.
• Superior presentation, writing, and verbal communication skills; the ability to interact credibly and diplomatically in a multicultural setting, with all levels in the schoolhouse and with the outside community – tailoring communications effectively for different groups and stakeholders.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills: the ability to lead through influence rather than control, to champion new ideas and approaches, and to build consensus-based support for strategies and decisions.
• Dynamic energy level, and clear passion for one’s work; tenacity, integrity, and unquestioned work ethic.
• Proven success recruiting, mentoring, managing, and developing finance professionals, and building and leading high-performance teams.
• Commitment to, and understanding of, the principles of Quaker education, faith, and practice.
• Ability to lead an organization with balanced confidence, humility, and a sense of humor; demonstrated ability for self-reflection and learning from past experiences.
• A consensus-building mindset delivered through excellent communication and listening skills.
• Ability to engender confidence in all members of the Penn Charter community and build trust with all constituencies.
• An undergraduate degree is required; MBA, CPA, and/or other advanced degrees/certifications preferred.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, and the position must be performed on site, in Pennsylvania. Penn Charter offers a generous benefits package as well, including 90% tuition remission for up to two children at a time for grades K-12 and a 20% discount for Pre-K.