The Chicago High School for the Arts is accepting applications for Director of Finance for the current school year 2023-2024 and the upcoming 2024 -2025 academic school year.
About The Chicago High School for the Arts
The Chicago High School for the Arts (“ChiArts”) is a public performing arts high school in Chicago. ChiArts is a community of diverse scholar-artists who thrive as creators, thinkers, and community members. The school develops the next generation of diverse, artistically promising scholar-artists through intensive pre- professional training in the arts, combined with a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum. Since opening in 2009, ChiArts has been an important part of the arts and educational landscape of Chicago. The school is unique in that it is the only pre-professional arts high school in the country that actively recruits novice level students, and over four years gives them more than 2,500 hours of tuition free training before graduation. There have been 11 graduating classes, and alumni who have gone on to prestigious careers in and outside of the arts, deeply enriching their lives and society at large. As the school enters its 15th year, it is an exciting and critical moment in the school’s growth and existence as it continues to evolve and inform the ever changing world of the arts.
Position Summary:
The Director of Finance oversees the financial, compliance, human resources, and administrative operations of ChiArts. Reporting to the Executive Director and a member of the ChiArts’ Leadership Team, this role serves as a strategic advisor to support the school’s mission and objectives. This position requires attention to detail, strong financial acumen, and the ability to collaborate effectively with staff and stakeholders.
Qualifications
Essential Functions:
- Develop financial strategy in coordination with the Executive Director and other key
- stakeholders to promote short and long-term financial success.
- Attend and participate in finance committee, board meetings, and internal management
- meetings.
- Create and monitor the annual budget.
- Manage policies and procedures.
- Provide strategic and/or financial support for strategic decisions; collaborate with school
- administrators, teachers and staff to address financial and operational needs.
- Prepare reports and information for Leadership, Board of Directors, government agencies,
- auditors, and other governing bodies.
- Provide monthly financial projections and dashboards.
- Manage the external financial and compliance audits, as well as audits by other governing
- bodies.
- Maintain the general ledger including access and entries and month and year end close
- procedures.
- Oversee day-to-day finance and accounting operations including but not limited to cash
- management, donations, accounts payable, accounts receivables, fixed assets, credit card
- expense reporting, and payroll processing.
- Manage banking relationships and activities including bank and credit card account
- reconciliations, investments, and line of credit.
- Oversee and provide advice related to commercial insurance including the annual renewal
- Handle and/or support vendor negotiations and contracts
- In collaboration with administration, complete Title and Grant funding applications and subsequent reporting.
- Develop and maintain an effective internal control environment.
- File and process the annual required tax filings.
- Complete CPS financial data and tasks in Epicenter.
- Stay updated on changes in relevant laws and regulations.
- Ensuring compliance with donor restrictions.
- Support contract negotiation and compliance with CTU and CPS
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency of operations and strong resource allocation.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related discipline. MBA or CPA preferred.
- Minimum of five - seven years of experience in Financial Management in K-12 schools,
- government or non-profit; or any equivalent combination of education and experience
- that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities
- Three years demonstrated experience leading high performing teams and strategy
- Collective bargaining agreement and union experience highly preferred
- Excellent critical thinking with high verbal and written skills
- Strong understanding of Chicago Public Schools financial processes and governance
- Experience working with boards and committees required
- Fluent in Microsoft Office, Google Suite, payroll and HRIS systems
- Committed to ChiArts vision and values
Application Process
Qualified applicants should apply directly online at www.chiarts.org and include all of the following:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Contact Information including title, professional relationship, email, and telephone number for 3-5 Professional References. Please do not attach letters of recommendation.
Applicants who do not follow the submission directions will not be considered. Phone inquiries will not be accepted. Please be aware that every item listed on a resume is subject to verification and that any offer of employment is contingent on a successful reference and background check.
Please visit www.chiarts.org for more information.
The Chicago High School for the Arts (“ChiArts”) began its life as part of a quest for greater diversity among Chicago’s arts and cultural institutions. ChiArts continues that quest by building holistic diversity at all levels, including students, faculty, staff, and board of directors. As part of that continuing quest, ChiArts embraces and carries into effect the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $100,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Experience level:
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Monday to Friday
Experience:
- Accounting: 6 years (Preferred)
License/Certification:
Ability to Commute:
- Chicago, IL 60622 (Preferred)
Ability to Relocate:
- Chicago, IL 60622: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person