Finance Director

Who We Are

Columbia Legal Services is a nonprofit civil legal aid organization that advances social, economic, and racial equity for people living in poverty. We support communities and movements by bringing deep legal expertise that is grounded in – and strongly guided by – an understanding of race equity.

We seek systemic solutions by bringing class action lawsuits, using cutting edge legal theories, engaging in policy advocacy, and supporting communities in building their own power. We have a special responsibility to serve people whose access to free legal services is restricted, due to institutionalized or immigration status.

At CLS we seek a team that reflects our organizational values of community, race equity, and justice. This includes hiring staff with connections to the communities we serve whenever possible, and a commitment to strive for justice and equity in our hiring practices and in our staff culture.

Position Summary

The Finance Director leads and stewards all financial planning and financial operations for the organization and reports to the Executive Director. As a key member of the Management Team, this role partners with department leaders to align financial strategy, budgeting, and decision-making with CLS’s mission and program priorities while overseeing an organizational budget of approximately $6 million. Also serving as a hands-on practitioner, the Finance Director supervises a small accounting team (1.5 FTE), strengthens and implements financial systems and internal controls, and ensures transparent, accurate financial reporting.

This position is based in Seattle, WA. All CLS staff have the ability to complete some work remotely; however, this position will require some physical presence at the office, as well as an ability to attend required meetings at the office and in the community.

CLS requires that all employees adhere to our COVID-19 vaccine mandate through proof of vaccination or by requesting a medical or religious accommodation. Staff are also required to follow CLS COVID-19 protocols while engaging in in-person work in our offices and in the community.

Responsibilities

The Finance Director’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Financial Strategy & Oversight

• Partnering with the Executive Director, Development Director, and other departmental leads to align financial resources with program priorities and strategic goals.
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting, and insights to support mission-driven decision-making.
• Overseeing all aspects of the accounting team including general ledger accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and internal/external financial reporting.
• Ensuring accurate and timely preparation and distribution of periodic internal financial reporting to department heads, Executive Director and Board of Directors.
• Maintaining appropriate internal controls and systems and ensuring compliance with all financial reporting and regulatory requirements, including tax filings, audits, grants, and other reporting requirements and following Board policies and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
• Managing cash flow, including forecasting cash flow for the year to ensure cash balances with forecasted funding are sufficient for the organization to meet its operating cash requirements.
• Creating and implementing annual budgeting process and updating financial forecasts. Includes analyzing and reporting on variances.
• Coordinating all audit activity and communication with independent auditors and ensuring timely submission of required financial statements and annual Form 990.
• Partnering with the Development team to ensure accurate donation processing, financial projections and compliance/reporting for donations, grants, and contracts.
• Managing employee benefit programs in collaboration with the HR Manager and People and Culture Director. Serve as the 403(b) plan administrator.
• Overseeing selection and management of all accounting-specific services, including general ledger software, payroll, and credit card management.

Leadership, Supervision, & Collaboration

• Developing accounting department goals and performance objectives for the team and providing overall management, direction and execution of the accounting team.
• Providing supervision and mentorship to the accounting team, focusing on operational accuracy and improvement and developing and documenting processes to strengthen internal controls.
• Providing quarterly status reports to the Audit and Budget Committee and the Board of Directors.
• Serving as a key business partner to other departments and acting as a strategic financial thought partner to the Executive Director and the Board of Directors.
• Managing relationships with external partners, including banks, auditors, funders, and other financial service providers.
• Contributing to CLS’s equity and antiracism commitments through transparent, participatory, and accountable financial practices.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee, and others may be assigned.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have all or most of the experience below or have a combination of comparable experience where they have demonstrated similar skills or responsibilities.

• BA/BS degree in accounting, finance, or business. Must be a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with demonstrated experience applying U.S. GAAP in a not-for-profit setting.
• 7+ years of accounting or finance experience, including 2+ years of progressive management and supervisory experience.
• Strong financial analysis, forecasting, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into strategic insights.
• Experience managing competing priorities and leading projects with a high degree of independence and accountability.
• Proficiency with accounting and financial reporting systems and experience supporting system improvements or implementations.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting financial information to staff, Board members, and external partners (e.g., funders, auditors, financial institutions).
• Ability to drive efficiencies and process improvement, with critical attention to detail.
• Commitment to racial, social, and economic justice and demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships.
• Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse accounting team with the foresight and ability to delegate.
• Proficient in financial software and computer skills, including deep knowledge and experience in selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors, and advanced knowledge of accounting software.
• A successful track record in setting priorities; excellent analytic, financial planning, and problem-solving skills to allow for strategic data interpretation and sound decision-making to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of the organization.

Preferred

• Experience with multiple funding sources- or cost center-based accounting systems, such as MIP or comparable financial management platforms.
• Experience in a law firm, legal services, advocacy, regulatory, or similarly complex setting.
• Experience working within organizations that include unionized staff and collective bargaining environments, with an understanding of related financial and operational considerations.

CLS brings its core values of community, race equity, and justice into all aspects of its work, and we seek an individual for this role who aligns with these values.

Compensation and Benefits

This full-time (32 hours), salaried non-exempt position is a confidential role and is not eligible for representation by Washington Legal Workers, our in-house labor union. This hybrid position requires at least 1 day per week in person at our Seattle office. Columbia Legal Services is committed to providing an equitable work environment, including a commitment to pay equity. As part of this commitment, all employees’ pay is based on years of experience in their role or in previous roles doing substantially similar work and set on a standard pay scale for their position, rather than on negotiations, which have been shown to contribute to pay disparities. The 2026 salary range for the Finance Director will fall between $128,500-$153,560 for 7-40+ years of experience.

CLS also offers a competitive and comprehensive compensation package with generous paid time off for 15 paid holidays, between 15 - 21 paid vacation days, 12 sick days, and between 3 and 5 personal days each year, as well as paid parental and family medical leave benefits and a partially paid sabbatical every 7 years. We pay 100% of employee premiums for excellent health, vision, and dental benefits plus 50% of the maximum out-of-pocket deductible and offer heavily subsidized family premiums. We also offer a 403(b) retirement benefit with employer contribution and a match, disability and life insurance, a subsidized transit pass, and an employee wellness program.

To Apply

To apply, please submit an application with a cover letter and resume in PDF format through our application portal in BambooHR. We will accept and review applications on a rolling basis, with priority given to applications received before April 8, 2026. We will remove the position from our website once it is filled. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application process, please email the Human Resources Team at careers(at)columbialegal(dot)org.

Columbia Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

CLS also offers a competitive and comprehensive compensation package with generous paid time off for 15 paid holidays, between 15 - 21 paid vacation days, 12 sick days, and between 3 and 5 personal days each year, as well as paid parental and family medical leave benefits and a partially paid sabbatical every 7 years. We pay 100% of employee premiums for excellent health, vision, and dental benefits plus 50% of the maximum out-of-pocket deductible and offer heavily subsidized family premiums. We also offer a 403(b) retirement benefit with employer contribution and a match, disability and life insurance, a subsidized transit pass, and an employee wellness program.