Chief Financial Officer

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a critical position who serves as the New York Genome Center’s financial leader, responsible for the organization’s overall fiscal position, strategic financial planning, and financial operations management. In addition, the CFO leads several functional units, including finance and accounting, research administration, and facilities. Reporting directly to the Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the CFO is a crucial member of the Center’s senior leadership team and will play a key role in shaping the Center’s efforts to achieve scientific excellence and impact.

Key Responsibilities

• Guide all forecasting, financial modeling, and scenario planning, and act as a thought partner to the Scientific Director and CEO and members of the senior leadership team on pricing strategy for research products and services. Contribute to integrated strategic plans and projects to advance the Center’s programs and priorities.
• Develop and implement a multi-year financial plan to ensure efficient management of resources, including management and development of financial policies, systems, and processes that will enable the executive team to monitor and address revenues, expenses, and operations.
• Lead the Center’s financial analysis, projections, and short-and long-term forecasting, including multi-year outlooks based on alternative scenarios to assist in strategic decision-making.
• Oversee the finance and accounting teams in managing the fiscal operations of the Center, including general accounting, audit, accounts payable, payroll, tax planning and filings, internal and external financial reporting, cash flow management, budgeting, procurement, grants accounting (pre-and post-award), and reporting.
• Evaluate, advise, and manage the impact of long-range planning and regulatory action/risks in the assigned areas of responsibility. Hold responsibility for performing investment, debt, and treasury activities.
• Lead a team of direct reports and their associated staff, working to attract, retain, and inspire a diverse group through professional training, development, and mentorship.
• Prepare materials for meetings of the board of directors and its committees, including multi-year projections, financial status analysis, budgets, and related analyses.
• Oversee the initiation, negotiation, valuation, and critique of all financial arrangements the Center may consider, such as capital procurement, financing transactions, loans, and strategic alliances.
• Represent the Center credibly, both internally and externally, to the financial and business communities, including to the board of directors, partners, auditors, granting agencies (both government and private), regulators, and advisors.
• Oversee effective financial controls and compliance with all technical and regulatory accounting standards related to non-profit and research organizations, as well as local, national, and international financial laws, regulations, and requirements. Serve as authorized signatory for contracts, checks, and other related spending.
• Oversee pre-and post-award grants management, compliance, and reporting for government (federal and state) contracts and private grants. Evaluate and provide leadership in the maintenance and expansion of various government contracts, grants, and available funding.
• Supervise the Center’s compliance function and the terms and conditions of government contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements and applicable local, national, and international laws, regulations, and guidance, including the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars, the NIH Grants Policy Statement, and other applicable government flow-down clauses and certifications.
• Oversee and participate in the planning, implementation, and management of institution-wide measures to ensure a safe, compliant, healthy, and secure environment. Oversee the Center’s capital assets, overall functioning, and the conditions of NYGC’s building and associated infrastructure.
• Develop and implement risk management programs to ensure compliance with legal and contractual commitments, including research reporting obligations, conflict of interest management, and data privacy and security requirements. Manage and maintain the Center’s insurance plans.
  
  

The New York Genome Center’s next CFO will be a seasoned executive with substantial leadership experience, ideally in academic, research, or grant-making organizations. As a financial professional, the CFO will be an effective, strategic, self-motivated, and confident leader with exceptional analytic skills and the ability to develop and implement clear goals, systems, and priorities. Further, the CFO will demonstrate strong communication skills and high EQ and be attracted to the opportunity to join an organization with an exciting, forward-looking vision and to forge strong, supportive relationships across the breadth of the Center.

Ideal Experience

Ideal candidates will possess many of the following attributes and experiences:

• Directly related and progressively complex financial management experience involving the planning and developing of multi-million-dollar budgets, implementation of strategic business plans, treasury management, investments, and debt and insurance activities. Experience managing the financial and operational functions of an academic, medical, research-intensive, and/or nonprofit institution is preferred.
• Demonstrated track record as a leader of people and teams, with a strong commitment to development and experience leading, managing, and developing a diverse, high caliber, and highly collaborative team required.
• Substantial familiarity with federal grants management and compliance issues.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills across a range of constituent groups; prior experience working directly with faculty members and engaging with a board of directors or trustees is strongly preferred.
• Experience messaging complex regulatory requirements, including an ability to make sound risk management decisions.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to coherently synthesize complex or diverse information.
  
  

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Ability to foster collaboration.
• Intellectual curiosity and credibility.
• Unquestionable integrity, trust, ethics, and values.
  
  

SALARY RANGE

The pay range for this position is anticipated to be $430,000 per year, with a range of $340,000 to $500,000; the base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Equal Opportunity

The Center strives to create a workplace environment that is welcoming and fair to all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical ability, or religion. The Center believes that when people of various backgrounds, life experiences, and perspectives work together in an inclusive and equitable environment, new and valuable perspectives are gained that otherwise would have been missed. Valuing and supporting all the Center’s employees as individuals while helping them realize their full potential is critical to promoting greater collaboration, innovation, and discovery—fostering a sense of belonging for the Center’s greatest strength, its people.

The New York Genome Center is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic predisposition or carrier status, protected veteran or military status, domestic violence victim status, partnership status, caregiver status, alienage or citizenship status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The Center takes affirmative action in support of its policy to hire and advance in employment individuals who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

FLSA Status: Exempt. This position is eligible for visa sponsorship and relocation assistance.

the search process

The New York Genome Center is eager to receive input that will help it build a pool of talented individuals to consider for this important leadership opportunity. To that end, the Center welcomes comments, inquiries, applications, and nominations, which may be submitted via the confidential search mailbox: NYGCCFO@SpencerStuart.com.

Required Skills

Required Experience