Director of Finance and Operations

Organization

The Hawthornden Foundation is a U.S. private charitable foundation supporting contemporary writers and literary arts with an international residential fellowship program in its castle in Scotland. Hawthornden also supports a second historic property, Casa Ecco on Lake Como in Italy, the site of years of “Conversazioni” among writers and now a retreat for invited established authors to complete a literary work in progress. In addition, the Foundation sponsors the annual Hawthornden Prize, one of Britain’s oldest and foremost literary awards, and provides grant support to other literary programs. Hawthornden is beginning an expansion of its global activities. 

Position

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance and Operations will be responsible for the development of Hawthornden Foundation’s financial management strategy and contribute to the development of the organization’s strategic goals. In addition to the strategic components, the Director will be charged with developing and implementing policies and procedures both in the finance and general operational realms and will develop and lead an internal team to support the areas of finance, business planning and budgeting, global property management and development, human resources, administration and IT. This is an outstanding opportunity for a finance executive with operational experience and a proven track record of creative problem-solving and change management to join in a high-growth, mission-driven organization.
 

We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working environment for all staff. We encourage applicants of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age; ethnicity; gender; gender identity and expression; nationality; parental status; physical, mental and developmental abilities; race; religion; sexual orientation; skin color; socioeconomic status; and human styles.

Responsibilities Financial Management

- Implement an appropriate system of policies, internal controls, accounting standards, and procedures.
- Plan, coordinate, and execute the annual budget and planning process in conjunction with the Executive Director, administer and review all financial plans and budgets; monitor progress and changes; 
- Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting.
- Assist in the development and adoption of a strategic plan and ensure that Hawthornden Foundation  is adhering to the strategic plan, delivering status reports to the board.
- Oversee operational accounting services including grants payment processing, payroll, accounts payable, and purchasing:  oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting.
- Implement a robust contracts management and financial management/ reporting system; ensure that the contract billing and collection schedule is adhered to and that financial data and cash flow are steady and support operational requirements.
- Update and implement all necessary business policies and accounting practices; improve the finance department’s overall policy and procedure manual.
- Effectively communicate and present the critical financial matters to the board of directors.

Investments

- Provide organizational leadership in monitoring and contributing to investment strategies developed by the Investment Managers that balance long-term returns with mission impact while assuming appropriate levels of risk to advance the Foundation’s charitable strategies.
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board and other internal senior leaders in the development and recommendation of investment policies and opportunities that align with the Foundation’s evolving organizational strategy and culture.
- Manage external investment advisors and oversee investment reporting and monitoring.
- In partnership with the Executive Director and the Board, manage the selection and termination of investment advisors and consultants.
- Coordinate the portfolio reporting and preparation of materials for the Board meetings.

Human Resources, Technology and Administration

- Further develop Hawthornden Foundation’s human resources and administration, enhancing professional development, compensation and benefits, performance evaluation, training, and recruiting.
- Ensure that recruiting processes are consistent and streamlined.
- Work closely and transparently with all external partners including third-party vendors and consultants.
- Oversee administrative functions as well as facilities to ensure efficient and consistent operations as the organization scales.

Capital Management and Planning

- Oversee the maintenance and development of significant properties overseas, including regular and ordinary maintenance, regular improvements for health and safety compliance, evaluation of opportunities for restoration, development and refurbishment of properties to meet the programmatic objectives of the Hawthornden Foundation, adoption of a capital plan and budget.   

Qualifications

- Minimum of a BA, ideally with an MBA/CPA or related degree
- Minimum 10 years experience in a senior management role; ideally six-plus years of broad financial and operations management experience
- The ideal candidate has experience of final responsibility for the quality and content of all financial data, reporting and audit coordination for either a division or significant program area, and has preferably overseen a human resources function previously
- Ability to translate financial concepts to – and to effectively collaborate with -- programmatic colleagues who do not necessarily have finance backgrounds
- A track record in grants management
- Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing software installations and managing relationships with software vendors; knowledge of accounting and reporting software
- A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion 
- A successful track record in setting priorities; keen analytic, organization and problem solving skills which support and enable sound decision making
- Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of internal and external stakeholders
- A multi-tasker with the ability to wear many hats in a fast-paced environment
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to the mission of the Hawthornden Foundation.

Application Process

Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume in a single file to careers@hawthornden.org with the subject line “Finance/Operations.” Applications should be submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday, December 15, 2022.