Linden Waldorf School
Director of Finance and Operations
Position Profile
The Opportunity
Southern Teachers is assisting Linden Waldorf School in its search for a Director of Finance and Operations (DFO). A highly respected school where imagination is in the making, Linden enrolls approximately 150 students in grades preschool through eight and is located on a verdant, twelve-acre campus in vibrant Nashville, Tennessee.
Mission: To provide education that honors the developmental stages of childhood, cultivates a love of learning, and addresses the whole child through the head, hands, and heart.?
Celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year, Linden is poised and committed to building on its strong reputation and foundation to achieve its ambitious, but achievable, strategic goals – goals that include deliberate growth, strategic and long-range financial planning, and a new campus master plan. A forward-thinking and inspirational Head of School, Tricia Drake, is supported by a cohesive and talented senior leadership team and an engaged and visionary Board of Directors. The school is accredited by the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), the Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA), the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN), and is an active member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
Faculty and staff represent the heart and soul of Linden. Whether spending over a year during the recent pandemic teaching in outdoor classrooms, modeling for their students the value of service to others, promoting the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or working in partnership with parents, these professionals are guided by and bring to life the school’s mission every day. So, too, they inspire their students, whet their appetites, pique their curiosity, and create environments that are intellectually dynamic and stimulating and encourage risk-taking, collaboration, acceptance, and creativity.
The school seeks candidates with successful experience in a financial and business leadership position, ideally as a CFO, Business Manager, or Director of Finance and Operations at an independent school. These individuals should be able to function at a strategic level while attending to the details of daily operations. In addition to being an effective communicator and able to analyze, interpret, summarize, and present data, he or she will be a team player, energetic, highly professional, mission-focused, and actively involved in the life of the school.
Performance Objectives
The new Director of Finance and Operations will play a crucial role by providing sound financial leadership while also overseeing the school’s daily operations. The following will be important considerations for the new Director of Finance and Operations.
Strategic Planning & Long-Range Financial Plan
The DFO will serve as a strategic partner to the Head of School, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees. In this role, the DFO will ensure that the short- and long-term financial ramifications of all decisions are considered and will provide these individuals with the information needed, including key metrics and what-if scenarios, to assess and maintain Linden’s financial sustainability. Primary responsibility for developing and maintaining an updated long-range and sustainable financial plan rests with the DFO. As the school strives to grow enrollment and prepares for a capital campaign, the DFO must have an entrepreneurial mindset and strong financial acumen. He or she will be adept at recognizing and pursuing growth opportunities, identifying and solving problems, and working collaboratively with the leadership team and Board of Directors to bring these priorities to fruition.
Campus Master Plan
Linden has set as a priority the development and implementation of a campus master plan that aligns the vision for buildings and grounds with the school’s goals and values, as well as supports academic and co-curricular programs. With input from all stakeholders, the DFO will lead this effort. As new construction and renovation projects are undertaken, the CFO will serve as the school’s point of contact, work closely with the general contractor and the school’s leadership, oversee budgets, and manage expectations.
Operations Oversight
The DFO will be responsible for managing the day-to-day, non-pedagogical operational functions at Linden. He or she will improve operational efficiencies, play a central role in ensuring the school runs smoothly, and oversee plant and facilities maintenance, safety, security, risk management, insurance policies, renovations, and contractual relationships. Additionally, the DFO will ensure operational policies and procedures are in keeping with best practices in independent schools.
The Position
The DFO reports to the Head of School, serves as a member of a collaborative and growth-minded leadership team, and works closely with the Board of Trustees and many of its standing committees.
Responsibilities
The Director of Finance and Operations:
- prepares, implements, and oversees the operating budget, including recommending tuition and fee schedules and salary increases.
- ensures efficient and effective policies, procedures, and internal controls are in place for tracking and managing the school’s finances.
- oversees school business functions, including accounting, tuition billing and collection, accounts payable, and contracted services.
- administers payroll through a third-party service, oversees employee benefits, and maintains accurate and updated personnel files.
- ensures that human resources policies and practices are clearly articulated, updated and communicated regularly, consistently applied, and conform to legal requirements.
- manages an accurate accounting and continuous record of the cash and financial position of the school.
- oversees banking relationships and the school’s investments
- attends Board of Directors and Finance Committee meetings and assists with developing agendas, meeting materials, presentations, and minutes.
- prepares and maintains an updated long-range and sustainable financial plan to incorporate current economic conditions and projections.
- plays a key role in campus master planning and serves as the school’s point person for construction projects
- ensures compliance with federal and state laws and regulations.
- oversees the preparation for the annual financial audit.
- provides input regarding financial aid decisions for current and new students.
- manages the day-to-day operational functions, including plant and facilities maintenance, safety, security, renovations, and contractual relationships
- oversees the insurance and risk management programs.
- participates in professional development and represents the school at various regional and state associations relative to the role of being a CFO.
- other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
It is the policy of Linden Waldorf School to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, status as a covered veteran, or any other legally protected status, in accordance with federal and state law, and not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, compensation, benefits, promotion, demotion, layoff, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.
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Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or a related field; a master’s degree is preferred.
Minimum of five years of experience in a financial and business leadership position
Experience as a CFO, Business Manager, or Director of Finance and Operations at an independent school is a plus
Ability to plan, organize, and follow through on projects and tasks, set priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently and with multiple constituencies
Skilled at analyzing, interpreting, summarizing, and presenting data
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Energetic, highly professional, mission-focused, and dependable
Upholds confidentiality and has excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills
Personal and financial integrity; a moral character and reputation
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products, specifically Word, Excel, as well as Google Suite products, and Outlook
Experience with accounting software, preferably Blackbaud Financial Edge - we use Quickbooks and no longer have a Blackbaud account
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