Chief Financial Officer

Perkins helps children with disabilities find their place in the world. As the global leader in education services for children and young adults with disabilities for 200 years, we seek to make quality learning accessible to the 240 million children with disabilities around the world through teacher training, modeling education best practices, and innovating to create new approaches.

As our Chief Financial Officer (CFO), you will play a pivotal role in managing our financial health, ensuring long-term sustainability, and aligning financial strategies with Perkins’ mission to support children with disabilities. As a key member of the executive leadership team,you will provide strategic financial direction, oversee financial operations, and partner with senior leadership to ensure Perkins continues to operate efficiently and effectively. You will continue to lead efforts in financial planning, analysis, reporting, and risk management, supporting Perkins’ goals of innovation, growth, and impact.

You will provide strong financial leadership that will continue to shape the organization’s vision and elevate our financial and functional strength through a pivotal phase of growth and innovation. As the senior financial leader of Perkins, you will drive creative and entrepreneurial thinking, partner with the CEO regarding the development and continuous evaluation of short and long term strategic financial objectives, as well as evaluate and advise on the impact of long range planning from the introduction of new programs and strategies.

Essential Duties, Responsibilities and Expectations include the following:

• Provide strategic financial insights and direction to the CEO and Board of Directors. Lead the organization’s financial planning and operational strategy, ensuring alignment with long-term goals.
• Lead planning and analysis functions, providing real-time financial insights. Manage Board committees as well as tax filings and compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Develop and implement treasury policies that reflect Perkins mission, values, and ethical guidelines. Establish internal controls over cash management, investments, and banking activities to minimize risk and ensure accountability.
• Enhance the timeliness, quality, and reliability of financial reporting and key performance metrics for executive leadership and the Board. Oversee forecasting, budgeting, and resource allocation across all departments.
• Lead the preparation of the annual operating budget and manage systems to track KPIs and expenses. Monitor return on investments to ensure alignment with strategic goals.
• Oversee the organization’s endowment, accounting systems, and auditing processes to maintain financial health and compliance.
• Build financial and technological infrastructure that supports the organization through periods of growth and change. Guide senior leadership with vision and foresight.
• Manage risk, regulatory compliance (domestic and global), and legal strategies in collaboration with the General Counsel and external legal advisors.
• Ensure proper systems, processes, and controls are in place to support the needs of a growing organization. Continuously monitor and improve operational efficiencies and workflows across business units.
• Recalibrate and build top-tier finance and accounting teams to support growth initiatives, fostering a client-service-oriented culture aligned with organizational needs. Collaborate with internal stakeholders to establish guidelines and training to ensure operational efficiencies.

Education and/or Experience

• 10-15 years of experience as a senior financial executive in forward-thinking, growth-oriented organizations, ideally as a CFO or a strong second-in-command with demonstrated career progression in finance. Nonprofit experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting, MBA and/or CPA highly desired
• Workday experience highly desired, must be proficient with ERP integrations
• Salesforce or other CRM preferred, experience with manufacturing/inventory systems a plus