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TPL is a strong, ambitious organization poised to expand its influence and impact. The CFO will be a skilled financial leader who understands how to raise capital, manage risk, deploy resources strategically, optimize the organization’s balance sheet, partner with the philanthropy team, simplify budget presentations, and position TPL for its next chapter of growth and impact. The leader will also possess strong organizational and financial management skills, leading an accomplished financial team.
The CFO can be based in any city with a major TPL office. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Washington, D.C. preferred.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Provide Strategic Vision and Growth
- Serve as a strategic thought partner to the CEO and the executive management team on organizational growth and capital deployment.
- Lead the design and implementation of financial growth strategies, including potential impact investment models and private sector strategies that apply to a nonprofit organization that engages in complex transactions, often including land and real estate.
- Partner in campaign planning and execution, understanding how to leverage philanthropy with
other funding sources. - Drive innovation in financial models that other organizations will seek to emulate.
2. Increase Capital
- Develop and manage relationships with banks, investment managers, charitable investors, and
other financial institutions. - Break into new sources of capital and structure new financial instruments and strategies to fund TPL’s work and enable it to compete at the speed of the private sector.
- Create and oversee internal funding streams to expand TPL’s capacity for prompt capital deployment to support land transactions and compete with private sector speculators.
- Navigate complex financing options for multimillion-dollar projects, including grants, PRIs, and
forgivable loans.
3. Drive Operational Excellence
- Transform and simplify financial data into actionable information for better decision-making
and storytelling across all organizational levels. - Oversee budget management for $100M operating budget and $300M in capital transactions.
- Ensure robust and secure financial systems that support TPL’s distributed, multi-region structure.
- Lead risk management strategy, including insurance coverage and deal structuring.
4. Enhance Organizational Communication
- Translate complex financial concepts into simple, understandable, consistent, and predictable terms for the board, staff, and stakeholders.
- Increase financial literacy across the organization.
- Maintain transparency in financial decision-making processes and rationale.
5. Pursue Diverse Funding Opportunities
- Provide financial analysis and structure solutions for land conservation projects and transactions, as well as large park, schoolyard, and trail development projects.
- Partner with the Advancement team to navigate complicated estates and donor intentions.
- Support state directors and conservation teams nationwide in assembling capital for time-sensitive
opportunities. - Balance mission-critical needs with financial sustainability across TPL’s national geographic
footprint.
6. Manage the Finance Team & Work Closely with the National Board
- Nurture, champion, and develop the finance team through collaboration and mentorship.
- Create and model continuous learning and improvement, and foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and responsiveness.
- Bring clarity and decisive leadership focused on priorities, process, and results.
- Partner and consult with the Board’s Finance, Audit, and Transaction Committees.
The Candidate
The CFO will be a compelling senior executive with a depth of financial leadership experience in a similarly
complex and/or larger distributed organization. The ideal candidate will bring a mix of for-profit and nonprofit expertise to the role. Nonprofit experience may include serving on the board of a national NGO.
Professional Assets:
- Experience as a CFO or deputy CFO in a complex, distributed organization (preferably $100M+
operating budgets) - Experience working with board audit and finance committees
- Evidence of raising capital with an understanding of philanthropic leverage and non-traditional funding sources
- Ability to cultivate and manage complex lending relationships
- Knowledge of nonprofit financial management practices, including GAAP accounting and 501(c)(3)
compliance requirements - Sophisticated risk management experience and ability to manage risk in support of TPL’s mission
- Knowledge of real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and understanding of conservation
finance tools preferred - Evidence of innovative, forward-thinking, team-oriented financial management
Personal Assets:
- Strategic growth mindset
- High emotional intelligence
- Sensitivity to regional/state leader needs in a distributed organization
- Collaborative leadership style
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to translate complex finances to a variety of stakeholders
- Passion for the mission of TPL and land conservation
- Sense of humor
The Relationships
CFO reports to: Chief Executive Officer, Trust for Public Land
CFO manages: A team of 17
CFO interfaces with: Executive Management Team, The National Board of Directors Board Finance, Audit,
and Transaction Committees
The Location
The CFO can be based in any city with a major TPL office. Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, or Washington, D.C. preferred.
Compensation
Base salary range is $375,000 – $400,000, depending on location and candidate experience. A competitive benefits package will accompany the salary.
For potential consideration or to suggest a prospect, please email TPLCFO@BoardWalkConsulting.com
or call Crystal Stephens or Terri Kohan at 404-BoardWalk (404-262-7392).
Click here to learn more about Trust for Public Land and view the full leadership profile.
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