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Leadership Opportunity: Chief Financial Officer
Looking for a leadership role that delivers positive impact for Indigenous communities and coastal ecosystems? Coast Funds is hiring a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the management, investment, and disbursement of over $400 million in funding for First Nations’ conservation and economic development projects.
As a collaborative business partner and influential member of Coast Funds’ leadership team, the Chief Financial Officer will be hands-on and involved in all aspects of the financial operations of Coast Funds, including accounting, values-driven investing, budget forecasting, and financial reporting.
This is a permanent, full-time position that reports to and works closely with Coast Funds’ CEO.
The Opportunity
As a corporate officer, the Chief Financial Officer has overall responsibility for Coast Funds’:
- Accounting and financial reporting
- Planning, budgeting, and forecasting
- Treasury and investment reporting
- Policy development
- Disbursement of funding to First Nations
- Compliance reporting
- Performance monitoring and forecasting
- Risk management
- Team leadership and oversight of HR; and
- Management of information technology and the organization’s assets.
Reporting directly to and working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer will make regular presentations and provide support to the board’s Investment, Finance, and Audit Committee. As a key member of a small, highly collaborative team, the successful candidate will foster a high-trust environment within the organization and with the 28 First Nations Coast Funds serves.
About You
This role is ideal for an experienced financial leader with insight on investment management and non-profit accounting to contribute to the advancement and protection of the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea.
Specifically, we’re looking for someone with:
- A university degree, preferably in business, accounting, finance, or similar combined with a professional accounting designation (CPA).
- Financial management experience in a similar complex multi-stakeholder environment with experience at the senior leadership level.
- Solid knowledge of Canadian accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations, statutory reporting, compliance, and regulatory requirements for not-for-profit organizations and registered charities.
- Experience in a charitable foundation, trust, or private funds and knowledge of the investment management industry preferred. Experience acting as a company officer would be an asset.
- Broad functional expertise in providing oversight of and implementing accounting; financial reporting; financial planning and analysis; budgeting and forecasting; treasury; investment; finance and risk management functions.
- Advanced knowledge and proficiency with Microsoft Office products and familiarity with Salesforce or similar CRM would be an asset.
- Advanced knowledge of risk management and governance best practices.
- Experience working with First Nations communities or Indigenous organizations.
About Coast Funds
Coast Funds is an Indigenous-led conservation finance organization created to deliver funding and services in support of First Nations’ goals for stewardship and economic development in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii – part of one of the world’s last remaining coastal rainforests. As a globally-recognized organization, Coast Funds serves as a successful model of conservation finance, demonstrating that First Nations’ leadership and self-determination are key to the permanent protection of ecologically- and culturally-significant places.
Today, Coast Funds continues to strengthen the well-being of First Nations and the ecological integrity of the Great Bear Coast. To date, they have approved over $118 million towards more than 470 economic development and conservation projects in the region.
First Nations are expanding their impactful work to include the Great Bear Sea which encompasses over 10 million hectares of marine and coastal ecosystems on the coast of modern-day British Columbia. This year, First Nations secured an additional $335 million through the Great Bear Sea PFP, which will be managed with Coast Funds, to support long-term marine stewardship and community-led economic development in coastal communities.
Over the next 20 years, Coast Funds expects the Great Bear Sea PFP will support more than 3,000 new jobs and 200 new businesses in marine stewardship, transportation and renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, eco-cultural tourism, and manufacturing and processing.
Compensation and Benefits
Coast Funds offers a competitive salary, as well as a comprehensive competitive benefits package that includes a flexible health and dental plan, RRSP contributions, and support for ongoing professional development.
Coast Funds is a hybrid organization, with team members in the Vancouver area working out of our downtown office three or more days a week, and team members in other regions working remotely.
How to Apply
To fill this important role, we’ve partnered with KasaHR Consulting. To apply, submit your cover letter and resume through the KasaHR careers page.
Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.
If you have questions about the role, please contact Kataneh Sherkat (kataneh@kasahr.com).
We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Given the nature of our work, we will be giving priority to Indigenous candidates and to candidates who have worked with Indigenous organizations and bring a solid understanding of Indigenous practices, traditions, and worldviews.
