Chief Financial Officer

Covenant House Illinois; United States; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Covenant House Illinois is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to lead the organization's financial strategy, reporting, and risk management. The role partners with the CEO, engages the Board, and oversees internal controls and financial systems modernization.

This full-time hybrid position requires three days on-site weekly, with scheduling flexibility to meet organizational needs while ensuring strong financial stewardship and liquidity across grants and philanthropy.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Finance department by creating, updating, and enforcing financial systems, policies, and procedures.
• Prepare budgets and develop comprehensive financial reporting.
• Oversee external audit activities and financial forecasting.

Job description

The client is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to serve as the organization’s senior financial leader, providing management and oversight related to financial sustainability and growth. The CFO will serve as a strategic thought partner and will collaborate cross-functionally to advise the CEO, engage with the Board, and strengthen internal controls to mitigate risk and safeguard organizational assets through improved systems, refined processes, and organization-wide financial accountability.

Key responsibilities include serving as the executive sponsor for a new accounting system implementation to modernize financial operations and improve the quality, accessibility, and timeliness of financial information. The CFO will guide financial stewardship and cash flow management, partnering with senior leadership on monthly financial guidance covering incoming philanthropic dollars and government grants, expenses, and overall liquidity in a dynamic operating environment, and will propose approaches to support fund development planning and diversification.

The CFO will lead the Finance department by creating, updating, and enforcing financial systems, policies, and procedures; preparing budgets; developing financial reporting; and managing external audit activities. The role also includes directing financial strategy, planning, analysis, and forecasting, collaborating with external partners as needed for accurate financial oversight during a capital campaign, overseeing the finance team, and assessing staffing needs to support organizational growth. This is a full-time, hybrid role with an expectation of being on-site three days per week, with schedule flexibility to meet organizational needs.