DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Founded in 1978, Pacific Symphony enriches the human spirit through superior performances of classical and symphonic music. Led artistically by Music Director Carl St.Clair and operationally by President John Forsyte, the Symphony is regionally, nationally, and internationally recognized for performance excellence, its strong community engagement through education and other programming, and for commissioning new works by contemporary composers of symphonic music. The Symphony presents more than 100 concerts a year, engaging more than 250,000 diverse Orange County residents in this vital art form ‐ from school children to senior citizens.

Pacific Symphony’s flexible and innovative approach to the repertoire and its performances have enabled it to offer musical experiences ranging from the great orchestral masterworks to music from both new and established composers. Resident for much of the year at the acoustically renowned Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Symphony also presents a summer outdoor series at Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Music Director Carl St.Clair is celebrating his 25th Anniversary with the Pacific Symphony, while Principal Pops Conductor Richard Kaufman is celebrating his 24th season leading the Pops series, which stars some of the world's leading entertainers; while Assistant Conductor Alejandro Gutiérrez leads the popular “Family Musical Mornings” series, one of the largest self‐ produced children’s series of any US orchestra.

Pacific Symphony is located in Orange County, California, with its administrative offices in Santa Ana and its primary performance venue in Costa Mesa. Orange County is the third most populous county in California, with over three million residents. Known for a temperate climate, the many attractions offered by a rich arts tradition, the region’s astounding physical beauty, and its broad range of recreational opportunities, Orange County is a tourism magnet that also boasts attractions such as Disneyland and the Knott’s Berry Farm theme park. Orange County is also a major business and financial hub, with leading technology, aerospace and defense Fortune 500 companies, and has a major research university, University of California, Irvine.

Pacific Symphony is led by an experienced executive management team, and an active and engaged Board of Directors. For the last 25 consecutive years the Symphony has balanced its budget and has no accumulated debt. It employs a staff of approximately fifty. The current annual operating budget is approximately $20 million. Approximately half of its income is from contributions. The remainder is earned through ticket sales, education programs, the endowment, and various other earned sources. Two thirds of Pacific Symphony’s expenditures are program related, the majority being related to concert presentation. Nearly ten percent of the Symphony’s budget supports education and community engagement programs.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Finance serves as the number two finance executive, reporting to the Executive Vice President & COO, who also serves as its Chief Financial Officer. S/he will be responsible for the supervision of all accounting and financial reporting activities, as well as for providing support with the annual budgeting and ongoing review processes. The Director of Finance will be involved in supporting presentations to the board finance and audit committees and will work closely with departmental leadership teams.

The Director of Finance will lead day‐to‐day finance operations, supervising a team of four staff members, including functional responsibility over accounting, accounts payable, accounts and pledges receivable, payroll, and grants administration.

The Director of Finance will ensure that Pacific Symphony has the systems and procedures in place to support effective program implementation and conduct impeccable and timely audits. The Director of Finance will work closely with program leaders and their staffs, not only to educate them regarding finance and accounting procedures, but also to explore how the accounting functions can support program operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING LEADERSHIP

•   Serve as the organization’s controller

•   Oversee all accounts, ledgers, chart of accounts and reporting systems, ensuring

  compliance with appropriate GAAP standards and regulatory requirements.

•   Maintain internal controls and safeguards for receipt of revenue, costs, and program

  budgets and actual expenditures.

•   Provide oversight of GL account analysis and reconciliation processes.

•   Manage and coordinate financial audit activity.

•   Prepare schedules and provide information required for annual Form 990 tax return

  preparation by CPA firm, and ensure proper reporting to IRS and State of CA.

•   Consistently analyze financial data and present financial reports in an accurate and

  timely manner; clearly communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements; monitor progress and changes and keep EVP/COO and senior leadership abreast of Pacific Symphony’s financial status.

•   Assist Pacific Symphony’s EVP/COO in the annual budgeting and planning process; compile preliminary budgets for the EVP/COO to review; administer budget plans and compare to actual results, with a view to identify, analyze, and correct variances.

•   Maintain and develop Symphony’s schedule of temporarily and permanently restricted net assets.

•   Support the Executive EVP/COO work with the board’s audit and finance committees.

•   Oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting; ensure that expenditures

  are consistently aligned with grant and program budgets throughout the grant/fund period; collate financial reporting materials for government, corporate, and foundation grants.

•   Ensure the proper accounting of multi‐year pledges and gifts.

•   Administer various annual industry focused financial and statistical reports.

•   Generate organizational cash flow forecasts, working in partnership with managers.

•   Serve as primary liaison in banking and credit card vendor relationships.

•   Ensure precise reconciliation and outstanding controls of contributed and earned revenue sources.

•   Develop procedures to improve efficiencies and effectiveness of existing processes.

  TEAM LEADERSHIP

•   Leverage strengths of the current finance team members, assist to clarify roles and responsibilities, and develop and implement training programs in order to maximize and reach optimal individual and organizational goals.

•   Provide leadership in strengthening internal communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; create and promote a positive and supportive work environment.

  QUALIFICATIONS

•   This is an extraordinary opportunity for a mature leader with five to ten years of accounting and finance experience, ideally beginning in accounting, followed by experience gathering, evaluating, presenting, and reporting financial information to executive teams. S/he will ideally have experience in a complex nonprofit that has multiple program initiatives.

•   Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to Pacific Symphony’s mission; a proactive, hands‐on, and thoughtful administrative leader, who, in partnership with the EVP/COO, will share responsibility for financial administration.

•   Minimum of a Bachelor’s in accounting and/or five or more years in accounting; CPA and/or MBA desirable; at least three years in a non‐profit environment preferred.

•   Solid experience coordinating audit activities and managing reporting, budget development and analysis, accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments.

•   A track record in grants management as it relates to budgeting, compliance and reporting of government, corporate and foundation grants is essential.

•   Knowledge of accounting and reporting software required. Technology savvy with experience in software installations and managing vendor relationships is preferred.

•   Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.

•   Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a diverse team.

•   The foresight and ability to delegate accordingly.

•   Keen analytic, organization, time management and problem solving skills, and a careful

  attention to detail.

•   Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to articulate ideas clearly and

  concisely, in both written and oral formats.

•   Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to individuals at all levels including

  non‐finance team members to support their growth as non‐profit managers.

  BENEFITS OFFERED

  Compensation is commensurate with experience. Pacific Symphony offers a complete health benefits package, paid vacation and paid holidays, and a 401(k) plan.

  EMPLOYMENT TYPE

  Full‐time, Exempt

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The search for Pacific Symphony’s Director of Finance is being managed by Arts Orange County, an independent, nonprofit organization that is the countywide arts council for Orange County, California.

•   All applicants are required to submit the following items:

  1. A completed profile form, signed by the applicant (go to www.PacificSymphony.org

     to download the profile form which is on the employment page under this specific job

     posting)

  2. A one‐page cover letter, addressed to: Pacific Symphony

  3. A resume

•   All materials are to be submitted as PDF files in a single e‐mail to: [email protected] and to [email protected]

•   Please use “Symphony Search” in the Subject line of your e‐mail.

•   In the case of files exceeding 1MB in size, please use Hightail (or a similar program) to attach

  them. Hightail is a free online service at https://www.hightail.com/

•   Applications will ONLY be accepted via e‐mail in digital format.

•   Applications will be accepted from the time the search is announced until the appointment

  of a new Director of Finance is announced, at which time all applicants will be notified.

•   Candidates selected for further consideration will be required at that time to sign a “Disclosure Authorization and Release” consenting to allow Pacific Symphony to conduct

  a background check.

•   NO PHONE CALLS OR FAXES.

  Pacific Symphony is an equal opportunity employer.