Chief Financial & Administration Officer

About the Position

The Chief Finance and Administration Officer (CFAO) leads a team of 25 professionals and is responsible for all financial, personnel, and facility management matters of the Houston-Galveston Area Council. The CFAO reports to and works closely with the Executive Director (CEO). In addition, the position partners with the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Outreach and Governmental Relations Officer, Program Directors and the board of directors to develop and implement strategies across the organization. The CFAO oversees fiscal compliance for government (federal and state) contracts and private grants and safeguards the assets of the council. This position is responsible for building and managing effective and streamlined financial systems, human resource information and reporting systems, and property management, risk management, and lease negotiation.

Ideal Candidate

In addition to having solid governmental financial expertise, the ideal candidate will be a strategic and visionary leader with the ability to build a collaborative team in a high-performing, hybrid work environment. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary to build strong relationships with departmental staff, organizational leadership, and key stakeholders. The next Chief Financial and Administrative Officer should be able to inspire creative ways of delivering positive outcomes; review and analyze new and existing funding and revenue streams as well as forecast the effect of changes to these streams as they impact H-GAC initiatives; provide a thorough understanding across an array of business functions and systems; and provide excellent services to the region and member local governments. Attributes of a successful candidate include:

ü Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

ü Experience in negotiation and arbitration on complex contract and personnel matters.

ü Experience in balancing staff requirements with fiscal stewardship.

ü Advanced time-management skills that allow for prioritization and the ability to meet deadlines.

ü Ability to provide forecasting and what-if analysis to executive leadership to prepare for long-range decisional impact.

ü Build relationships both internal and external that provide resources and expertise in management, compliance, employee relations, and benefit administration. ‘

ü Ability to be nimble and adapt to changing needs on short notice.

ü Ability to lead and delegate tasks as appropriate.

ü Thorough knowledge of federal and state grant requirements, employment law, risk management, and building code enforcement and safety.

ü Ability to lead through consensus and collaboration but still make the “tough call” when needed.

ü Be an active listener and engage others to contribute to conversations through insightful questions and dialogue.

ü Embrace the unique capabilities of each staff member with empathy and humor.

Leadership and Innovation

The next Chief Financial and Administrative Officer will have the opportunity to address several challenges and initiatives including:

ü Collaborate with managers and senior leadership to understand and implement the organization’s goals and strategies related to funding, staffing, and resource management.

ü Develop an organizational training model that attracts and retains highly skilled and productive employees.

ü Develop a comprehensive multi-year financial master plan with strategic recommendations. This strategy will serve as a guide for the H-GAC Board of Directors and staff in decision-making aligned with the organization’s core values and the goal of providing superior customer service.

ü Maintain knowledge of trends, best practices, regulatory changes, and new technologies in governmental accounting and human resource management and apply this knowledge to communicate changes in policy, practice, and resources to the executive team.

ü Represent the organization in various civic and professional organizations at the local, state, and national level.

Education and Experience

The position of Chief Financial and Administrative Officer requires:

ü Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration, or related field; Master’s degree preferred.

ü At least 10 years of applicable experience in management for organization’s employing more than 300 people. Five years must be at an executive level.

ü Certified Public Accountant

   Additional experience in the following is considered a plus:

ü Proven experience leading a large organization through transformation and change management.

ü Understand federal and state funding compliance.