Director of Finance & Operations

Director of Finance & Operations

Reports to: Managing Director

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Location: Durham, NC

Employer: Southern Service Workers Education Fund, Inc. (SSWEF)

About Southern Service Workers Education Fund, Inc.

SSWEF is a worker organization building power with low-wage workers across the South. We organize alongside workers and community partners to challenge exploitation, raise standards, and advance racial and economic justice. Our campaigns combine deep organizing, worker leadership development, and community solidarity to win real improvements in workers’ lives while building a broader movement for economic and racial justice in the South.

Position Summary

The Director of Finance & Operations is responsible for building, managing, and strengthening the financial and operational infrastructure of the organization. This role ensures the organization’s financial health, operational effectiveness, compliance, and internal systems can support a growing, ambitious mission.

Reporting to the Managing Director, the Director of Finance & Operations will oversee the day-to-day financial and operational functions of the organization, lead internal administrative systems, manage cross-functional operational staff, and serve as a strategic partner on budgeting, organizational planning, and growth.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Leadership & Management

• Lead the organization’s financial management and stewardship, ensuring strong fiscal health, accountability, and long-term sustainability.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, financial reporting, internal controls, and audit readiness.
• Supervise the bookkeeper and ensure accurate bookkeeping, timely close processes, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Partner with the Managing Director to lead annual budgeting, scenario planning, and organizational financial decision-making.
• Develop regular financial analysis for leadership and board review.
• Oversee all grant financial management, including restricted revenue tracking, grant budgeting, reporting, compliance, and funder financial requirements.
• Ensure strong systems for managing complex nonprofit revenue streams, including grants, institutional funding, and other contributed revenue.
• Coordinate audits, tax filings, financial reviews, and relationships with accountants, auditors, and external financial partners.
• Partner closely with development leadership to align fundraising strategy, grant planning, and revenue timing with organizational financial needs.

Operations & Organizational Infrastructure

• Lead day-to-day organizational operations, ensuring efficient, compliant, and well-functioning administrative systems.
• Supervise the operations team and related administrative staff, providing clear management, structure, and accountability.
• Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and internal operational systems.
• Oversee vendor management, contracts, procurement, insurance, facilities coordination, and organizational service providers.
• Oversee coordination with external IT consultants to support organizational technology systems, equipment, and digital workplace operations.
• Build scalable systems, workflows, and processes that support organizational growth and evolving operational needs.
• Ensure organizational compliance with operational, employment, legal, and administrative requirements in partnership with leadership and external advisors.

Leadership & Strategic Partnership

• Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Managing Director on organizational growth, infrastructure, staffing, risk management, and operational planning.
• Manage and develop a multi-disciplinary administrative team, fostering accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Identify operational gaps, inefficiencies, and risks and proactively develop solutions.
• Reduce the operational burden on executive leadership by owning execution of core administrative and operational functions.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in nonprofit operations, finance, administration, or organizational leadership.
• Significant experience managing organizational finance, including budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, grants management, audits, and financial controls.
• Experience overseeing multi-million-dollar nonprofit budgets and supervising finance staff.
• Deep familiarity with nonprofit compliance, including 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) operational requirements.
• Experience building systems and operational infrastructure in growing or entrepreneurial organizations.
• Experience managing vendors, contracts, organizational technology systems, and administrative operations.
• Proficiency with nonprofit financial and operational systems (e.g., QuickBooks, Ramp, Bill.com, Salesforce, EveryAction).

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA, MBA, MPA, or equivalent financial/operational leadership training.
• Experience in movement organizations, advocacy nonprofits, civic engagement, labor, or mission-driven organizations.
• Experience supporting rapidly growing organizations or organizational transitions.
• Familiarity with fiscal sponsorship structures and complex funding models.

This is an in-person position based in Durham, North Carolina, and is not remote.

SSWEF is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team that reflects the communities we serve.

Salary is at least $100,000/year commensurate with experience. The position will offer benefits including fully covered medical, dental and vision insurance for individual and family; 401(K); and paid time off.

The position will offer benefits including fully covered medical, dental and vision insurance for individual and family; 401(K); and paid time off.