Senior Director, Finance

Location: Hybrid, Washington, DC

Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Direct Reports: Senior Manager, Finance

Category: Full-time, Exempt

About Think of Us

Think of Us (TOU) is transforming the child welfare system into one where young people and families can heal, develop, and thrive. We drive purpose-driven work aligned with meaningful systems change, powered by data and the insights of lived experience. Our focus is on prevention, keeping families strong before crisis, and on building kinship-first systems so children grow up with people they know and trust. Through bold collaborations with leaders and innovators across the public and private sectors — from Presidential Administrations to local providers — we identify leverage points and co-create solutions that re-architect child welfare for the future.

Here’s what this looks like:

• Built the Lived Experience Engine into the largest dataset of its kind (51,000+ voices), powering AI tools and shaping reforms
• Partnered with California to launch the Kinship Accelerator in 8 counties, backed by $150M and a budget increase from $317M → $896M
• Co-drive (in partnership)Drove a national kin-first shift: 39 states (plus 5 tribes) adopting kinship standards, unlocking $3B for families
• Operate one of the largest direct resource networks, connecting 1,827 families to $28M+ in support

Our team members share a commitment to driving systems change through creative problem-solving, obsessive curiosity, and a love of quickly driving innovative, measurable, and impactful results.

Position Overview

We are seeking a seasoned and mission-aligned Senior Director of Finance to serve as the head of our finance function.

This is a pivotal leadership role for someone who brings both strategic insight and a hands-on, builder mindset. As the most senior finance leader in the organization, you will set the vision for financial strategy and stewardship while staying deeply engaged in the work itself. This is not a “lead from a distance” role—you’re expected to be in the numbers, building models, analyzing data, and helping others make sense of financial information. You’ll work closely with the COO and leadership team to ensure our finance systems are strategically designed to support growth, impact, and mission alignment.

You will directly manage the Senior Manager, Finance and be accountable for budgeting, forecasting, compliance, and systems implementation.. This is a highly collaborative role that touches nearly every part of the organization—and a powerful opportunity to shape how Think of Us plans, spends, and budgets with intention.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Set the vision for a forward-looking, mission-aligned finance function that supports strategic decision-making, financial sustainability, and organizational growth.
• Lead from within the work—not above it—by staying hands-on with budgeting, modeling, and financial analysis; you understand the numbers because you’ve built them, not just reviewed them.
• Lead the development and implementation of integrated budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning models that support both long-term strategy and day-to-day execution.
• Serve as the organization’s senior-most financial leader—partnering with the COO and executive team to align financial strategy with organizational strategy and programmatic goals.
• Use financial modeling (sustainability, cost allocations, funder reporting, risk assessment) and scenario planning to proactively inform organizational decisions, assess risks, and surface opportunities.
• Bring a “builder’s mindset” to create and refine financial systems, policies, and tools from the ground up—ensuring they are accessible, scalable, and aligned with best practices.
• Embed transparency and fairness into all financial practices, ensuring budgeting, resource allocation, and reporting reflect the organization’s values and goals.
• Leverage AI and automation tools to increase capacity, enhance forecasting, and improve the clarity and accessibility of financial data across the organization.
• Translate complex financial information into actionable insights, via reports, presentations, and dashboards, for diverse internal and external audiences, including staff, board members, and funders.
• In collaboration with Senior Director, People & Culture, ensure timekeeping systems and operations support project-based budgeting.
• Ensure TOU has visibility and remains in compliance with grant management and spending.

Compliance, & Infrastructure

• Oversee key organizational financial operations including contracts, procurement, cross-functional compliance, and administrative systems—ensuring they are designed with best practices, efficient, compliant, and aligned with the organization’s mission and values.
• Build and implement cross-functional systems (e.g., time tracking, budgeting tools) that link operational data with financial planning and performance
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and grant-related requirements, while aligning financial policies with organizational culture and priorities.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Manage and mentor a small but high-performing team, creating clear goals, professional development pathways, and a strong culture of trust and accountability.
• Lead change management and ownership across the organization by increasing financial literacy, developing training, tools, and partnership models for budget owners and team leads.
• Foster a collaborative, learning-oriented environment that values transparency, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

About You

We recognize that candidates may not meet every listed qualification. Research shows that individuals from underrepresented groups are more likely to opt out of applying if they don’t meet 100% of the criteria. If you believe you meet many of the criteria and can succeed in this role, we encourage you to apply — we want to learn about your unique strengths and experiences.

• You bring 10+ years of experience in nonprofit finance and budgeting, with a track record of leading and strengthening the Finance function at an organizational level.
• You’re passionate about using finance as a strategic tool and designing models and systems that help teams plan better, spend smarter, and stay aligned with impact goals.
• You’re a builder and systems thinker who enjoys creating clarity from complexity.
• You have experience leading financial compliance, grant budgeting, and audits, and know how to integrate these needs into user-friendly internal systems.
• You thrive in fast-growing, evolving organizations and adapt quickly to new challenges, using change as an opportunity to learn, innovate, and increase impact.
• You approach your work with humility and curiosity, and you’re committed to building practices that are fair, transparent, and aligned with the organization’s mission.
• You’re solutions-oriented and energized by solving problems—whether it’s improving a budgeting template or implementing a new time tracking tool.
• You have an active learning mindset when it comes to technology, especially in leveraging AI—you explore, apply, and adapt AI tools to streamline financial modeling, scenario planning, and grant budget narratives.
• You balance the use of AI with critical thinking and financial rigor, applying it as one of many tools to strengthen planning, performance, and decision-making.

Compensation & Benefits

At TOU, we believe that taking care of our people is foundational to the impact we aim to make. Our compensation philosophy is rooted in transparency and a holistic understanding of people’s needs. We believe fair, market-competitive pay is essential to attracting and retaining the exceptional talent needed to achieve our ambitious goals. As a not-for-profit organization, we design our compensation packages—including both salary and benefits—with care and in alignment with our financial sustainability.

The annual salary for this role is $150,000–$165,000. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

TOU’S benefits go beyond the basics. They’re designed to support your well-being, growth, and sense of purpose at work and beyond. From comprehensive health coverage to professional development support and meaningful time off, our benefits reflect our commitment to nurturing a workplace where people can thrive, both personally and professionally.

Health & Insurance

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
• Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
• Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
• Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
• Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.

Financial Benefits

• 401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
• Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.

Paid Time Off

• Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
• 8 company holidays, plus three organization-wide seasonal breaks.

Learning & Development

• $1,500 annual stipend per employee.
• Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.

Application Instructions

As part of your application, please submit a resume outlining your skills and experiences relevant to this role.

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. Only complete applications will be considered.

Please note: We do not accept phone inquiries about this position in order to ensure a fair and consistent hiring process for all applicants.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Think of Us is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and value applicants of all backgrounds, knowing that diverse perspectives strengthen our work with children, youth, and families. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and for applicants’ religious practices as required by law.

At TOU, we believe that taking care of our people is foundational to the impact we aim to make. Our compensation philosophy is rooted in transparency and a holistic understanding of people’s needs. We believe fair, market-competitive pay is essential to attracting and retaining the exceptional talent needed to achieve our ambitious goals. As a not-for-profit organization, we design our compensation packages—including both salary and benefits—with care and in alignment with our financial sustainability.

The annual salary for this role is $150,000–$165,000. Starting salaries for new hires will be determined based on a combination of the new hire’s relevant experience and market demands.

TOU’S benefits go beyond the basics. They’re designed to support your well-being, growth, and sense of purpose at work and beyond. From comprehensive health coverage to professional development support and meaningful time off, our benefits reflect our commitment to nurturing a workplace where people can thrive, both personally and professionally.

Health & Insurance

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 50% for dependents.
• Access to Talkspace for confidential therapy and mental health support.
• Short-Term Disability, Life, and AD&D Insurance included.
• Optional Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance.
• Health Care and Dependent Care FSAs available.

Financial Benefits

• 401(k) Plan for pre-tax retirement contributions.
• Work-from-home setup stipend to optimize your workspace.

Paid Time Off

• Flexible PTO policy, plus sick leave and paid leaves of absence.
• 8 company holidays, plus three organization-wide seasonal breaks.

Learning & Development

• $1,500 annual stipend per employee.
• Regular organization-wide learning sessions on relevant and reflective topics.