Chief Financial Officer

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is thrilled to announce they are now seeking applications and nominations for their next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The ideal candidate for this CFO role is a highly strategic, experienced, mission-driven finance executive who can build and modernize an operationally excellent finance function while serving as a trusted advisor to the CEO, executive team, and Board. More than a traditional financial steward, the CFO will translate complex financial and operational data into clear and actionable business insights, strengthen organizational performance across multiple revenue streams, and ensure rigorous financial controls, compliance, and risk management for this $27 million non-profit organization. Success in this role requires deep experience leading complex nonprofit finances, growing and developing high-performing teams, partnering with leaders of business lines to drive growth and sustainability, overseeing investments and enterprise risk, and supporting robust Board governance.

Above all, the CFO must combine strong financial and operational expertise with strategic thinking, change leadership, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a deep commitment to NRPA's mission, values, and culture of organizational excellence.

The CFO will report directly to the President & CEO.

ABOUT NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

NRPA is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, healthy, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals as a catalyst for positive change in service of equity, environmental resilience, and overall health and well-being.

NRPA's network of more than 60,000 park and recreation professionals and advocates represents public spaces in urban communities, rural settings, and everything in between. NRPA champions and supports the field of parks and recreation through professional development, advocacy, grants and programs, research, publications, and more.

For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA's flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the strategic leader of NRPA's financial stewardship, business performance, and enterprise risk management. This is a builder's role. The CFO will design and lead NRPA’s finance function — spanning accounting, budgeting, reporting, and analytics — using a mix of in-house employees and outsourced partners all with a commitment to NRPA’s goal of organizational excellence.

The CFO is a full business partner to the CEO, the Board of Directors, and the executive team — turning financial and operational data into the insight that shapes strategy and informs organizational decisions, long-term and short-term. That insight is backed by the operating discipline, controls, and transparency a complex, multi-revenue-stream nonprofit requires. The CFO also serves as principal staff partner to the Board's Finance and Audit Committees, strengthening their role in financial governance. The CFO reports to the CEO, serves on the executive and senior leadership teams, and is responsible for building, engaging, and leading high-performing teams through a culture of continuous learning, organizational excellence, and leadership at all levels.

ORGANIZATIONAL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

• Serve on NRPA's executive team, contributing to the leadership, strategic direction, and evaluation of the organization as a whole — beyond the finance portfolio.
• Support people and culture practices and team leadership in a matrixed organization: train, coach, and develop employees; establish, monitor, and support individual, team, and organizational goals, including professional development and best practices in their field of expertise.
• Contribute to a strong culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion by championing and modeling NRPA's pillars and values.
• Set standards for integrity, transparency, and ethical stewardship of the mission.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILTY

The CFO's work is organized around six priorities. Supporting responsibilities — accounting operations, grants compliance, audit, and facilities — are integrated within them.

1. Build an Operationally Excellent Financial Management Function

Design and lead an accounting, budgeting, and reporting operation that is accurate, timely, efficient, transparent, and decision-oriented — built on an intentional hybrid of insourced and outsourced capacity.

• Design the operating model. Assess which finance functions are best insourced and which are best delivered by external partners; own the rationale, the transition plan, and the ongoing evaluation of that mix as NRPA's needs evolve.
• Manage outsourced partners. Set scope, service levels, and performance expectations for contract service providers; hold them to high-quality client service and measurable results; retain in-house the judgment, control, and institutional knowledge.
• Recruit, develop, and retain finance talent. Build a team with clear roles, defined competencies, and development paths. Actively mentor and develop financial leadership at all levels.
• Run disciplined accounting operations. Ensure the integrity of financial operations and reporting. Oversee general ledger, AP/AR, payroll, cash management, and fixed assets; ensure timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual close; maintain GAAP-compliant financial statements and reporting.
• Strengthen internal controls and policy. Establish clearly documented, current, and enforced internal controls, segregation of duties, and financial policies that minimize risk and protect financial integrity.
• Modernize systems and streamline manual work.  Improve workflows, the chart of accounts, and system integrations; drive automation, efficiency, and the quality of reporting infrastructure.
• Manage grants and restricted funds. Oversee financial compliance for all federal and private grants; track and report restricted funds accurately and on time; align financial compliance with programmatic deliverables; and maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Fixed asset management strategy. Partner with the Chief Administrative Officer on their portfolio of real estate and technology planning.

2. Partner with Business Line Leaders to Drive Financial Performance

Partner with the leaders responsible for each line of business to improve revenue, manage costs, and increase profitability, using data to inform decisions.

• Build the analytics capability. Develop robust forecasting, analytical models, and strategic frameworks across all business lines, moving the organization from historical reporting to predictive insight.

• Sit alongside business line leads. Work directly with revenue owners on pricing, product mix, cost-to-serve, and growth assumptions; partner with them to translate analysis into action.
• Make performance visible. Maintain clear dashboards and a reliable reporting cadence; implement rolling forecasts and variance analysis that carry actionable recommendations.
• Build financial fluency and accountability across the organization. Ensure department and business line leaders understand and own their financial performance. Translate financial concepts for non-financial audiences. Ensure that all budget owners are trained and that tools and resources are documented to ensure consistency.
• Lead budgeting as a strategic exercise. Develop a multi-year strategic budget process aligned to the strategic plan, not simply an incremental rollover; driving alignment between operational strategy and financial capacity.
• Evaluate the business model. Assess revenue mix, margin performance, pricing, indirect and direct cost structure, and risk exposure; recommend where to invest, reprice, and exit.

3. Manage the Treasury Function to Serve Strategic Purpose and Long-Term Sustainability

Oversee NRPA's banking and investment relationships and liquidity strategy so that the organization's assets support its mission and long-term sustainability.

• Own the outsourced investment relationship. Manage the external investment firm – in partnership with the Treasurer and Finance Committee – as a fiduciary partner: set expectations, evaluate performance against benchmarks and policy, and vet their recommendations.
• Maintain and advance investment policy. Steward and improve the investment policy, asset allocation, spending policy, and reserve targets in partnership with the Finance Committee and Board.
• Balance liquidity against long-term return. Manage cash flow, reserves, and fund transfers so that near-term operating needs and long-term sustainability are both protected.
• Connect assets to strategy. Advise the CEO and Board on how the balance sheet can be deployed — reserves, investment income, capital, and program-related assets — to fund strategic priorities and absorb volatility.

4. Develop and Own the Enterprise Risk Management Framework

Build and hold the organization's risk framework, so risk is managed by the leaders closest to it, not escalated after the fact.

• Build the framework. Develop and maintain a proactive enterprise risk management framework covering financial, operational, compliance, cybersecurity, reputational, and strategic risk.

• Partner with senior leaders as risk owners. Equip each executive to identify, assess, and mitigate risk within their portfolio; provide the tools, cadence, and coaching that evolves the practice beyond the procedural.
• Manage compliance proactively. Leverage audit partner and other sources to monitor and adapt to regulatory change — GAAP, FASB, IRS Form 990, UBIT, OMB, and grant requirements – affecting nonprofit finance.
• Manage risk transfer and continuity. Oversee insurance, contractual risk allocation, and business continuity planning.
• Report with clarity. Present risk assessments and mitigation strategies to executive leadership and the Board on a regular cadence, in terms that support decision-making.
• Crisis Leadership: Assess financial disruption quickly, mitigate exposure, and guide strategy under pressure. Partner with CEO to transparently communicate with all staff in timely manner.

5. Serve as Strategic Partner on New Ventures and Enable a Culture of Entrepreneurialism

Pursue new revenue and business models with both discipline and ambition.

• Build the business case discipline. Provide the modeling, assumptions testing, scenario analysis, and go/no-go criteria to evaluate new ideas quickly and fairly.
• Be a strategic thought partner. Engage early with colleagues exploring new ventures; help shape promising ideas into viable proposals.
• Structure and negotiate. Review and shape contracts, NRPA’s indirect cost rate agreement, partnership agreements, earned-revenue arrangements, and grant agreements to maximize funding while limiting restrictions, tax exposure, and compliance risk.
• Set the guardrails for smart risk-taking. Define investment thresholds, performance milestones, and performance indicators.
• Hold new ventures accountable to results. Track performance against the case that justified the investment; recommend scaling, restructuring, or ending initiatives based on evidence.

6. Elevate the work of the Board Finance and Audit Committees

• Serve as the principal staff partner to both committees, strengthening their ability to make decisions that improve NRPA's financial performance and governance.
• Sharpen committee purpose and agendas. Clarify each committee's charter, annual work plan, and decision rights; bring forward the issues that warrant governance attention rather than routine reporting.
• Report for engagement and decisions. Deliver clear, concise materials that translate financial complexity into actionable insight for committees and Board members.
• Develop committee capacity. Support member orientation, financial literacy, and succession so the committees can engage substantively over time.
• Lead the annual audit. Own the audit process and auditor relationship; deliver clean audits, timely remediation of findings, disciplined close calendars, and reliable reconciliation and review protocols.
• Advise on governance best practice. Bring nonprofit financial governance standards to the Board's attention and recommend adoption where they strengthen NRPA.

CORE COMPETENCIES AND DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

CORE COMPETENCIES

The following describe how a successful CFO operates at NRPA. Candidates will be assessed against these competencies as well as their experience with the key responsibilities above.

Mission and Culture Alignment

Commits to NRPA's mission and models its values as an internal leader.

• Possesses an authentic passion for NRPA's mission; recognizes that access to parks and recreational spaces leads to healthier, more resilient, and more vibrant communities.
• Operates with a commitment to organizational excellence and thrives in a culture of continuous learning.
• Views financial management as a strategic enabler of the mission rather than simply a compliance function; ensures every dollar is deployed for maximum impact.

Strategic and Systems Thinking with an Execution Focus

Designs, improves, and implements the internal systems and processes that make financial management, revenue models, and analytics work.

• Brings experience developing and executing excellence in financial management practices, business performance analytics, revenue growth and impact strategy, and forward-thinking approaches that translate strategy into action.
• Recognizes patterns, tests hypotheses, and generates frameworks that enable action and decision-making; has built systems and processes supporting a range of financial and business performance functions.

Content Knowledge: Financial Operations and Business Performance

Leads a robust finance and business performance infrastructure, supporting collaboration between departments and increased capacity across the organization.

• Brings a track record of developing effective systems, structures, and team designs that support a complex, multi-faceted, and entrepreneurial nonprofit.
• Offers a strong command of nonprofit accounting, compliance, and reporting standards, and optimizes financial technology to improve efficiency and oversight.

People and Organizational Influence

Establishes relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, elevating the impact of key functions and NRPA's work.

• Has a track record of managing, coaching, and developing high-performing teams to achieve ambitious results; uses a strengths-based approach and commits to developing those around them.
• Serves as a trusted financial advisor to executives and the Board, and represents NRPA credibly with funders, auditors, investment partners, and external stakeholders.

Adaptability, Resilience, and Fiduciary Integrity

Navigates a shifting nonprofit landscape while holding the highest standard of stewardship.

• Navigates organizational growth and change with creativity and flexibility; thrives in an adaptive, relational, values-driven, and collaborative environment.
• Anticipates funding shifts, policy changes, and economic fluctuations, adapting financial strategy and leading teams through change.
• Establishes a culture of ethics, transparency, and accountability, setting the highest standard for financial stewardship of donor, grant, and program funds.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or related advanced study strongly preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Fifteen or more years of progressive financial leadership experience
• Demonstrated success leading nonprofit financial operations of comparable scale and complexity, including multiple and restricted funding sources
• Experience building or restructuring a finance function, including hands-on experience with both outsourced and insourced service models and the transitions between them is a plus
• Proven experience partnering with revenue or business line leaders to improve performance, supported by strong financial modeling, forecasting, and analytics capability
• Experience overseeing investment relationships, investment policy, reserves, and liquidity strategy, ideally in partnership with an outsourced investment manager and a Board committee
• Experience with enterprise risk management practices
• Track record of evaluating and supporting new ventures, earned revenue initiatives, or business model changes with disciplined business case development
• Strong track record of strengthening internal controls and audit outcomes; solid command of nonprofit GAAP, IRS Form 990, UBIT and federal grant compliance
• Experience preparing, managing, and administering complex budgets
• Executive-level communication skills and substantial experience staffing and engaging Board committees, particularly Finance and Audit
• Track record of leading and mentoring teams, with a deep commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse and high-performing team
• Exceptional strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to influence an organization at all levels and build financial understanding among non-financial colleagues
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment, build consensus, and solve problems collaboratively
• Deep personal commitment to NRPA's mission, values and the organization's core pillars of health and well-being, equity, and environmental resilience
• Proficiency with modern financial systems, reporting and analytics tools, Microsoft Office suite, and database management systems
• Adept management skills oriented toward developing talent, creating a culture of inclusion, and fostering a work environment that encourages excellence and adaptation to change

WORK LOCATION, COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Work Location and Travel Expectations: This exempt role is remote and can be based anywhere in the United States. This position will require moderate travel, including the NRPA Annual Conference, annual Board retreat, executive team and staff in-person meetings, totaling approximately 15–20 days per year.

Salary and Benefits: At NRPA, all staff members currently receive a compensation package that includes:

• A salary aligned with NRPA’s position level and salary bands and against similar nonprofit organizations. The salary range for this position is $195,000 - $230,000 depending on experience.
• To promote healthy lifestyles within and outside the workplace, NRPA has established programs that include a 37.5-hour workweek, flexible work schedules, a remote-first workplace, an employee assistance program (EAP), educational assistance including tuition reimbursement and certification exam fee reimbursement programs, and munch-and-learn sessions.
• NRPA offers competitive and generous health and wellness benefits, a generous PTO program that includes 26 days of accrued paid time off from time of hire and 13 paid holidays per year, 6 weeks paid parental leave, and a 6% employer match in the retirement savings plan with immediate vesting.
• Although most staff work remotely, the NRPA headquarters office is situated on park land in Ashburn, Virginia. The campus boasts a warm professional environment, with a relaxing and peaceful view of nature at its finest. The space offers indoor and outdoor eating areas and fitness opportunities, including an air-conditioned fitness room with access to showers and extensive foot trails for the outdoor enthusiast.