CHIEF FINANCIAL OPERATING OFFICER

CHIEF FINANCIAL/OPERATIONS OFFICER

Job Description

Sophie B. Wright Charter High School, operated by the Institute for Academic Excellence, is seeking a dynamic and experienced Comptroller to serve as a key member of the senior leadership team. Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Operation Officer, the Comptroller is a strategic financial leader responsible for overseeing the charter school’s fiscal operations, ensuring financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and responsible stewardship of public and private funds.

Position Overview:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

These functions include cash management, bank relationships, accounts payable, accounting system transaction entries, audit preparation, financial reporting, and other tasks that The Comptroller of The Institute for Academic Excellence serves as a key financial leader within the nonprofit organization, working directly with the Chief Financial Operations Officer. This role is responsible for strengthening the district's financial integrity by overseeing accounting operations, ensuring effective internal controls, cash management, supporting compliance with federal and state regulations, and providing leadership in the preparation for audits. This role is responsible for the accurate and timely filing of the nonprofit’s Annual Financial Report and manages the annual financial audit process, culminating in issuing the district's comprehensive annual financial report. The comptroller manages the child nutrition program.

ensure timely and accurate completion of day-to-day, monthly, and annual accounting functions in accordance with the Institute for Academic Excellence policies, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and financial reporting standards. The Controller produces accurate and timely reports, implements improved processes and controls to mitigate risks, upholds compliance, and provides a high standard of customer service. The Controller will report to the Deputy Chief of Finance.

Financial Management & Oversight (20-30% time)

• Lead the development of the annual operating budget in collaboration with the COO, Chief Executive Officer, and campus leadership.
• Monitor and analyze monthly budget-to-actual reports and provide insights to school leadership.
• Support financial modeling for long-term strategic planning, enrollment growth, and facilities planning.

Budgeting & Forecasting (10-20%)

• Create and update a proforma for the district that accounts for risks (revenue dips, enrollment dips, facilities maintenance) and ensures at least 60 days COH at the end of each fiscal year.
• Lead the development of the annual operating budget in collaboration with the COO, Chief Executive Officer, and campus leadership.
• Work with Human Resources to ensure accurate FTEs numbers for the next fiscal year and ensure hiring stays in line with enrollment.
• Monitor and analyze monthly budget-to-actual reports and provide insights to school leadership.
• Support financial modeling for long-term strategic planning, enrollment growth, and facilities planning.

Audit, Compliance & Reporting

• Coordinate and lead the annual independent financial audit.
• Ensure timely submission of state and federal reports, including PEIMS financial data (if applicable).
• Serve as liaison to external auditors, authorizers, and government agencies.
• Maintain and enforce fiscal policies and procedures.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise finance and accounting staff, ensuring high performance, accuracy, and adherence to deadlines.
• Partner with departments including HR, procurement, IT, and school operations to align finance practices with operational needs.
• Support financial training and capacity-building for school and central office staff with budget responsibility.

Skills & Expertise

• Proven executive and operational leadership in nonprofit management, preferably in K–12

education, curriculum, publishing, or professional learning organizations with significant earned

revenue streams.

• Strong financial acumen, with demonstrated ability to oversee budgeting, accounting, audits, and

compliance in a complex organization.

• Ability to manage diverse teams, vendors, and external partners across finance, operations,

publications, marketing, and HR.

• Strong track record of driving organizational efficiency through systems upgrades, automation, self-service, and process simplification.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into systems, processes, and measurable outcomes.
• Excellent organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills; adept at balancing mission impact with sustainability.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, and ability to convey complex information clearly to staff, Board, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment, with the ability to handle sensitive information and lead effectively through influence—both behind the scenes and in visible leadership roles.
• Ability to manage and develop staff/teams
• Demonstrated success in leading organizational change management and building capacity in lean organizations.
• Ability to communicate with boards, staff, and other stakeholders about infrastructure and capacity investments.
• Knowledge of intellectual property and copyright, with ability to apply open licensing (e.g., Creative Commons) strategically in the context of OER curriculum publishing.
• Understanding and respect for the connection between organizational sustainability and operations, program and product offerings and revenues, strategic partnerships, and impact on the SBW mission and those served.

Competencies & Mindset

• Service orientation and collaborative leadership style.
• Commitment to continuous learning, improvement, and innovation.
• Adaptive and flexible, comfortable leading in a time of organizational transition and growth.
• Comfortable making tradeoffs, keeping systems simple and right-sized for a small organization while elevating quality and professionalism.
• Respectful and transparent, with clear expectations and accountability for self and others.
• Mission-driven with unwavering belief in educational equity and SBW’s vision of shared knowledge
• and coherent, cumulative curriculum.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required; CPA or Master’s degree strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in accounting or financial management; experience in public education or charter school finance highly preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit, governmental, or fund accounting practices.
• Technical Skills
• Proficiency in accounting systems (e.g., QuickBooks) and Microsoft Excel.
• Familiarity with TEA financial accountability standards and charter school financial reporting (e.g., FASRG, FIRST ratings) is a plus.

Working Conditions:

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required, particularly during budget season or audit periods.
• Some travel between to external meetings may be required.

Benefits & Perks:

• Competitive salary based on experience and merit.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 403B Retirement System
• Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
• Starting Salary - $68,000

About The Institute for Academic Excellence

Who We Are

At The Institute for Academic Excellence, we envision a future where all children build foundational skills and background knowledge that support college and career exploration, fuel academic success, and encourage civic participation. When this knowledge is broadly shared across a citizenry, it accelerates learning, expands life opportunities, fosters community, and helps prepare engaged citizens in a democracy.

We believe that:

• All children deserve access to shared background knowledge that underpins oral and reading comprehension, literacy, and deeper learning.
• Building this shared knowledge year after year expands opportunity, facilitates effective communication, and strengthens democratic participation.
• Schools play a critical role in helping level the playing field, particularly for students without the same resources and experiences of their more advantaged peers.
• A coherent, cumulative, content-specific curriculum that integrates foundational skills and knowledge-building from the earliest grades is essential to equitable access to important shared knowledge.

As a nonprofit organization, we remain nonpartisan, focused on evidence-based solutions that support the public good and advance our belief that every child deserves access to enabling knowledge and every democratic nation deserves a successful model of a citizen-making curriculum.

Learn more at www.sophiewright.org

Application Process

Candidate materials (resume/CV, letter of interest, and short responses to three questions) will be reviewed on a rolling basis with initial phone screens beginning the following week. The interview process will include 2-3 interviews covering conversations with staff, a work sample exercise, and discussions with board leadership. Our goal is to extend an offer by June 30, 2026.

Interested candidates can apply by sending a resume to: human_resources@sbwcharter.org

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Institute for Academic Excellence is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally-recognized basis [“protected class”] including, but not limited to: race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform service member status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law.

Pay: From $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Education:

• Master's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Financial and Operational : 5 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• CPA (Preferred)

Work Location: In person