What are the responsibilities and job description for the Manager/Director of Finance, Planning and Analysis position at Excel Academy Charter Schools?
Description
Organization Overview
Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.
At Excel, we believe that every student—regardless of race, zip code, or economic status—deserves access to a free, high quality holistic education. During their middle school journey with us, students grow at a pace faster than most peers in their state. This is possible through a combination of high expectations, rigorous instruction, and individualized support. At our nationally ranked high school, students achieve at the highest level and are poised for success in their chosen college or career path.
About Our Team
Everyday, our team members choose to be positive, drive their own growth, uplift one another, and hold the highest possible beliefs for what students can achieve.
About The Role
The Manager/Director of Finance, Planning and Analysis plays a critical leadership role in advancing strategic financial initiatives across the organization. Working closely with the Managing Director of Finance, the finance and accounting team, and school-based leaders, this individual will lead cross-functional projects that strengthen financial planning, ensure fiscal accountability, and enhance the long-term sustainability of Excel. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented systems-thinker who thrives in a mission-driven environment and can translate strategy into execution by working closely with school-based teams. While this is a finance role, we are open to a candidate that does not have specific finance experience, but is motivated to learn about financial management. Excel Academy is growing rapidly, and outstanding performance in the Director of Finance Projects role could lead to additional opportunities over time. Excel’s Finance Team is a collaborative, friendly, engaged team that values personal connection, learning, and mentorship.
This role is expected to operate in a hybrid manner, roughly 2 or 3 days/week in person in our Chelsea, MA, office and 2 or 3 days/week remotely. Our team has found that this mix of deliberate in-person and remote work reinforces a strong and collaborative team culture as well as time for focused work offsite.
The ideal candidate would start in Spring/Summer 2025.
Starting Salary: $85,000 - $120,000, commensurate with experience; Title will also be commensurate with experience.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Financial Planning and Analysis
Qualifications
Required:
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Organization Overview
Excel Academy is a network of 5 schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island that prepares students in grades 5-12 to succeed in high school and college and engage productively in their communities. The majority of our 1,700 students identify as Latinx or Hispanic and will be the first in their families to graduate from college. Families choose Excel because our students consistently outperform their peers in growth and achievement and are 5x more likely to graduate from college.
At Excel, we believe that every student—regardless of race, zip code, or economic status—deserves access to a free, high quality holistic education. During their middle school journey with us, students grow at a pace faster than most peers in their state. This is possible through a combination of high expectations, rigorous instruction, and individualized support. At our nationally ranked high school, students achieve at the highest level and are poised for success in their chosen college or career path.
About Our Team
Everyday, our team members choose to be positive, drive their own growth, uplift one another, and hold the highest possible beliefs for what students can achieve.
About The Role
The Manager/Director of Finance, Planning and Analysis plays a critical leadership role in advancing strategic financial initiatives across the organization. Working closely with the Managing Director of Finance, the finance and accounting team, and school-based leaders, this individual will lead cross-functional projects that strengthen financial planning, ensure fiscal accountability, and enhance the long-term sustainability of Excel. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented systems-thinker who thrives in a mission-driven environment and can translate strategy into execution by working closely with school-based teams. While this is a finance role, we are open to a candidate that does not have specific finance experience, but is motivated to learn about financial management. Excel Academy is growing rapidly, and outstanding performance in the Director of Finance Projects role could lead to additional opportunities over time. Excel’s Finance Team is a collaborative, friendly, engaged team that values personal connection, learning, and mentorship.
This role is expected to operate in a hybrid manner, roughly 2 or 3 days/week in person in our Chelsea, MA, office and 2 or 3 days/week remotely. Our team has found that this mix of deliberate in-person and remote work reinforces a strong and collaborative team culture as well as time for focused work offsite.
The ideal candidate would start in Spring/Summer 2025.
Starting Salary: $85,000 - $120,000, commensurate with experience; Title will also be commensurate with experience.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
Financial Planning and Analysis
- Improve and manage our internal financial reporting to schools, ensuring accuracy in actuals and projections
- Systematize our financial projections and reporting processes
- Analyze and present complex financial data in clear, actionable formats for program team decision-making
- Collaborate with program teams to identify areas of inefficiency and support in implementing changes to drive cost savings while maintaining or improving program quality
- Manage school requests and build systems to support school planning and financial operations
- Support the annual budget planning cycle
- Identify opportunities to streamline finance-related systems and processes, including budgeting, reporting, and compliance workflows, and implement solutions, ensuring milestones and outcomes are met
- Identify and recommend staff compensation changes in response to market data
- Generate returning staff salaries, offer letters, and salary charts
- Review staff compensation to ensure equity
- Design and implement a system to track contracts and renewals
- Negotiate contracts as needed
- Serve as an approver for invoices, credit cards charges, and reimbursements
- Serve as a thought partner to the Managing Director of Finance on matters of financial strategy and operations
- Train, support and mentor staff on finance-related topics
Qualifications
Required:
- 4 years of progressive experience in finance, consulting, operations and/or program management in education or the nonprofit sector
- Strong data analysis skills; ability to synthesize complex data into clear takeaways
- Skilled communicator who can engage both financial and non-financial audiences
- Proven experience managing complex projects with cross-functional teams
- Able to own and drive tasks and meet deadlines with significant independence
- Exceptional attention to detail and strong process orientation
- High proficiency in MS Excel / Google Sheets
- Comfort with learning, using and implementing new tools and systems
- Bachelor’s degree in a technical field such as finance, business, economics, mathematics, computer science or engineering preferred
- An unwavering commitment to and belief in the mission of Excel Academy Charter Schools, including Excel’s values and educational model
- Experience working in charter schools
- Former teaching and/or school-based experience
- Familiarity with accounting systems (e.g., Sage Intacct, NetSuite, QuickBooks, or similar) and financial operations systems (BILL.com, RAMP, Concur, Datarails, Edstruments, or similar)
Applications will be reviewed as they are received and candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
Salary : $85,000 - $120,000
