Senior Director, Finance

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Operations and People Officer (COPO), the Senior Director, Finance is a senior leader on the Operations & People team who will set strategy and direct the financial health of the organization, ensuring compliance, transparency, accountability and strategic alignment across all financial activities. This role is responsible for all aspects of accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, and financial planning, while providing expert guidance to the Executive Team and the Board of Directors. This position will partner with an outsourced accounting firm and supervise the Head of Operations and Finance as a dotted-line report. The Senior Director will also serve as a thought partner to the COPO and Head on operational matters intersecting with financial strategy and resourcing. This role also supervises the Data and CRM Lead, reflecting the strategic alignment between data systems and financial planning.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The Senior Director is responsible for strategic financial leadership, org-wide financial oversight, and compliance.

Budgeting, Forecasting, and Strategic Finance

• Lead the annual budgeting process and support departmental budget development and management
• Lead FP&A functions, including financial modeling, scenario planning, and strategic forecasting to support organizational priorities and growth
• Develop and maintain multi-year financial forecasts and scenario planning models 
• Monitor all sources and uses of funds, ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and alignment with organizational priorities
• Manage investment accounts and ensure compliance with the organization’s investment policy
• Provide proactive, data-driven financial analysis and strategic recommendations to support organizational decision-making
• Advise on resource allocation and operational planning efforts to ensure financial sustainability and alignment with strategic priorities
• Lead the financial aspects of PAI’s strategic planning process in collaboration with the Executive Team

Financial Reporting & Direction

• Lead the monthly and annual financial close processes in coordination with PAI’s accounting vendor and supported  by the Head of Operations and Finance, ensuring timely, accurate, and GAAP-compliant financial reporting
• Ensure strong internal controls and accounting procedures are maintained.
• Oversee preparation and distribution of monthly, quarterly, annual, and year-to-date financial statements and dashboards for the CEO, COO, Board, and other stakeholders
• Supervise and ensure timely completion of all tax filings, including Form 990 and matters related to the organization’s 501(c)(3) status.
• Manage audits and annual external reviews in partnership with external auditors

Revenue Operations & Cross-Functional Support 

• Serve as the senior finance partner to the Partnership Development team, aligning financial strategy with fundraising priorities and enabling accurate forecasting, grant reporting, and revenue planning
• Work with the Head of Operations and Finance to ensure the alignment of revenue operations strategy across teams, ensuring data integrity, streamlined workflows, and support for forecasting
• Oversee the Head to support financial modeling, forecasting, and financial analysis for select cross-departmental initiatives
• Provide strategic guidance on operational initiatives with financial implications, in partnership with the COPO and Head
• Collaborate with senior leaders and across PAI teams to align financial planning with fundraising, programmatic and operational priorities
• Foster a culture of financial literacy and transparency across departments
• Supervise the Data and CRM Lead, ensuring that data infrastructure, systems, and reporting align with financial planning, revenue operations, and strategic decision making
• Provide financial insights to support proposals, multi-year grant planning, and fundraising strategy; align revenue tracking and recognition systems to ensure accurate projections and compliance

Compliance & Internal Controls

• Develop, update, and implement financial policies, procedures, and systems to strengthen internal controls
• Review and approve significant expenditures, contracts, and financial commitments
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and funder-specific financial and reporting requirements
• Work with the Head of Operations and Finance on internal controls, financial policies, and compliance initiatives, and offer support on intersecting operational systems and workflows as needed
• Strengthen collaboration across PAI teams to ensure financial strategy supports fundraising, relationship management, programmatic impact, and talent management

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or MBA with a finance/accounting focus
• 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting experience, including experience at the senior management level
• Strong experience in nonprofit finance, including fund and grant accounting, revenue recognition, financial compliance, reporting to a nonprofit board as well as finance and audit committees
• Proven track record managing a budget of $10M+ within a complex nonprofit or mission-driven organization
• Familiarity with GAAP and nonprofit financial standards
• Experience preparing and overseeing financial statements, tax filings (including Form 990), and compliance with regulatory requirements
• Experience with financial software platforms and systems (e.g., QuickBooks, Sage Intacct, NetSuite).

• Experience managing outsourced accounting vendors and/or transitioning from outsourced to in-house finance functions
• Prior experience working in a fully remote, distributed team environment.
• Experience managing or partnering with operations or revenue operations professionals to align business processes with financial strategy

PREFERRED LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Champion of equity, diversity, and inclusion both internally and externally.
• Selflessly models the ethical values of the organization
• Strategic thinker with a detail-oriented approach and strong execution skills.
• Excellent communicator, capable of presenting complex financial information clearly to non-finance audiences
• Collaborative and adaptable, with strong interpersonal skills and a service-oriented mindset
• Ability to balance big-picture planning with hands-on financial management
• Focus on mentoring and developing junior team members

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

• Based in the US
• Willing and able to travel domestically and internationally, work virtually, and manage a team remotely

QUALITIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO US

• Builds Trust: Able to be transparent by being authentic, conveying trust and communicating openly and in a timely manner while involving key stakeholders in decision-making
• Visionary: Able to take a long-term perspective, conveying a belief in an outcome, and displaying the confidence to reach goals
• Inspirational: Able to inspire and motivate others, both those they directly manage, Executive Team colleagues and external and internal individuals in a positive manner
• Courageous: Able to seek out opportunities for continuous improvement, and fearless in intervening in challenging situations
• Decisive: Able to make informed decisions in a timely fashion
• Personal Development: Able to seek opportunities for individual personal development

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

We know that research has shown that some potential applicants will submit an application only when they feel that they have met close to all of the qualifications for a role—we encourage you to take a leap of faith with us and submit your application as long as you are passionate about working to make a real impact on responsible AI. We are very interested in hearing from a diverse pool of candidates.

PAI offers a generous paid leave and benefits package, including: 

• Time Off: Twenty vacation days; three personal reflection days; sick leave and family leave above industry standards
• Benefits: high-quality health insurance plans specific to each of our hiring regions
• Additional perks: cell phone reimbursement, professional development stipends, and opportunities to attend AI related conferences and events and to collaborate with our roughly 100 partners across industry, academia and civil society. 

PAI is headquartered in San Francisco yet has a remote workforce with a global membership base and scope. This role is eligible for remote work within the US or Canada.  We do not offer visa support for this position at this time.

PAI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We celebrate diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment in all aspects of employment, including recruiting, hiring, promoting, training, education assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, and all privileges and conditions of employment.  Employment decisions at PAI are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications.

The Partnership on AI may become subject to certain governmental record keeping and reporting requirements for the administration of civil rights laws and regulations. We also track diversity in our workforce for the purpose of improving over time. In order to comply with these goals, the Partnership on AI invites employees to voluntarily self-identify their gender and race/ethnicity. Submission of this information is voluntary and refusal to provide it will not jeopardize or adversely affect employment or any consideration you may receive for employment or advancement. The information obtained will be kept confidential.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply please send a cover letter and resume. 

Applications may be accepted on a rolling basis until the role is filled.

Only complete applications will be reviewed. 

This job description is subject to periodic revisions in accordance with the evolving needs of the organization