Director of Finance and Operations

THE OPPORTUNITY

The ACLU of New Mexico seeks a Director of Finance and Operations to ensure that the organization has the structure and resources necessary to achieve its vision. The Director will help operationalize the Affiliate’s culture by creating systems and controls that promote efficiency and accuracy around the Affiliate’s critical finance, human resources, IT, operations, and administrative needs. The Director of Finance and Operations participates in setting organizational goals and priorities and developing and managing the Affiliate’s budget. The person in this role is adept at building systems and processes that enhance efficiencies and support continuous improvement goals. They are also committed to inclusive decision-making and promoting a culture of equity and belonging throughout the organization.

The Director of Finance and Operations is a full-time, exempt position which reports to and is a trusted partner of the Executive Director. Located in the Albuquerque office, this position participates in the organization’s Senior Leadership Team.

ABOUT THE ACLU

The ACLU-NM is the state affiliate of the ACLU, the nation’s premier civil rights and civil liberties organization. The purpose of ACLU-NM is to protect and advance justice, liberty and equity as guaranteed by the constitutions of New Mexico and the United States. We work to make these ideals realities for all people in New Mexico, with particular attention to the rights of people and groups who have historically been disenfranchised.

The ACLU-NM combines legal, policy, organizing and communications approaches to maximize its impact. We partner with individuals and communities impacted by injustices to inform and mobilize people throughout the state. The people in the center of the struggles for justice, who feel the impact in their daily lives, are especially important allies.

The ACLU-NM is committed to ending racism and other inequities. This includes how we work with each other and with our partners and allies in the communities we serve. We are looking for candidates who share our commitment to advancing racial justice, both internally in our organization and externally in the communities that we serve.

Equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of the ACLU and central to our work. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible.

For more information, please visit www.aclu-nm.org .

Key Responsibilities

Administration and Operations

• Oversee and continuously work to improve the infrastructure, systems, and staffing of the organization, including but not limited to IT, physical workspaces, accounting, reporting, personnel, etc.
• Supervise the Administrative Assistant to ensure smooth functioning of the office and organization, including management of IT (Information Technology), leases, office facilities, safety, etc.
• Develop, maintain, and update organizational policies and procedures, as needed.
• Ensure that operational and administrative systems support the equitable and inclusive treatment of staff, board, volunteers, clients, and members.
• Proactively engage national ACLU affiliate support staff in furtherance of all responsibilities.

Financial Management

• Oversee day-to-day accounting operations and controls. Supervise Staff Accountant and contract CPA to ensure accurate and efficient payroll, bookkeeping, accounts receivable, accounts payable, grants management.
• Ensure compliance with policies and procedures.
• Develop, monitor, and manage organizational and grant budgets. Support grant reporting.
• Manage annual audit and IRS 990s, including preparation or oversight of all supporting information and presentation to the Board of Directors.
• Manage board Finance Committee.
• Monitor financial performance. Present timely and accurate financial reports and analysis for the board of directors and keep Executive Director apprised and well-informed about budget and financial matters.
• Prepare and manage annual budget and perform financial modeling and forecasting to support well-informed, strategic decision-making.
• Assist in formulating the affiliate's future financial direction and supporting tactical initiatives.
• Manage and monitor investment portfolio based on investment policy.

People Operations

• Supervise Manager of People Operations to ensure development and delivery of people-centered HR (Human Resources) processes, including but not limited to benefits administration, compensation program design and administration, maintenance of personnel records, recruitment and onboarding, employee relations and retention, performance management, professional development, and effective management of staff personnel issues. Consult with legal counsel as needed on personnel matters.
• Review and make recommendations to improve policies, procedures, and benefits.
• Ensure that the organization’s commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging informs all HR decisions, policies, and systems.

Risk Management and Compliance

• Proactively mitigate risks and monitor key risk areas (financial, physical security, personnel, etc.)
• Maintain appropriate insurance coverage.
• Construct and monitor reliable control systems.
• Ensure that all statutory requirements of the organization are met, including charitable status, withholding payments, and taxes.

QUALIFICATIONS

While no one person will have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:

• Demonstrated passion for and commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance.
• Strong familiarity with and significant previous experience in financial management, human resources, operations, and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated experience serving at a senior level at an organization or company, in partnership with executive management, and advising on organizational issues.
• Awareness of, and willingness to engage in, the difficult and transformative work of challenging systems of oppression, institutional and structural racism, and implicit bias.
• Proven ability and a vision for building an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplace, where all staff feel a sense of belonging. Demonstrated application of EDIB principles to organizational management and administration.
• Significant management experience, particularly supervising professional staff in a fast-paced environment. Able to provide clear direction, delegate well and assume ultimate responsibility. A management style that is accessible, flexible, decisive, and supportive.
• Experience implementing management best practices, including caring for, and getting the best out of people.
• High level of organizational and planning skills with strong attention to detail complemented by the ability to see the big picture.
• Creative problem-solving skills. Able to research and provide information for decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to handle complex issues and work calmly and effectively under pressure including an ability to quickly adjust to new situations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to communicate complex points concisely and clearly; and communicate respectfully and directly with co-workers.
• Ability to negotiate conflict and maintain constructive working relationships with people at all levels within and outside of the organization.
• A good listener, who inspires trust and confidence, remains open to the ideas of others, and is not threatened by input and feedback from others.
• Proficiency with office technology and information systems including Quick Books, Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, and Zoom
• Can handle and prioritize multiple activities and responsibilities, a self-starter and finisher. A team player that inspires collaboration and functions decisively.
• Operates with excellence in mind in all matters. Transparent, direct and exercises tact and diplomacy. Maintains confidentiality in all matters.
• Spanish language skills – optional but desirable.
• Creative, result-oriented, self-starting, willing to learn, and able to manage an aggressive schedule, working beyond 9-5 as needed.
• Ability to occasionally travel across New Mexico and out of state.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The ACLU-NM offers a comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and in line with the ACLU-NM compensation scale. The salary range for this position is $80,000 - $100,000 per year, depending on experience.

Benefits include 18 days of paid time off to start, 11 holidays, fully paid employee medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, and a generous retirement plan.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are excited about bringing your talents and skills to the ACLU-NM, please send a cover letter, resume, and three references by email to HR@aclu-nm.org and include Director of Finance and Operations in the subject line. All attachments should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

Your letter should explain ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above. We also invite applicants to include in their letter information about how their background and/or experiences could contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and advocacy work. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we will be evaluating applications on a rolling basis beginning on April 29, 2022.

CORONAVIRUS ADDENDUM

Due to the Coronavirus, the ACLU-NM is currently a hybrid workforce. We will work with that candidate to ensure that they have the tools, equipment, and digital onboarding to be successfully integrated into our remote work environment.

For the safety of our staff, their families, and the communities that we work with, ACLU-NM requires that staff be fully vaccinated as defined by the CDC.

The ACLU-NM is an equal opportunity employer. The ACLU-NM is committed to creating a work environment that is free from discrimination and supportive of a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of our communities and the people we serve. The ACLU-NM strongly encourages applications from all qualified including women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, people who are gender diverse, people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal justice, child welfare, or immigration systems, and people who have personal experience with other issues we work on.

The ACLU of New Mexico comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico, and the ACLU Foundation of New Mexico; both have the same overall mission and share office space and employees.

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