Finance & Operations Director

About IEC

Since 1975, the Illinois Environmental Council has worked to safeguard Illinois—its people, its plants and animals, and the natural systems on which all life depends by building power for people and the environment. Representing over 150 environmental organizations in the state, IEC carries out its mission to advance public policies that create healthy environments across Illinois through education, advocacy, and movement building.

IEC advances sound environmental laws and policies at all levels of government by bringing together the Illinois environmental community to influence decision-makers and ensure clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. From lobbying at the State Capitol to building consensus around an annual environmental agenda, IEC takes pride in leading our environmental movement in Illinois. We coordinate our affiliate member organizations to share resources, mobilize supporters, and respond quickly to the most pressing issues facing the environment in Illinois.

IEC also supports environmental activists across the state, building programs to cultivate the next generation of environmental leadership, such as our Young Professionals Board, Community Council, annual environmental scorecards and other educational programs like our Civics for Environmentalists and Lunch & Learn series.

About the Position

The Finance and Operations Director will play a pivotal role in the overall operations, financial oversight, and people sustainability of IEC. The Finance and Operations Director will be responsible for maintaining and improving day-to-day organizational functions, including but not limited to Finance, HR, and Operations for the Chicago & Springfield locations. This role will supervise a team of two that will focus on the operations and HR functions of the organization. This position will also interact with IEC’s Board of Directors, senior management, other staff, and external constituents.

IEC’s deep relationships with leaders, non-profit organizations, and government officials position it well to convene philanthropic forces and engage civic partners in the community to address, mitigate, and solve regional environmental problems. The opportunity for IEC is to bring all of these players together to promote an even more thriving – and equitable – region, working collaboratively with other parts of the state to identify long-overdue environmental solutions.

The Finance and Operations Director will maintain and provide financial data and information about all organizational activities that will assist management, the Board of Directors, and program leads in making sound financial decisions about the organization’s operations and future growth. The Finance and Operations Director will provide oversight on the internal operations side of the organization.

Responsibilities

Finance and Administration

• Oversee and execute finance operations, including Accounts Payable, Receivables, and Payroll functions.
• Manage costs and profitability, making sure expenditures are consistent with the organization’s budgets and Funder’s goals and mission across our 501(c) 3 and 501(c) 4 budgets.
• Comply with all funder reporting requirements.
• Oversee preparation of annual financial statements in compliance with generally accepted financial principles and coordination of annual independent financial statement audit.
• Lead annual budgeting process, including the board approval process and collaboration across the development and programs teams.
• Remain current and knowledgeable about legal, accounting, audit, and tax policy matters related to foundations and philanthropy.
• Manage and evaluate fiscally-sponsored partnerships in accordance with IEC’s policies and the ability of IEC to administer partnerships appropriately.
• Provide financial analysis and information sharing throughout the organization to aid in decision-making and strategic direction, including supporting long-range Strategic Planning goals with financial and economic insights.
• Oversee IEC’s fiscal sponsorship program.

Operations

• Oversee the development, maintenance, and implementation of operational policies and procedures.
  Oversee day-to-day operations, including finance, people management, and office maintenance.

Leadership:

• Manage/Supervise/Mentor all members of the finance, HR, and operations team in their management of all aspects of accounting, financial, operations, HR administration, investment management, grants and contracts, and information technology.
• Serve as a collaborative member of the Executive Director’s internal Leadership Team responsible for organizational policy development and planning.
• Collaborate with staff members to implement IEC’s equity, diversity, and inclusion plan.
• Act as staff point person for the Board of Directors Finance Committee and drive sustainable growth.

Qualifications

• Management experience in a Finance and Operations function; non-profit and/or foundation experience required.
• Strong financial acumen and judgment combined with a passion for environmental justice.
• Previous experience with finances and budgeting, operations, and people management.
• Previous experience tracking foundation grant spending, creating grant budgets for proposals, and completing reporting requirements for grants.
• Strong operational and implementation experience.
  Demonstrated knowledge of finance, accounting, and HR software systems and the ability to adopt new systems easily in accordance with evolving needs and requirements.
• Expertise in Quickbooks or related accounting software.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills and savvy in relationship and culture-building.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to track to completion of numerous projects and tasks.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IEC/IECEF is an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, gender expression or identity, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, marital status, protective order status, veteran status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, genetic information, ancestry, pregnancy, certain arrest or criminal history records, homelessness and use of lawful products outside of work during non-working hours or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

Equity, Allyship, and Powerbuilding Values

IEC/IECEF is working always to ensure that everyone on our team feels engaged and supported in all areas of the organization’s operations as we work to become a fully inclusive, multicultural, and anti-racist organization.

We are only as powerful as the people in our movement and those we serve. Building power for people and our environment in Illinois requires us to actively combat social and political power dynamics that disenfranchise marginalized communities across a broad range of issues beyond those that fall squarely within traditional environmental policy. When marginalized communities are empowered, environmental protections become more possible. Thus we are called to stand in solidarity as allies with those fighting for justice and to strengthen our democratic institutions where power drives policy change.

About Our Pay and Benefits

This full-time position can be based out of the Chicago or Springfield office with a hybrid work arrangement which will include a minimum of 2 days in office. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, a 401(k) plan, and generous paid time off.

Salary range is $90,000-110,000, commensurate with experience. Cover letter MUST include salary requirements.

How to Apply

Introduce yourself to us as a colleague. Show us your future here, and let us know what you’d bring to our organization!

The application deadline is April 30, 2024, but resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified applicants in accordance with the application date.

To apply, please email a resume, cover letter, and salary expectations. Please send all application materials, along with questions, via email to:

Lauren Sprowl
HR & Operations Manager
lauren@ilenviro.org