The Organization
Since 1982, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation (SFAF) has been fighting to eliminate HIV transmission and to improve the quality and length of lives for people living with HIV. While progress has been substantial, their work is far from complete. SFAF envisions a future where health justice is achieved for all people living with or at risk for HIV. Ultimately, they strive for a day when race is not a barrier to health and wellness, substance use is not stigmatized, HIV status does not determine quality of life, and HIV transmission is eliminated.
SFAF promotes health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships. Their work is organized into five interconnected program areas: sexual health, substance use and behavioral health, engagement and retention, social support, and policy and public education.
Their strategic plan includes an articulation of its five key values, which are the foundation for its work and its employees: Justice, Dignity, Courage, Leadership, and Excellence. They are calling on passionate agents of social change, vanguards of public health, and practitioners of racial justice to join their fight.
The work of SFAF is built around the needs of communities experiencing sexual health and substance use-related disparities. These disparities have been well-documented in epidemiology reports published by their local health departments as well as other publications. Their efforts to prioritize specific communities are informed by this data as well as other factors, including their experiences as service providers and advocates, the organizational capacity and history, and what they learn every day from those most impacted.
SFAF will center its priority communities in the design, implementation, and delivery of all existing and future programs and services. This includes a commitment to allocating the financial and human resources necessary to expand programs and services that address the sexual health and substance use-related disparities experienced by members of these communities. Setting a focus on these priority communities will better position SFAF to provide high quality care to anyone who comes through their doors.
For more information, please visit the SFAF website.
Throughout, when used, the pronoun “they” is inclusive of humans who identify as non-binary as well as those of gender expansive identities and experiences.
Position Overview
THE ROLE
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides strategic oversight of the financial, business, and financial compliance activities of SFAF in conformity with legal, regulatory, and established best practices. Reporting to and serving as a critical strategic business partner to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the CFO leads the development of short and long-range financial plans to achieve the strategic goals of financial health and long-term sustainability. The CFO serves as a member of the Executive Team and has responsibility in ensuring that SFAF is fulfilling its mission in accordance with the agency’s strategic plan and goals. This role currently oversees finance, accounting, technology, and facilities for the organization. Placement of additional areas of responsibility will be considered depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate.
The CFO leads the development of SFAF’s annual budget, providing regular finance updates, and oversees the management of the investment portfolio. This role leads the enforcement, development, implementation, and evaluation of financial policies, procedures, and processes that promote efficiencies, deliver timely and accurate outcomes, ensure high quality internal and external customer service, and comply with industry standards/regulations. Further, the CFO is responsible for conducting multi-year financial scenario planning and other forecasting efforts.
The CFO provides strategic leadership, management, mentorship, and oversight to the Finance Department, which is comprised of nine full-time staff. The members of the Finance Department reporting directly to the CFO include the Controller and the Senior Director of Budgeting and Government Contracts.
Importantly, the CFO will be responsible for developing, achieving buy-in for, and effectively implementing tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to inform decisions and make actionable recommendations on both strategy and operations. The CFO will also maintain appropriate internal controls; evaluate and implement opportunities for enhancing and streamlining internal processes. Additionally, this role will oversee and make recommendations related to SFAF’s investment portfolio to ensure compliance with the Board-established Investment Policy, and manage relationships with external investment advisors.
As an Executive Team member, the CFO engages and presents regularly to the Board of Directors (Board). The CFO is responsible for regular financial reporting and serves as the staff liaison to both the Finance Committee and the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.
The compensation available for the role considers a variety of factors including, but is not limited to, work location, individual skill set, previous/applicable experience, and other organizational needs. The estimated salary range for this role is $225K to $255K. This salary range represents SFAF’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the possible base salary range and is one part of the total rewards the organization provides to employees.
CANDIDATE PROFILE
The San Francisco AIDS Foundation is seeking a strategic thinker and proven leader to build on the successes of the current finance organization. The successful candidate will manifest the highest level of professionalism, stewardship and integrity in executing the full breadth of the CFO role. Further, they will bring an authentic commitment to SFAF’s mission to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV, gained through lived experience, volunteer engagement, and/or related work experience.
The CFO will bring excellent leadership skills with the ability to make well-reasoned and timely decisions as part of a team and in the best interests of the organization for the present and future. The successful candidate will have experience leading during a time of exciting and important change. This individual will have ideally led functions beyond finance and accounting.
They will have a successful track record driving innovation and implementing process improvements that increase efficiencies and effectiveness. Importantly, the successful candidate will have played a key role in implementing new technology systems and furthering automation across an organization.
The CFO will provide executive leadership across the organization by leading, mentoring, and developing high-performing individuals and teams, to support the vision, mission and priorities of SFAF. They will have the ability to work cooperatively and effectively with internal and external stakeholders of all races, with awareness of how our identities and values influence interactions. This individual will be aware of the disparities faced by BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, and bring a willingness and openness to participate in conversations on various topics including advancing equitable outcomes and centering people of color, LGBTQ+, and other groups of people who face intersecting forms of oppression.
The successful candidate will have a proactive attitude, future-focused approach, and ability to achieve in a fast-paced environment. They will have exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills, including the ability to effectively interface with staff, senior executives, and the Board.
They will bring ten or more years of financial management experience. Ideally, this person will have experience serving as a leader in the nonprofit sector and/or in a healthcare setting. This leader will have a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance and an advanced degree and/or a CPA is strongly preferred.
In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:
Setting Strategy
- The ability to create and articulate an inspiring financial vision for the organization, and to make critical judgement calls that best serve SFAF’s mission and values in the course of executing responsibilities.
- An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization.
- The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization’s overall strategy.
- The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.
Executing for Results
- The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results.
- Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations.
- A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks.
- A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; who brings a sense of urgency to their professional responsibilities while maintaining a calm and unflappable demeanor in times of stress and pressure; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.
Leading Teams
- Demonstrated management skills, able to inspire, motivate, mentor, and hold accountable the finance team.
- The ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others.
- The ability to persevere in the face of challenges, and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers.
- A leader who is self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.
Relationships and Influence
- Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively.
- The ability to examine and reflect on their own racial/ethnic biases or prejudices and understand how that may impact your work.
- Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the success of the team.
- Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond their own personality and engages others to the greater purpose for the organization as a whole.
- Has an authentic commitment to SFAF’s mission to promote health, wellness, and social justice for communities most impacted by HIV, through sexual health and substance use services, advocacy, and community partnerships.
How To Apply
Russell Reynolds Associates has been exclusively retained for this search. Prospective candidates are invited to submit a resume to the following address: John.McNaught@RussellReynolds.com. All inquiries, nominations, and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.
John McNaught
Russell Reynolds Associates