All Chicago brings together the best in prevention, systems planning and education to achieve one goal – make homelessness history in Chicago.   Millions of us call Chicago home, but on any given night, over 6,500 Chicagoans – men, women and children – don’t have a place to call home.  Tens of thousands more are just one unexpected setback away from joining them.  All Chicago works from the premise that these are our neighbors, this is our community and together we can ensure the stability of home for all of us.
 
Formed as a partnership in October 2011 of two long- standing and well-regarded nonprofit organizations with a shared purpose, All Chicago brings together all components necessary to create and support housing solutions in Chicago.  All Chicago combines the experience, vision and dedication of the much-respected Emergency Fund and the strong collaborative efforts of the Chicago Alliance (including the Alliance’s keystone program, The Learning Center), to lead a community of service providers, advocates, volunteers, consumers, and donors who collectively make a uniquely powerful impact on ending homelessness in Chicago.  Now working under one roof, they provide immediate housing assistance for families and sustainable housing solutions for Chicago:
 

• Emergency Fund is the homeless prevention division of All Chicago focused on ensuring short-term obstacles do not become long-term financial crises for individuals and families.  Through local service agency partners the Emergency Fund offers immediate help so individuals and families in Chicago can stay in their homes, keep food on their tables and handle life’s unexpected needs.  The Emergency Fund addresses the real and immediate needs of those at risk of homelessness.

 

• The Chicago Alliance is the systems planning division of All Chicago, focused on developing and implementing housing solutions in Chicago.  The Chicago Alliance brings together the critical elements necessary to tackle the complex social issue of homelessness – a community plan, housing and the combined efforts of individuals and organizations toward a shared goal. The Chicago Alliance works to systematically change the root causes of homelessness in Chicago.

 

• The Learning Center is the resource division of All Chicago focused on providing educational opportunities that promote exceptional services, professional development and informed decision-making for those working on homelessness issues in the nonprofit sector.  The Learning Center is a conduit for skill-building, informed decision-making and leading practices that elevate and engage providers of homelessness services, people of lived experience and compassionate supporters.  The Learning Center inspires transformation of homeless services, perspectives and lives.  The Learning Center aims to be a local and national resource for best practices in addressing homelessness.

 
Governed by one Board of Directors and managed by a CEO and leadership team, All Chicago:
 

• Serves as a conduit for quickly and efficiently providing financial assistance, tools and resources that bring stability and hope to our neighbors in crisis and immediate danger of losing their homes.
• Partners with over 120 service programs.
• Empowers individuals who were formerly or are currently homeless with the tools to become advocates and strategists in creating housing solutions in Chicago.
• Develops and implements city-wide, long-term and sustainable strategies to prevent and end homelessness.
• Secures critical public funding for Chicago’s homeless system and serves as an advocacy portal to alert the Continuum of Care of vital advocacy efforts.

 
All Chicago has an annual operating budget of approximately $5.5 million and relies on a combination of government funding and philanthropy to cover its annual programs and operations. Each year, 65% of the annual budget is funded through government contracts and 35% percent from the generosity of donors whose philanthropic contributions total approximately $1.9 million. All Chicago’s Finance and Administration department consists of four full-time positions including the Vice President of Finance and Administration, as well as access to interns and outsourcing.
As the premier organization in Chicago addressing homelessness, All Chicago is positioned to grow 10 fold in the next few years.
 
The Opportunity:  Vice President of Finance and Administration
 
The Vice President of Finance and Administration is an exciting opportunity for a growth-oriented and ambitious professional to join the leadership team as All Chicago evolves to its next level of leadership in providing a network of resources and solutions to sustain the stability of home.  Reporting directly to the CEO, the Vice President is a member of the senior management team, along with the Vice Presidents of Programming and Development.
 
The Vice President is responsible for all financial matters of All Chicago, including overall strategy, financial planning and forecasting, overseeing all compliance and recognition for government (federal and state) contracts, funding and private grants, and internal recordkeeping, controls and procedures.  There are three direct reports to the position including an Office Manager, Financial Assistance Coordinator, and Accounts Payable Coordinator.
 
The Vice President also acts as representative of All Chicago and its mission in the community, and will have regular interaction with the Board of Directors, and in particular, the Finance Committee.   
 
Performance Objectives
 
Leadership and Staff Management

• Lead and oversee the development and implementation of strategic and proactive, long-term and operational plans for all areas of finance and administration.
• Ensure, monitor and coordinate short-term and long-range organizational planning and development efforts, including playing an appropriate role in strategic planning in conjunction with the senior management team and CEO as appropriate.
• Supervise and mentor staff, imparting a clear vision and providing effective communications, resulting in a team environment dedicated to carrying out the objectives of the Finance and Administration Department.
• Provide overall leadership to the Finance and Administration Department, supervising three direct reports.  Establish goals and accountability standards and regularly evaluate team productivity.
• Lead and manage staff through lens of flexibility, openness to suggestions, and the ability to resolve/mitigate conflict.

 
Financial Management

• Oversee and provide strategic leadership to all financial matters of the organization and its entities and affiliates to provide proactive information for planning and decision making.
• Develop annual operating budgets in conjunction with the senior management team and the CEO and ensure that the organization operates within budget guidelines. Regularly monitor budgets and cash flow statements.
• Maintain consistent reporting on the organization’s financial position and outlook and ensure fiscal responsibility.
• Develop and utilize forward-looking, predictive models and activity-based financial analyses to provide insight into the organization’s operations and business plans.
• Ensure timeliness and accuracy of financial and management reporting for federal, state, city funders, private funders, investors, banks and foundations, including all report and supporting documentation.
• Oversee and ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding all financial functions, and create any systems needed to ensure this is accomplished for All Chicago.

 
Board Relations and Community Engagement

• Serve as an articulate, enthusiastic and visible leader and role model for All Chicago in the community.
• Represent the organization as required to financial partners, including financial institutions, investors, foundation executives, auditors, public officials, etc.
• Communicate effectively and promptly with the Board of Directors in conjunction with and at the direction of the CEO.
• Act as the primary liaison for the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors, and ensure the committee is adequately staffed and supported.
• Oversee and ensure the preparation and communication of monthly and annual financial statements, and their presentation to all required entities and individuals, including the Board of Directors.

 
The Qualified Candidate
 
All Chicago seeks a dynamic and professional leader with significant leadership experience in a highly productive, complex, and progressive financial department.  This leader shall have strong business acumen in planning, finance, and budgeting, as well as knowledge of federal and state financial regulations.  S/he will have the ability to analyze and interpret financial data and prepare financial reports, statements and/or projections, develop and implement strategic business and operating plans, provide audit process oversight and work as an effective team leader.  It is imperative that the successful candidate fully support the mission of All Chicago.
 
Specific Requirements Include:
 

• Bachelor’s Degree required; MBA and/or CPA and/or CFA is preferred, with a minimum of 7-10 years of experience in financial reporting, budgeting, auditing, fund accounting and management.   
• A personal commitment to the mission of All Chicago that also embraces its history, traditions and work.  Familiarity with housing development, and in particular HUD funding, is strongly preferred.
• Past experience and proven leadership skills in team management, conflict resolution; mentoring/growth of staff and professional development.
• A problem solver with a demonstrated ability to lead in the investigation and resolution of financial problems.
• An approach to leadership that gathers information, consults others, analyzes options and offers fiscally viable opinions that reflect good judgment and investment in the long-term needs of the organization.
• Precision in managing detail, procedures, processes and policies.
• An exhaustive knowledge of the principles of accounting and business management, especially in a nonprofit setting.
• Demonstrated ability to manage staff, projects, priorities and programs in a constantly changing environment.
• A positive attitude and the ability to be flexible in light of changing job situations/priorities and motivates staff to do the same.
• Excellent communications (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills, using diplomacy and good judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to set and achieve or exceed goals and meet deadlines.

 
 
This position offers a competitive salary with strong benefits. All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.
All Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. 
 
 
To Apply
 
This search is being managed by Kelly C. Monahan, Senior Associate and Heather A. Eddy, CFRE, President and CEO of Alford Executive Search.  To apply, candidates must complete the online application at https://alfordexecutivesearch.applicantstack.com/x/openings and thereon submit their cover letter and resume.  To assure confidential tracking of all applicants, no applications will be accepted via email. Questions may be addressed to Ms. Monahan at kmonahan@alfordexecutivesearch.com.
 
Alford Executive Search, a division of KEES (www.alfordexecutivesearch.com) is a retained search firm dedicated to providing recruitment services of exceptional quality and strengthening the not-for-profit community through professional staffing solutions.