Vice President of Finance & Business Affairs

Launched in 2007, the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools’ mission is to transform schools to revolutionize school systems, empowering all students with a high-quality education. The Partnership is a non-profit, in-district partner to LA Unified, not a charter network. As an independent nonprofit organization, the Partnership serves 12,200 students across 20 LA Unified schools in Boyle Heights, South Los Angeles, and Watts. The Partnership works within the LA Unified School District context, which includes honoring all collective bargaining agreements for its teachers and school staff. To learn more about the Partnership, our mission, and how we approach our goals, please visit our website.

The Vice President of Finance & Business Affairs (VP of F&BA) leads the financial strategy and business operations that keep the Partnership solvent, compliant, and positioned for long-term sustainability. As an expert in their field, the VP sets and oversees finance and budget strategy across the home office and schools, serves as a trusted thought partner to executive leadership and the Board, and builds the capacity of the team leaders they supervise. This is a role that moves fluidly between big-picture strategy and hands-on execution – designing goals aligned to org-wide priorities one moment and coaching team members toward forward progress the next. The VP is accountable for their teams' decisions and actions, and models the Partnership's competencies in every space they lead.

The Vice President of Finance & Business Affairs has a direct impact on the 2030 strategic plan by ensuring the work is properly resourced. The VP of F&BA provides direct oversight and support of initiatives related to resource allocation, finance and budget strategy and implementation, procurement, compliance, and asset management.

The Partnership is committed to continuously building an anti-racist culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in classrooms and our home office. The Vice President of Finance & Business Affairs will be someone who is committed to implementing these values in creative ways when executing day-to-day tasks and responsibilities.

Position responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Financial Strategy & Leadership

• Oversees development and implementation of home office finance, business affairs, and school budget strategy
• Facilitates annual budget development processes and supports the F&BA team with progress monitoring
• Serves as a trusted thought partner to the Chief People & Operations Officer, Executive Team, and Board of Directors
• Acts as the primary liaison to the Board Finance Committee chair, and represents Partnership financials in Board meetings
• Builds org-wide understanding of budget guidelines and provides guidance and support when applying them
• Partners with the Home Office Talent team to ensure compliance in leave, benefits, and payroll administration
• Partners with the Development team to monitor revenue and ensure financial sustainability

Finance & Compliance Leadership

• Ensures organizational solvency, overseeing systems for checks and balances, regulatory compliance, tax filing, and audit readiness
• Stays current on finance trends, market analyses, and the federal, state, and local policies that affect Partnership operations
• Serves as the primary negotiator on contracts, especially those related to business operations
• Maintains working knowledge of school and district budget policies and practices to inform the team's work
• Supports the vetting and pursuit of federal, state, and philanthropic funding opportunities as they arise

Accounting & Asset Management

• Oversees accounts payable and receivable, coding quality control, internal audits, and budget adjustments
• Reviews and approves internal and external reporting, including budget versus actuals, funder reporting, LAUSD Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewal reporting, and Employment Development Department (EDD) audits
• Manages the organization's net assets and holds holding account and transaction-level authority to execute the direction of the Finance Committee, Board, and Chiefs, including the investment policy
• Advises on the feasibility of public agency agreements (e.g., LAUSD vendor agreements), develops pricing proposals, and oversees ongoing monitoring and billing
• Partners with the CEO, Finance Chair, and board committees to develop financial policies (e.g., investment and reserves policies) and ensures compliance measures are in place to minimize risk of loss

Team Leadership & Management

• Provide management, coaching, and leadership development for the Finance & Business Affairs and School Budgets teams
• Coach and mentor Finance & Business Affairs and School Budgets team members through individualized coaching, instilling a growth mindset, engaging in identity-based learning and management practices, and community-building, with an expectation of 25% or more of time dedicated to team and individual management
• Model Partnership competencies, effective cross-functional collaboration, project management, and alignment to organizational values and priorities
• Provide thought partnership and collaboration with the Executive Team, Board of Directors, and other team members

A successful first year in this role will look like:

• Establish healthy relationships across stakeholders including School Budgets, Finance & Business Affairs, Development, the executive team, and the board’s finance committee
• Work closely with Chief People & Operations Officer to solidify short- and long-term budget projections
• Support School Budgets team with network analysis to determine opportunities to further optimize school budgets
• Facilitate a smooth transition including clear roles and responsibilities within the team

• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in providing financial leadership, strategy, accounting, and/or asset management in nonprofit, education, youth-serving, and/or public sector organizations
• Minimum 5 years of management experience, including managing and leading multi-level teams, complex projects, and cross-functional work
• Deep knowledge of nonprofit accounting standards (GAAP, fund accounting) and audit processes
• Experience with federal, state, and local grant compliance
• Proficiency with accounting/enterprise resource planning systems (e.g., Xero, Sage Intacct, NetSuite, QuickBooks Enterprise) and budgeting tools/Excel modeling
• Demonstrated experience serving as a thought partner to C-suite executives and/or Boards of Directors
• A deep belief in the power of our communities, as well as the Partnership’s mission, approach, and core values
• A commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment for all team members
• A willingness to learn, grow, and model the Partnership competencies

• MBA, CPA, or Master's in Accounting/Finance/Nonprofit Management, or equivalent experience, strongly preferred
• Experience working with or within a nonprofit, school district, charter network, or public agency, and experience navigating complex contracting, strongly preferred
• Familiarity with LAUSD or California public school finance, budgeting, and funding mechanisms preferred
• Strong project management skills and previous experience managing budgets of $20M+, strongly preferred
• Superb oral and written communication skills for multiple audiences, including an ability to proactively and clearly communicate critical messages to stakeholders 
• Strong emotional intelligence and people-centered leadership skills, with the ability to foster a culture of care, model curiosity-driven problem-solving, and resolve conflicts with empathy
• Ability to cast a clear and mission-aligned strategy and vision, and bring others along through goal-setting, progress monitoring, and executing day-to-day work
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion on a systemic level
• A combination of creative and strategic thinking with a standard for high-quality execution
• Ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize, and work under multiple deadlines
• Strong team player and active collaborator

The starting salary range is $173,747. The Partnership’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends to our compensation practices. Our goal is to ensure that salaries are fair for all staff members who hold many intersectional identities, and we set salaries based on a robust compensation model grounded in consistency and transparency. The exact salary for this position is set through the Partnership’s compensation policy and is dependent on the candidate’s relevant skills, experiences, and organizational tenure. In support of our vision for pay equity, candidate salaries are determined by a formula, and we do not negotiate. 

The Partnership also offers a robust benefits package including employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their dependents; a 403(b) retirement program with employee match and vesting; parental and sabbatical leaves; a professional development allowance; and generous paid time off.

Please prepare your resume and a cover letter tailored to this position. Your application can be submitted via this link.
 

Research shows that women and individuals from systemically marginalized communities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet all of the qualifications. While this job description outlines the major responsibilities and requirements to be successful in this role, the Partnership is committed to considering all applicants who are passionate about our mission and can see themselves excelling in this role – including those with diverse and non-traditional work experience.

For technical assistance or support for applying with a disability, please contact the Home Office Talent Team. No phone calls, please.

Partnership for Los Angeles Schools is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to – and actively pursues – diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. The Partnership prohibits discrimination based on race (including traits historically associated with race such as hairstyle), creed, color, religion, registered domestic partner status, national origin, ancestry, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship status, age, military and veteran status, medical condition, genetic information, political affiliation, pregnancy or childbirth, physical disability or mental disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law or ordinance or regulation. The Partnership also prohibits discrimination based on the perception that anyone has any of these characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer, wages, benefits, termination, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.