Job Title: Finance Director
Job Classification / Employment Category: Exempt / Full-time
Reports to: Executive Director
Supervises: Finance/Accounting Team (staff and contractual personnel)
Location: Cambridge, MA
Date: Posted end of March/early April 2024 for immediate hire

Organizational Overview

Farm Aid is a non-profit whose mission is to cultivate a vibrant and just family farm-centered
system of agriculture in the United States. Farm Aid catalyzes and offers creative ways to
champion farmers, inspire civic engagement and leverage our cultural placement to influence
positive change in our agricultural and cultural landscape. Farm Aid artists and board members
Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Margo Price host an annual
food and farm festival to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s year-round work. Since 1985,
through the generosity of the artists who contribute their performances each year, Farm Aid
has raised more than $78 million to support our programs that help farmers thrive, grow the
Good Food Movement, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture
and promote food from family farms.

Farm Aid leverages its diverse expertise, assets and activities that span non-profit, music and
food enterprises. The organization currently raises most of its revenue through the annual
music festival, while creating revenue streams via food, sponsorship, merchandise and cause
marketing initiatives.

Deeply rooted and at a time of exciting growth and transition, Farm Aid seeks a Finance
Director to serve as a steward of the organization’s financial well-being, delivering strategic and
tactical leadership and implementation. This is a tremendous opportunity for a hands-on
financial manager to strengthen and bolster the internal capacity of our financial operations,
helping to determine an appropriate team structure as we shift from primary reliance on
outsourced staffing. The successful candidate will have a commitment to working in a mission-
driven organization.

Job Summary and Purpose

The Finance Director contributes to Farm Aid’s mission by ensuring organizational fiscal health,
strategy and effectiveness. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Finance Director develops,
directs and supports internal organizational needs (accounting activities, financial reporting,
budget management, forecasting and financial risk management), as well as external financial
and compliance needs (audit, IRS, state filings, etc.). Additionally, the Finance Director devises
and recommends long-term strategy for organizational stability, revenue growth and
investment. Reporting to the executive director, this role is a member of the leadership team,
which has collective responsibility and accountability for stewarding Farm Aid’s vision and
mission and ensuring that the appropriate resources, structures and systems are available to
empower staff to bring their individual skills and knowledge forward to achieve the greatest
organizational impact.

Key areas of responsibility

• Provides guidance and expertise on nonprofit financial management and accounting practices to ensure compliance with generally accepted accounting principles and financial reporting standards.
• Leads and supervises the finance team to ensure effective day to day implementation of financial operations (A/P, A/R, monthly reconciliations of all accounts, etc.).
• Collaborates across the organization to support/enhance the finance-related needs and functions of all teams.
• Develops and oversees annual budgeting and forecasting process and business activity reports, ensuring participatory engagement with staff/teams.
• Manages the annual audit, coordinating with internal staff and external controller and auditors to ensure timely and accurate completion of financials, filing of tax returns and compliance with state and federal regulations.
• Ensures compliance and timely filing of annual requirements for state charitable solicitation registrations.
• Proactively evolves the finance systems, internal controls, policies and procedures, identifying and implementing process improvements and increased efficiencies.
• Develops and recommends strategies for the organization’s short- and long-term investments, balanced cash flow and sustainable revenue growth from existing and new business endeavors.
• Ensures on-site festival accounting functions and support.
• Ensures compliance and risk management, including appropriate coverage for organizational insurance policies.
• Member of Revenue team—a cross-functional team that comprises earned revenue, development, cause marketing, finance and operations, programming, communications and marketing—in development, implementation and monitoring of the annual revenue budget and related activities.
• Participate in staff meetings, planning retreats and other related activities in support of organizational goals.
• Lead other cross-functional or ad-hoc teams as needed.
• Other duties as interest and time allows.

Qualifications

 

• CPA or equivalent background/experience; at least six years of specifically related experience required.
• Expertise in nonprofit QuickBooks, Excel and Microsoft Office Suite software.
• Proven experience in nonprofit accounting, audit processes.
• Knowledge of U.S. GAAP and other relevant accounting principles and regulations.
• Knowledge of federal grant management and compliance.
• Knowledge of treasury management.
• Excellent management and supervisory skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, high attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and technical skills, with experience and success in process improvement.
• Proficient in accounting and tax preparation software.
• High degree of professionalism, integrity and discretion with ability to maintain confidentiality concerning financial and employee files.

Salary & Benefits:

Salary is commensurate with experience and organizational compensation framework, within a
range of $100-108K.

Benefits include 100% health insurance premium coverage (for up to full family coverage,
ranging in value of up to $30K+ annually depending on family size); 20 days (4 weeks) of paid
vacation; 15 days paid sick and excused time; 2 civic engagement days; 11 holidays & general
office closure from December 24 through January 1; option to participate in company IRA, FSA
and Employee Assistance plans; longevity bonus program rewarding each year of service and a
paid, twelve-week sabbatical after seven years of service; as well as an exciting work
environment with smart, passionate people seeking to make change in our food and farm
system.

How To Apply:

If you possess many of Farm Aid’s required and desired characteristics and qualifications and
are excited about this opportunity, we'd love to hear from you!

Early applications are strongly encouraged, as applications will be considered as they are
received.

Submit your complete application to hiring@farmaid.org with “Finance Director” in the subject line. In the email, please include your personal pronouns for how you like to be addressed and attach the enclosures listed below. Note that incomplete applications may not be reviewed. Please note that applications without all requested enclosures may not be reviewed.

Include the following requested enclosures:

• A cover letter indicating where you learned of this opportunity and highlighting your experience and skills relevant to the position and listed qualifications.
• A current resume

We will accept and consider applications as they are received and on a rolling basis, and seek to complete the hiring process as soon as possible, and before the end of spring 2024. Farm Aid will confirm receipt of your application, and will reach out directly only if you are being considered a candidate for the position.

No calls please.

Candidates invited to compete for the position may be asked to complete sample projects.

This position is expected to work onsite at the Cambridge office at least weekly.

 

 

Farm Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Farm Aid recognizes that people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal,
educational, and volunteer experiences. If you feel passionate about our mission and believe
that you have the skills and valuable perspective to contribute to the growth of our
organization, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of our
described qualifications or have a less traditional background. We believe a diversity of voices
leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone and encourage applications
from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the farm and
food movement.

Farm Aid is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any team
member or candidate because of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender
identity/expression, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital
status, pregnancy, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local law.
For more information about Farm Aid, please visit www.farmaid.org