Chief Finance Officer
Position Summary
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) fulfills an essential position in the museum, leading and managing the finance and operations functions for our organization while ensuring proper financial accounting, internal controls, safe and compliant facility operations, and successful customer service with visitor services and the gift shop. This high-impact role will be responsible for all finance and front-of-house aspects of the organization, including finance, HR, Guest Services, Gift Shop, IT, and operations.
The CFO is a member of the Senior Leadership and provides staff support to the full Board of Trustees and the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committees. The ideal candidate is a strategic leader who can plan and direct these functions. They will act as a trusted thought partner to the Executive Director and other organizational leaders. They will simultaneously execute some of these functions efficiently on a day-to-day basis.
The person must be committed to the museum’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access mission; dedicated to integrating accountability across all efforts to support and sustain an anti-racist, racially equitable organization; demonstrate a passion for advancing organizational DEIA objectives and supporting others to approach all activities with an equity lens.
The CFO will create the annual budget and is responsible for monitoring and monthly reporting on operating capital project results throughout the year to ensure the financial health of the Museum. They will analyze long-range financial trends to project impact on future growth related to sales, compensation, and grants. The CFO also reviews and approves all contracts including all third-party vendor relationships and requests for proposals to ensure favorable terms, reduce risk, and ensure compliance with internal and external policies. It is imperative that the CFO be able to focus on fiscal restraint while also supporting a level of risk tolerance in pursuit of the goals that the Museum has set.
Essential Responsibilities
The Chief Finance Officer is responsible for planning and managing the business, human resources, administrative, legal, information technology, risk management and financial affairs of the Museum. They function as the primary advisor to the Director and the Board of Trustees on fiscal and operations matters.
Direct reports: Finance and HR Manager, Guest Services Manager
The CFO will focus on the following essential responsibilities (and other duties as required):
Finance:
Lead annual budgeting process; guide the development of departmental budgets, including preparation of budget analyses, assisting the Treasurer in presenting to the Board of Trustees, and monitoring performance against budgets
Oversee monthly financial close and reporting process
Manage restricted fund balances and releases
Manage payroll process including expense reimbursements, and time off tracking
Oversee A/P including vendor, contractor, and honoraria payments
Oversee corporate credit card program
Prepare financial reports for and attend board meetings
Oversee annual audit process
Facilities/Physical Plant
Participate in the development of Capital Projects budgets and the annual Building Reserve budget
Guest Services & Gift Shop
Oversee front-of-house management to ensure excellent customer service and safety of staff and patrons.
Oversee Gift Shop budget and approve sales strategies and operations logistics
Work together with the Director of Guest Services and the Gift Shop Manager to review shop profitability and retail policies
HR
Oversee employee onboarding and offboarding
Oversee performance management program, including annual review process, professional development program, and employee recognition and rewards
Oversee employee benefits program, and manage annual renewals, and employment policy/handbook update processes
Ensure Berkshire Museum is compliant with all state and federal employment laws and follows industry best practices, working with external employment counsel as necessary
Supervise all personnel matters, including the development of personnel policies and updating of the Employee Manual, hiring and firing personnel, with the support of the Director of Finance and HR and outside HR support vendor
Operations & Administration
Draft, execute, and manage vendor and contractor agreements, working with external IP counsel as necessary
Review and approve facility rental agreements and external partner program event agreements
Support Executive Assistant and Capital Projects Program Manager with operations and financial guidance and input
IT
Oversee asset management (standards, purchasing, provision & reclamation)
Administer internal technology platforms (Microsoft, Zoom, etc.)
Support outsourced IT support to the internal team
Maintain software security protocols with outside IT support
Education and/or Experience
The ideal candidate will possess a combination of the following education and/or equivalent experience:
Minimum 10+ years of experience leading finance, HR, and operations required
Non-profit experience required
Bachelor’s degree in finance, business administration or related field required, MBA or CPA preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The qualifications listed here are necessary to perform this job successfully. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.
Ability to operate effectively at the strategic level, and simultaneously execute administrative functions efficiently; to see both the forest and the trees
Instills a high degree of trust from your colleagues through strong listening skills and consistent follow through
Ability to work independently and prioritize and manage your work and the work of others
Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Communicates concisely
Strong attention to detail
Accountable to deadlines and quality work product
Solid understanding of accounting processes, and familiarity with QuickBooks
Strong computer skills Microsoft, Zoom, etc. Ability to act as administrator for internal technology platforms
Background in or passion for museums or cultural institutions is helpful but not required
Understanding of and appreciation for DEIAB principles and experience fostering a welcoming team environment
Compensation
This is a full-time position with a salary range of $90-$100k.
In addition, Berkshire Museum provides exceptional benefits including paid vacation based on years of employment, a 403(b) program with company match, parental leave benefit, a professional development program, and flex time.
The Berkshire Museum is committed to cultivating an inclusive, equitable, accessible, and welcoming environment for all employees, volunteers, and guests. We encourage any individual interested in working with the museum to apply.
How to Apply
To apply, please send a letter of intent, resume (max 2 pages) and below-referenced work samples to sde@berkshiremuseum.org
All candidates will need to upload a cover letter, their most recent resume, as well as work samples as described below:
Cover letter that communicates your background and fit for this role
Resume detailing your professional and educational background
Portfolio of 2-3 work samples that demonstrate your ability to design, implement, communicate, or lead effective back office programs
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The application process may be closed at any point after that date.
About the Berkshire Museum
The Berkshire Museum is a museum of natural science, history, and art. Our mission is to bring people together for experiences that spark creativity and innovative thinking by making inspiring educational connections among the more than 40,000 works in the museum’s collection. The Berkshire Museum welcomes nearly 50,000 visitors each year, offering a vibrant roster of exhibitions, attractions, and activities for all ages. The museum provides more than 29,000 student experiences annually, at the museum and out in the community, and close to 700 public programs of all kinds, from films and talks to performances, camps, hands-on workshops, and demonstrations.
Businessman Zenas Crane founded the Berkshire Museum in 1903 to be a “window on the world” for the people of Western Massachusetts. An encyclopedic collection of more than 40,000 historic objects, natural specimens, art, and antiquities forms the core of its interdisciplinary exhibitions. Now the museum is embarking on plans to repair and re-imagine the museum, respectful of its more than century-old building. The museum is committed to ensuring facilities are updated to contemporary museum standards and to creating a platform for exciting new experiences based on community input, true to the museum’s mission and financially sustainable.
Among the museum’s highlights are Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing desk; the polar suit and sled used by Matthew Henson, who is recognized as the first African American Arctic explorer and was a member of Admiral Peary’s North Pole expeditions; and from ancient Egypt, the mummy of Pahat, a priest from the Ptolemic period [332 – 30 B.C.E.], which has fascinated generations of visitors. In the 1930s, the Berkshire Museum was the first to commission two site-specific mobiles from Alexander Calder, which can be seen in the museum’s theater.
The aquarium features more than thirty tanks and terrariums housing both native and exotic fish, reptiles, and amphibians, ranging from frogs and turtle species that inhabit Berkshire ponds to twenty-five species of coral. Notable in the natural science collections are fossils, a 143-pound meteorite, and representations of Berkshire ecosystems including local mammals, birds, and fish. Thousands of shells from around the globe and a fine assortment of rocks and minerals are part of the collection, as are numerous insect and butterfly specimens.
Three areas of the museum are dedicated to interactive engagement. The Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation features artifacts, exhibits, and activity stations that explore the ongoing technological innovations of Berkshire residents’ past and present. Lab 102 is a hands-on space dedicated to creativity and discovery for children, with a variety of building materials from blocks to snap circuits, and special activities designed for early learners. Berkshire Museum has been a vibrant center for culture and learning for more than one hundred years and continues to play a key role for our community in Pittsfield and the Berkshires.