Director of Finance and Administration

https://lifebeyondcompliance.substack.com/p/director-of-finance-and-administration

Disability Rights Montana (DRM) seeks a fulltime Director of Finance and Administration to manage the agency’s financial, human, and material resources, communication technology, and building maintenance. This position ensures that these areas are maintained and in compliance with all applicable government statutes, regulations and contracts, as well as agency policies and procedures. This position is an exempt, management position and reports directly to the Executive Director.

ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS MONTANA

Disability Rights Montana is a private, non-profit, legal-advocacy organization that protects and advances the civil rights of Montanans with disabilities. Disabilities include, but are not limited to, mental health conditions, physical and sensory disabilities, learning and intellectual disabilities, brain injuries, and chronic health conditions like cancer, dementia, and diabetes. We are not a think-tank, we take action. While we do not work directly for any government entity, the federal government has given us unique authority and mandates to: monitor any facilities in which people with disabilities are served, including prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, and homeless shelters; access confidential health, school, and personnel records to investigate abuse and neglect; litigate and engage in other legal advocacy to protect the rights of individuals and groups of people with disabilities; educate people with disabilities about their rights and how to use them; and educate policy makers about how their decisions impact our community. We do this to champion the rights of all Montanans with disabilities, ensuring they live freely, with respect and dignity, in the community of their choice.

JOB OVERVIEW

The Director of Finance and Administration leads Disability Rights Montana by managing our fiscal, human, and material resources.

I. ESSENTIAL DUTIES/FUNCTIONS

a. Annual Budget

b. Agency Financial Management

c. Accounting System

d. Audits, Insurance and Taxes

e. Contracts/Grants Management

f. Payroll

g. Human Resources

h. Computer/Data Maintenance/Phone System

i. Inventory and Building Maintenance

II. COMPETENCIES

a. Customer/Client Focus

b. Communication Proficiency

c. Collaboration and Flexibility Skills

d. Detailed Oriented, Accurate, and Timely in Producing Work Product

e. Ability to Complete Assignments with Interruptions

f. Ability to Comprehend Legal Documents

g. Problem Solving/Analysis

h. Maintain Confidentiality

i. Time Management

j. Technical Capacity with Microsoft Products (e.g. Excel, Access, Word)

III. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND PRACTICE

The Director of Finance and Administration has access to highly sensitive governance, management, personnel, and legal client information. As such, they are expected to maintain professional standards of conduct and practice in the workplace and in the performance of the duties of this position. It is a minimum requirement of this position to adhere to the following standards:

a. Montana Rules of Professional Conduct governing attorneys and law firms

b. Professional standards or ethical codes of conduct of the employee’s own profession.

c. National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) Standards for Advocacy Programs.

d. Policies and Procedures, including the Standards of Conduct, adopted by the Board of Directors and Management of Disability Rights Montana.

IV. LINES OF AUTHORITY

The Director of Finance and Administration reports directly to the Executive Director. This position currently has no supervisory responsibility but may at some point in the future.

V. WORK ENVIRONMENT

a. This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

b. Work a standard workweek, 8:30 am–5:00 pm with a half hour off for unpaid lunch (unless an alternative schedule is approved), but must be willing to work evenings, weekends, or extended hours when necessary – for example, during in-person Board of Director meetings which are held quarterly on Saturdays.

c. The Director of Finance and Administration is responsible for maintaining a reasonably ambitious workload and keeping the Executive Director informed when there is insufficient work to perform and when there is a risk that work will not be completed on a timely basis.

VI. PHYSICAL DEMANDS

a. Continuous use of a computer in an office environment.

VII. TRAVEL

Infrequent local, out-of-area, and overnight travel may be required for this position.

VIII. EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

a. Whether demonstrated through formal education or lived experience, the candidate must have the skills necessary to perform the job. For example, this may be shown through ten years of qualifying experience or a degree in Accounting and six years of qualifying experience, as determined by management.

b. The people the Director of Finance and Administration works with may have disabilities that impact their ability to communicate or process information, and it is important to have experience in communicating and building a rapport with people who have various communication styles and ways of processing information.

IX. BACKGROUND CHECK

a. This position may involve unsupervised contact with vulnerable adults and children and interaction with personally identifiable information.

b. DRM conducts background checks of conviction and arrest records on final candidates prior to extending offers. The hiring process will be conducted in compliance with federal, state, and local law. Applicants will be provided with an opportunity to explain and correct background information. A criminal background does not automatically eliminate candidates from consideration. If a criminal background exists, the nature of the offense will be considered in the context of the essential functions of the position.

c. This position requires completion of a Social Security Administration (SSA) suitability clearance. SSA clearances often take several months to complete; therefore, an offer for this position will be extended, and employment will begin before DRM receives clearance results. Offers are contingent upon eventual clearance from the SSA.

HIRING PROCESS

Please send a cover letter and resume to David Carlson, DRM’s Executive Director, by emailing david@dr-mt.org.

DRM is committed to promoting universal accessibility and fairness in our interview process. At least three business days before an interview, DRM will tell applicants the names and titles of DRM interviewers and will provide the interview questions, which will be the same for all applicants. We know that other efforts to make our process more accessible may be needed based on individual needs, and we will provide reasonable accommodations for any portion of the application or interview process. You can request accommodations by contacting David Carlson, DRM’s Executive Director, by emailing david@dr-mt.org. If you are not sure if you would benefit from an accommodation, you can review the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) website, which provides many ideas about possible accommodations that have worked for others, and you are more than welcome to call David to discuss ideas you have or what we have done in the past. JAN is located here: https://askjan.org/soar.cfm.

Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be accepted until the position is filled. The first review of applications will take place on January 20, 2026, with the hope of contacting selected applicants that week and starting interviews the following week. Applicants will only be contacted if they are selected for an interview. The interview process will include two rounds of interviews. If selected as a finalist, DRM may ask the applicant for contacts to verify previous employment.

SUMMARY

o Position Title: Director of Finance and Administration

o Company Name: Disability Rights Montana

o Location: Helena

o Posted: January 6, 2026

o Education and Experience required: ten years of qualifying experience or a degree in Accounting and six years of qualifying experience, as determined by management.

o Job Category: Management

o Job Type: Full-time, Exempt

o Salary: $95,000 – $110,000

o Benefits: Employer paid health, dental, vision insurance for employee and immediate family; Employer paid 403(b) contribution; life insurance; vacation and sick leave. Additional voluntary employee paid benefits are also available.

Employer paid health, dental, vision insurance for employee and immediate family; Employer paid 403(b) contribution; life insurance; vacation and sick leave. Additional voluntary employee paid benefits are also available.