Director of Finance and Operations

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is the only national interfaith organization in the U.S. devoted exclusively to ending torture forever. For 20 years, NRCAT has sought to end U.S.-sponsored torture. Its current work is to severely limit the practice of solitary confinement inside U.S. prisons, jails and immigration detention. If you are someone who has deep experience managing the operations of a small nonprofit organization, is passionate about human rights, and enjoys sharing this passion with similar people and organizations driven by their faith and values, this position is for you. NRCAT is a complex organization with a small staff and a broad reach. You will be working with NRCAT’s organizational members who are leading grassroots campaigns in several states, as well as staying in touch with national civil rights and interfaith coalitions in Washington, D.C. You will be providing financial and operational support to 6 allied grassroots and national organizations in the field who are fiscally sponsored by NRCAT. You will be working closely with and advising the Executive Director on both fiscal and organizational strategy. If you thrive in a multi-faith, multi-cultural setting that relies on your diverse set of skills to keep it all running so others can focus their efforts on advocacy, education and community organizing, then this is the position for you.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Director of Finance and Operations is a key member of the NRCAT staff with responsibility for maintaining budgets and financial oversight, ensuring the fiscal viability of projects in the field, and providing the operational stability that keeps the organization strong. The Director maintains the operational backbone for NRCAT’s varied communications platforms and serves in a supporting role for staff and advocates in the field on everything from technology to compliance with established best practices and NRCAT policies. This position reports directly to the Executive Director and will split time evenly between operations and finance.

FINANCE. (50%) This position is responsible for all bookkeeping, billing and payments, donation management, HR and payroll functions, and contract management for a dozen staff and consultants. You will be creating and managing the budgets of both NRCAT and its fiscally sponsored projects, including working with the Executive Director to prepare budgets on grant proposals and providing financial reports to the board and donors. In addition to managing financial requirements for private foundations and other donors, this position works to ensure that NRCAT’s annual audit with our auditing firm goes smoothly. NRCAT does not receive government money or contracts, which makes some of the above easier. Knowledge of the financial rules and regulations governing a 501c3 organization and in some cases a 501c4 organization (the NRCAT Action Fund which is currently on hold) is a must.

OPERATIONS. (50%) Managing the technological and operational aspects of NRCAT’s work means that all operational systems are in your hands. Whether it is managing updates for the website, managing the flow of e-advocacy on various social platforms, or ensuring that all technological needs of NRCAT staff and contractors are met, this position is at the center of NRCAT’s day to day action. Supporting staff on meetings and events, advising the Executive Director on all operations issues and needs, working with other program staff on consistency in language of the materials they wish to post on the NRCAT website and social media are all part of this job. This is not a back-office job. This position is a critical forward-facing aspect of NRCAT’s work. Above all, this position requires a people person who can mentor, support, and stand in solidarity with a diverse range of advocates spanning faith leaders, survivors of solitary confinement, civil and human rights lawyers, and policy leaders in state and national legislative campaigns.

ABOUT NRCAT

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is a 20-year-old interfaith education and advocacy network that elevates the strong moral voice of U.S. faith leaders on ending torture in both U.S. national security policy and in U.S. prisons, jails and immigration detention centers. NRCAT continues to work to close the Guantanamo detention center in Cuba and bring resolution for the 15 men who are still held there from the U.S. post-9/11 war on terror.

Key to the mission of ending solitary in U.S. carceral settings is the NRCAT National Network of Solitary Survivors which centers the role and voice of solitary survivors in campaigns led by faith and human rights leaders, legal advocates, disability rights activists, state and local legislators, families, and many others. Together, the goal is to end or place strict limits on solitary confinement for the more than 122,000 incarcerated people currently being held in tiny cells the size of a parking space in the U.S. – conditions that are defined as torture by the United Nation, by leading medical and mental health professionals and brain scientists, and by those with first-hand experience of solitary.

NRCAT is a lead organization in a national movement working on state legislative policy with 23 state-level anti-solitary policy campaigns across the U.S. NRCAT is also a founding member of the Federal Anti-Solitary Task Force, which is working to educate members of the U.S. Congress on the End Solitary Confinement Act – proposed legislation that would end or limit solitary in federal facilities, including federal immigration detention. Working together with state and national allies, NRCAT seeks to change both the national narrative and policy by developing media resources with original content, providing advocacy trainings with grassroots leaders, and organizing community support for anti-solitary campaigns. NRCAT staff are expected to work a Monday through Friday work week. There is occasional travel, including at times weekend work for on-site conferences and event management.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Finance & Operations plays a central role in ensuring the smooth daily functioning of NRCAT’s financial and operational systems. This is a hands-on position that includes direct responsibility for routine accounting, administrative, and operational tasks, alongside higher-level coordination, compliance, and organizational problem-solving.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FINANCE (50%)

Payroll and Benefits Administration (10%)

• Oversee the employee payroll and benefit programs.
• Ensure accurate reporting on compliance, audits, and benefits administration across the organization.
• Attend meetings and communicate to staff any policies or changes from the providers of these payroll and benefits services.
• Other human resources tasks and support as needed.

Bookkeeping, Budgeting and Compliance (40%)

• Maintain all accounting and bookkeeping (QuickBooks) for NRCAT and its fiscally sponsored organizations, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, donation processing, reconciliations, monthly close, and project-specific and consolidated reporting.
• Conduct all accounts payable functions, including invoice intake, coding, approvals, payment processing, and reconciliation through Bill.com and credit cards.
• Ensure timely and accurate payment of vendors, contractors, and consultants, with appropriate documentation and internal controls.
• Conduct all donation and revenue processing, including individual gifts, foundation payments, event revenue, and fiscal sponsorship income.
• Handle all aspects of donation management, coding and restriction tracking, and preparation and delivery of donor acknowledgments and receipts.
• Manage the usage of employee credit cards and other financial transactions.
• Maintain and manage financial record-keeping and documentation in compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the placement and flow of funds between NRCAT’s investment accounts and its bank.
• Prepare and monitor annual budgets for NRCAT.
• Support and manage all phases of NRCAT’s fundraising and grantmaking operations, including application, implementation, evaluation, and reporting, while ensuring that budgets presented to foundations and donors are consistent with the purposes and goals of the grant.
• Serve as the point of contact for government and other compliance requests and be responsible for responding to the request.
• Prepare documentation for the annual audit and IRS Form
• Serve as a liaison to external auditors and tax preparers, while responding to and filing government and other compliance requests.
• Identify and implement policy and process improvements to increase efficiency and accuracy in financial operations and to strengthen internal controls.
• Other financial duties as needed.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OPERATIONS (50%)

• Manage all technology, software, and service issues and accounts, and troubleshoot (with IT consultants etc.).
• Ensure staff have the technology, systems access, tools, and support needed to perform their work effectively, including troubleshooting issues and coordinating with IT consultants and service providers as needed.
• Provide Administrative support to the Executive Director and the Board.
• Serve as primary liaison with staff for managing work assignments, collaboration, and special projects as needed.
• Lead in the development and distribution of NRCAT resources, including study guides, banners, pins and buttons.
• Work with NRCAT’s Communications Consultant on external communications.
• Send and post external communications, including final proof-reading and testing visual quality and message.
• Notify and work with the Executive Director when outside consultation is needed from legal, financial, personnel, and other outside experts who advise NRCAT.
• Maintain close contact with the leadership of assigned coalitions, boards, and NRCAT consultants to ensure coordination and information sharing.
• Assist in the preparation of staff and board meeting agendas and materials.
• Other operations and administrative duties as needed.

THE PERFECT CANDIDATE WILL HAVE

• 3 or more years of experience in accounting, payroll and human resources.
• Expertise in QuickBooks, Bill.com (or similar), Microsoft 365, electronic signature tools (e.g., Adobe Sign), and payroll/benefits platforms (e.g., Paychex, ADP or similar).
• Experience with Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) platforms and online donation processing tools, including reconciliation between fundraising and accounting systems.
• Experience with multiple social media platforms.
• Extensive experience with project management and team collaboration.
• Experience in non-profit management, accounting and business administration is required, and a bachelor’s degree in any of these fields is preferable.
• Ability to work with allies, partners, and individuals from diverse religious, racial and socio-economic communities.
• The candidate does not have to be a person of faith or have theological education, but must have a strong interest in working in a multi-faith organization.
• A strong commitment to human rights for all.
• Knowledge of the criminal justice system and carceral settings, including their impact on people who have experienced the torture of solitary confinement.
• A desire to live and work in the Washington, D.C. region (negotiable, but preferred) and ability to work independently and as a part of a team to achieve organizational goals.
• High level of comfort working remotely, including expertise working with Zoom, Teams and assisting with presentations and meetings on these platforms.
• Website content management experience is a plus.
• Basic design, layout, and editing skills (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite) are a plus.

NRCAT is committed to creating a diverse work environment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity or disability. All employees are required to maintain a safe and healthy work culture that is free from harassment and where the dignity of others is uplifted and celebrated. People from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. NRCAT will make reasonable accommodation for disabilities.

• Employer-paid medical, vision, dental and life insurance for the employee
• 20 days of vacation and 3 days of personal leave per year
• 10 days of paid sick leave per year
• Paid holidays, following the federal holiday calendar (11 per year currently)
• 3 days for professional development
• Employee retirement plan with a generous employer paid contribution of 11% of salary
• Since all staff work from home, a home office stipend is provided, including for phone and internet.