Director of Finance

About the Role

The Director of Finance is a senior leadership role providing strategic insight to the Operations Leadership Team (OLT), reporting to the Chief of Operations (COO). The Director of Finance will have overall responsibility for high level guidance and effective management of Sunrise Inc’s financial operations and will lead a high performing finance team to drive our financial strategy, ensure our internal financial management is robust and enhances inter-team collaboration, and lead on impactful internal workflows and innovative financial processes.

The Director of Finance will contribute to fostering an environment of financial sustainability and resilience within the network working closely with the OLT and the Network Ops team.

About You

You’re a senior/high level finance expert with extensive experience in managing finances, operations and compliance in the United States, with added value experience in the United Kingdom and/or one more EU state. You bring strong skills in business partnering, forecasting, and financial analysis that will strengthen Sunrise’s financial sustainability and resilience.

You’re just as comfortable navigating a cloud-based ERP as you are negotiating contracts or helping to manage organizational change in ways that avoid bureaucracy and encourage impact and innovation.

You're a collaborative team player, who knows how to build a creative, high performing team culture and support colleagues across geographies to do their best work. Highly organized and a clear, structured thinker, you are motivated by the opportunity to contribute to a dynamic, growing organization working to scale social movements and accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

You have a deep commitment to climate justice and have experience developing and implementing strategies to reduce environmental impact, and promote equity and justice through operational systems.

Key Responsibilities

Sunrise Inc Financial Operations

• Overall financial management of Sunrise Inc. including financial analysis and reporting, forecasting, budgeting, cash flow, audit and management of external service providers.
• Work with the COO and the Board’s Finance, Risk, Audit, and Compliance (FRAC) committee to oversee cash flow and investment decisions, ensuring alignment with the Foreign Exchange, Investment and Reserves policy while optimising returns to maximise the effectiveness of available funds.
• Submission of financial reports and guidance on financial trends to the Sunrise Inc Board including the FRAC committee.
• Partnering with Program Directors and the Philanthropic Partnerships Director to ensure accurate forecast inputs, clear review of the actual spend and ongoing uplift of the financial literacy across the organisation.
• Establishing a regular financial review cadence with the COO, the Executive Leadership Team, and budget holders across the organisation. Ensuring reports are accurate, timely and accessible for people reliant on that information to manage their program/function.
• Responsible for alerting the COO of financial risks and compliance issues including those impacting our grants program.
• Works with other Sunrise Project Network team to ensure our operations and organisational systems are fit for purpose, integrated wherever possible across the global Sunrise network, and remain nimble as we scale.
• Manages, guides and nurtures a vibrant and inclusive team culture and supports team members to unleash their potential.
• Aligns financial operational strategies and OKR’s with our organisational values and mission.

Sustainability and Resilience Strategy

• Scan and interpret national/international, political, financial and other developments or trends as they impact on the finances of Sunrise, ensuring a proactive approach and advising/informing the COO and the Executive Leadership Team.
• Develop, implement, and monitor Sunrise’s financial strategy to minimise our environmental footprint and ensure our operations are aligned with our organization's mission and values.
• Ensure that our commitment to environmental sustainability, justice and equity are built into our operational practices across the global Sunrise network

Required skills, knowledge and experience

• Previous substantial experience working in a senior finance management position with excellent financial management skills within a complex multi-disciplinary organisation (with preference to experience in the philanthropy sector and/or grant-making).
• CPA certification or equivalent membership of a professional accounting body
• Deep understanding of compliance obligations in the US (501c3 charities), and as an added value in one or more EU states and/or the UK..
• Ability to deliver on a sound financial strategy and build trust, strong relationships and consistent practices that embed environmental sustainability and a commitment to justice and equity.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to make decisions based on analysis of issues
• Flexibility, with the ability to manage complex projects and juggle a wide range of competing priorities.
• Demonstrated experience in building and leading culturally diverse and inclusive teams, nurturing vibrant team culture (order to co-create forecasts, A high degree of emotional intelligence and excellent interpersonal skills.
• A passion for supporting action on climate change and a deep commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

Job requirements

• You must have full working rights for the United States, in the United Kingdom, or in an EU state. Unfortunately, Sunrise Inc is unable to sponsor applicants for employment visas.
• We conduct reference checks for final stage candidates, and give you notice before doing so. Because of the serious fiscal responsibility inherent in this role, we will also require a police/records check for conviction for embezzlement or fraud.
• Intermittent travel domestically, rurally and internationally with advance notice may be required.
• Sunrise is proud to support our staff to work in locations and in hours that suit their lives. However, our team is global, so leaders will be expected to adjust their work hours to accommodate multiple time zones.

Sunrise Inc. is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that:

• 401(k) & employer match (applicable for US only employees) (or in in-country based employer contribution, location specific in the EU and UK)
• 100% employer paid health, vision and dental coverage (for US employees)
• Five weeks of vacation leave
• Birthday leave (if it’s your birthday, you get a day off)
• Cultural & solidarity leave
• Two-weeks gifted leave (over Christmas and New Year)
• 5 months paid parental leave after 12 months of service
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible work policy, including hybrid remote home/office
• Laptop (Mac) and accessories
• Commitment to supporting your professional development (up to $2000 per annum)
• Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings
• Performance reviews and feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow
• A co-developed initial 3 month work plan to ensure you have clarity on your role and responsibilities

English proficiency necessary