VP of Finance

Founded in 1972, Rescue Mission Alliance (RMA) is a Christ-centered nonprofit serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty across Southern California. Through emergency services, recovery programs, and long-term rehabilitation, RMA helps people move from crisis toward stability and lasting transformation.

Opportunity

RMA is seeking a strategic Vice President of Finance to help guide the organization’s continued growth and sustainability. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this leader will strengthen financial and operational infrastructure, support strategic planning, and advise the CEO, Board, and senior leadership on key business decisions.

Position Summary

About

Founded in 1972, Rescue Mission Alliance (RMA) is a Christ-centered nonprofit serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness, hunger, and poverty across Southern California. Through emergency services, recovery programs, and long-term rehabilitation, RMA helps people move from crisis toward stability and lasting transformation.

Opportunity

RMA is seeking a strategic Vice President of Finance to help guide the organization’s continued growth and sustainability. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, this leader will strengthen financial and operational infrastructure, support strategic planning, and advise the CEO, Board, and senior leadership on key business decisions.

Position Summary

Reporting to the CEO, the VP of Finance will oversee financial strategy, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, cash flow, investments, capital planning, and risk management. This role requires a solutions-oriented, data-driven leader who can leverage technology and financial insights to support informed decisions and RMA’s future growth.

Direct Reports Include: Controller, Sr. Accountant, Accounts Payable/Receivable

Key Responsibilities

Executive Leadership & Strategic Planning

• Serve as a member of the RMA Executive Team, contributing to organization-wide strategic planning and operational leadership.
• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Finance Committee, Audit Committee, and Board of Directors on financial matters.
• Partner with Board leadership to provide financial education, planning, risk assessment, and strategic recommendations.
• Develop, communicate, and implement long-range financial and operational strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
• Support organizational growth initiatives, expansion objectives, and capital planning strategies.
• Provide strategic planning support, project valuation analysis, and implementation oversight.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on operational effectiveness and organizational sustainability.
• Participate in special projects, organizational initiatives, and executive-level decision-making activities.
• Develop long-range operational objectives and organizational performance initiatives.
• Build, lead, and develop high-performing teams through growth, change, and organizational improvement.
• Use financial, operational, and performance data to identify opportunities for cost savings, revenue growth, process improvement, and stronger accountability.
• Model servant leadership and decision-making consistent with RMA’s Christian values and culture.

Finance & Accounting Leadership

• Oversee all accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial management, and financial reporting activities.
• Direct all activities of the Accounting Department including:
• General ledger management
• Financial statements and balance sheet oversight
• Accounts payable and receivable
• Tax filings and compliance
• Bank deposits, transfers, and cash management
• Asset inventory and financial audits
• Prepare and present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports to executive leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Develop and implement financial and operational policies, procedures, and internal controls.
• Lead annual and project budget development processes.
• Oversee working capital management, balance sheet management, and debt management activities.
• Manage financing procurement, banking relationships, and credit facility negotiations.
• Develop capital investment proposals and evaluate financial performance metrics.
• Develop financial dashboards, key performance indicators, and reporting tools that support timely executive and Board-level decision-making.
• Evaluate and implement appropriate finance technology, automation, AI-assisted workflows, and business intelligence tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and visibility.
• Ensure compliance with GAAP, regulatory requirements, and nonprofit financial standards.
• Oversee annual audits, plan analysis, and related fiduciary responsibilities.
• Support profit maximization, operational efficiency, value-added analysis, and business process improvements.
• Strengthen procurement, vendor management, contract review, and expense controls across the organization.
• Ensure responsible use of financial systems, data, and AI tools with appropriate confidentiality, data security, and internal control safeguards.
• Lead financial due diligence and project leadership for mergers, acquisitions, and organizational partnerships.
• Manage organizational investments, real property acquisitions, leasing activities, and divestitures.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Lead enterprise risk management strategies and governance oversight.
• Oversee contract approvals.
• Ensure organizational compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations.
• Maintain strong internal control environments and financial accountability standards.
• Support data privacy, cybersecurity awareness, financial system controls, and responsible technology practices related to finance and operations.
• Monitor emerging nonprofit finance, compliance, technology, and risk management best practices for 2026 and beyond.

Operational Oversight

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide leadership and oversight to Accounting, Finance, Auto Donations and related operational teams.
• Supervise direct reports including leadership positions such as Controller and Auto Donations.
• Recruit, train, mentor, develop, and evaluate staff performance.
• Promote a culture of integrity, professionalism, collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence.
• Maintain strong working relationships with employees, leadership teams, ministries, donors, vendors, financial institutions, auditors, and community partners.
• Serve as a relational, approachable, and public-facing executive who builds trust with staff, leadership, Board members, high-capacity donors, churches, and external partners.
• Lead with energy, initiative, and a growth mindset rather than maintaining the status quo.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, or related field required.
• Current CPA certification preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years of senior finance and leadership experience required.
• Minimum three (3) to five (5) years of nonprofit finance, accounting, operations, or executive leadership experience preferred.
• Strategic leadership experience with demonstrated ability to build and/or lead teams through growth, change, or organizational improvement.
• Deep alignment with RMA’s Christian values, mission, and culture; committed Christian in good standing with a local church preferred.
• Highly relational, outgoing, and comfortable serving in a public-facing executive role with staff, Board members, high-capacity donors, vendors, churches, and community partners.
• Tech savvy, data-driven, performance-oriented, and comfortable using AI tools and modern finance technology responsibly.
• Growth-oriented mindset with the ability to improve systems, challenge the status quo respectfully, and support sustainable organizational expansion.
• Strong knowledge and practical application of GAAP principles, nonprofit financial standards, internal controls, and audit practices.
• Experience with nonprofit accounting, restricted funds, donor-designated funds, grants, budgets, audits, and compliance preferred.
• Demonstrated management and supervisory experience with the ability to recruit, train, mentor, develop, and evaluate staff performance.
• Strong strategic planning, analytical, operational leadership, and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects and organizational priorities simultaneously.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, confidentiality, and ethical leadership.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Strong background using accounting, ERP, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and operational software systems.
• Comfortable adopting and responsibly using AI tools to support financial analysis, reporting, forecasting, workflow automation, process improvement, and executive communication.
• Ability to build, interpret, and present dashboards, KPIs, financial models, and performance reports for leadership and Board-level decision-making.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 tools.
• Experience with payment processing, procurement, workflow automation, donor or operational reporting platforms, and business intelligence tools preferred.
• Experience with Sage Intacct preferred.
• Experience with MineralTree preferred.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity awareness, data privacy, confidentiality, and internal controls related to financial systems, AI tools, and organizational data.

Work Schedule and Location

This position is based in Oxnard, California. Hybrid flexibility may be considered for the right candidate with an expectation of regular in-office presence and travel throughout the organization’s service region.

Physical Demands

This role requires extended periods of working at a desk, computer, and in meetings, along with travel to donor meetings, ministry sites, events, and community functions.

Work Environment

This position primarily functions in an office environment but also requires regular presence at ministry locations, donor events, and community settings.

Salary & Benefits

Compensation for the VP of Finance includes a competitive salary commensurate with experience ($160,000-$190,000) and an excellent package of employee benefits which includes medical, dental, vision, retirement, professional development, leave and holidays.