Chief Financial Officer

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for the Hudson River Museum's overall financial health, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and long-term financial strategy. Reporting to the Director and CEO, and a member of the senior team, the CFO of this institution with a $3.8 million operating budget, manages financial operations, ensures compliance, and provides financial expertise to leadership, the Board of Trustees, and other departments, serving as the primary financial spokesperson and ensuring the organization's fiscal viability. The CFO is the lead administrator for HRM, overseeing human resources and staff benefits, IT,  the Visitor Services/Retail team, and the Manager, Finance. This role requires strong leadership, strategic planning, and deep knowledge of nonprofit accounting and financial management to ensure informed decision-making and operational effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Management

• Direct all fiscal operations to include all accounting functions, audits, payroll and benefits, financial planning and analysis, insurance, and risk management. 
• Prepare and manage annual operating budgets, capital budgets, and grant project budgets. Provide financial data as needed for grant applications and reports.
• Regularly report on the Museum’s financial performance to the Director and CEO, Board of Trustees, and Finance and Administration Committee, including timely and informative monthly results and quarterly updates on budget performance, forecasts, and financial risks and opportunities. 
• Manage cash requirements and monitor cash flow position, keeping the Director and CEO and the Board of Trustees informed of short- and long-term cash flow needs.
• Lead the annual audit process and coordinate with external auditors and the Finance & Administration Oversee audit and Form 990 preparation.
• Monitor the Museum’s bank accounts and investments, and maintain relationships with the Museum’s banks and investment advisors to ensure that assets are managed in compliance with all internal standards and policies.
• Supervise and work closely with the Manager, Finance who manages the Museum’s accounting system, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, credit card accounts and daily cash receipts, as well as financial grant reporting and audit requests.
• Serve as liaison to and participant in meetings of the Board of Trustees, Executive Committee, and Finance & Administration Committee.
• Review and manage vendor contracts
• Oversee all aspects of risk management and related insurance policies and maintain relationships with legal counsel, insurance brokers and carriers.

 Strategic

• Provide oversight and strategic analysis of the Museum’s operating budget, ensuring compliance with budget goals and identifying areas for revenue enhancements and expense controls.
• Align annual and long-term budgets with institutional priorities and sustainable growth strategies.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the organization’s strategic plan, and serve as a strategic partner to the Director and CEO, Board of Trustees, and Senior Staff on all financial and administrative matters.
• Provide Director and CEO and Senior Staff with sound financial forecasting, business modeling, and performance metrics (e.g., visitor and program attendance, pricing models, ROI).

Human Resources

• Benefits Administration: Manage benefit plans and renewals (medical, dental FSA, etc.,), 403(b) retirement plan, employee onboarding/offboarding, ensuring compliance with all reporting requirements including 403(b) regulatory reporting, annual 5500 filing, and quarterly payroll tax filings.
• Employee Relations: Serve as the primary point of contact and resource for staff regarding HR policies, benefits, and workplace concerns and resolutions. Advise and partner with HR consultants in matters related to employee relations, hiring and retention, conflict resolution, and HR Policy implementation and interpretation.
• Professional Development and Performance Management: Oversee internal and external professional development offerings and compliance training. Support supervisors in conducting annual performance evaluations and professional development plans.
• Employee Communications: Provide internal communications that promote transparency, fairness, and consistency and support a connected and equitable experience for staff.

Other  

• Supervise Manager, Visitor Services and Retail; monitor overall inventory purchases.
• Oversee IT administration and third-party vendor relationship.
• Responsible for data tracking, including attendance, zip code reporting, and related data.
• Attend meetings and participate in local Westchester CFO Affinity Groups.
• Perform other duties as assigned. 

 Requirements:

• 7-10 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience as CFO, Finance Director, or Senior Finance Staff in a small/midsized organization, preferably in a museum or nonprofit setting.
  • Bachelor’s or master’s degree in accounting, finance, or business or any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved.
  • CPA and/or MBA a plus.
  • Strong finance-based analytical skills.
  • Budget management experience.
• Extensive experience with accounting systems, financial reporting software, and database management platforms: QuickBooks, Salesforce, Microsoft Office including PowerPoint, Word, Excel (advanced), and the Google suite.
• Successful track record in setting policies and priorities, long-term financial planning, creating institutional budgets, and developing financial analyses.
• Experience in working with high-functioning boards.
• The ability to work in a fast-paced, multitasking environment, and work well under pressure. Ability to plan, organize, and meet deadlines by prioritizing required work.
• Experience in managing audit and tax engagements with a third-party CPA firm.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with integrity, discretion, and professional maturity.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and rapport, demonstrate listening skills and good judgment, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, flexible and decisive with the ability to interpret financial data and convey insights.
• Possess strong business instincts, with both strategic and hands-on approach; detail-oriented while able to see the big picture.

Benefits:

• Competitive compensation.
• The Museum pays 100% of premiums for medical, dental, and life insurance.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Generous paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, personal days, and 13 Museum holidays.
• Flexible spending accounts (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses).
• On-site free parking and discount in Museum Shop.
• Access and free admission to numerous museums and cultural institutions.
• Paid membership in the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).
• Standard worker’s compensation, short-term and long-term disability, and unemployment insurance.
• Participation in TransitChek Commuter Benefit program.
• This position is primarily on-site, with some flexibility for a hybrid work schedule.

Compensation:

$100,000–$110,000 annually. The advertised pay scale reflects the good-faith minimum and maximum salary for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, or other factors.

About the Museum

The Hudson River Museum (hrm.org) is a preeminent cultural institution in Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area. Situated on the banks of the Hudson River in Yonkers, New York, the HRM’s mission is to engage, inspire, and connect diverse communities through the power of the arts, sciences, and history.

The Museum offers engaging experiences for nearly every age and interest, with an ever-growing collection of American art; dynamic exhibitions that range from notable nineteenth-century paintings to contemporary art installations; Glenview, an 1877 house on the National Register of Historic Places; a state-of-the-art Planetarium; and an outdoor Amphitheater. Accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM), the Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting, and interpreting these multi-disciplinary offerings, which are complemented by an array of public programs that encourage creative expression, collaboration, and artistic and scientific discovery.