IDEA Public Schools Careers

 Vice President of Finance 

Mission:

IDEA Public Schools is searching for a Vice President of Finance. The Finance Team strives to support the leadership at IDEA as we work together to meet and exceed our ambitious financial and student achievement goals. The Vice President of Finance will lead financial planning & analysis, position control and systems, payroll, and business services In doing so, the Vice President of Finance will be charged with setting and executing on the strategic financial vision for our growing organization and managing staff to sustained efficacy in all aspects of their scope.

Their mission is to ensure short- and long-term planning information is available to support strong decision making of senior leaders and fiduciary Boards. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer of IDEA Public Schools, the Vice President of Finance will play a critical role ensuring the Financial Planning and Analysis, Payroll and Business  Services teams are equipped with the resources necessary to maintain compliance in alignment with local, state and federal requirements and achieve our shared mission of ensuring IDEA Public Schools students get to and through college.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

The VP of Finance will oversee Financial Planning & Analysis, Payroll, Position Control and Finance Services and Development and up to six direct reports.   

Location:

This is a full-time remote position based in Texas with preference given to candidates who live in Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian Basin (Midland/Odessa), Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County (Fort Worth), or who are willing to relocate.
 

Travel Expectations:    

Up to 30% of the time during the busiest parts of the year 

What You’ll Do – Accountabilities

Essential Duties:

Upload a balanced budget by the start of the new fiscal year for IDEA Texas.

• Strategically lead the annual financial planning and budget process in partnership with key stakeholders and cross functional teams such as Human Assets
  Ensure the annual financial planning and budgeting process is holistic and adapts to meet the planning needs of the organization in any given fiscal year
• Manage the master budget and pro formas through preliminary drafts, scenario planning, and final adoption along with intra-year budget amendments
• Ensure annual planning and budgeting project milestones and deadlines are met
• Lead the Financial Planning & Analysis team to support fiduciaries and budget owners and their staff during the annual planning and budgeting process
• Project and allocate enterprise revenue and expense forecasts, coordinating with internal partners to ensure accurate projections
• Present regular updates to the IDEA Texas Executive team and Finance Committee
  

Guide national, regional and school teams in meeting their financial targets

• Ensure the Finance team produces high quality reporting and analysis that assists budget managers and support staff in understanding the impact of monthly and year-to-date budget to actuals, and other key financial performance indicators
• Lead the Financial Planning and Analysis team to build and update rolling forecasts in partnership with school and regional leaders to ensure schools and regional budgets will meet annual operating income targets
• Consult with schools and teams that are off track and provide actionable recommendations to improve financial performance
• Partner with the Finance Services team to ensure high quality support, reference materials, and development options are available to financial managers
  

Lead the maintenance of long-term financial models for existing regions based on IDEA's strategic plan, national expansion and program changes. 

• Support the development of mathematical, analytical, statistical constructs and models to understand the impact of operating across existing and new regions 
• Align financial model outcomes with annual budgeting and proforma processes
• Train internal stakeholders (Executive Directors, Senior Leadership, Advancement Leadership, etc.) on the purposes and outcomes of regional financial models
• Produce and maintain two-five year revenue and expense forecasts
  

Provide leadership and guidance to the Payroll team.

• Ensure the annual payroll calendar is holistic and adapts to meet the evolving needs of the organization in any given fiscal year
• Develop and manage necessary relationships with banking partners and payroll vendors to ensure smooth processing and exception resolution. 
• Ensure Payroll team has adequate resources and information to carry out essential duties in a timely and compliant manner. 
• Assist the Payroll team in resolving grievances that arise during the fiscal year. Human Assets and Finance Teams to develop annual work and payroll calendars?
• Review data and reporting regarding key metrics, develop a dashboard available to mangers to provide additional transparency and visibility to payroll accuracy?
• Strategically partner with other key stakeholders such as Accounting, Treasury, Grants, Staffing, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Information Systems and Financial Planning and Analysis to build understanding for shared Payroll responsibilities. 
   

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and guidance to the Business Office Support Services Team: 
• Provide Strategic Direction: Ensure alignment with Finance and organizational goals; guide the Business Office Support Services leader in setting priorities and driving outcomes.
• Monitor Performance & Accountability: Track service metrics (e.g., Zendesk, customer satisfaction), review trends and team reports, and hold the team accountable to performance and compliance standards.
• Strengthen Communication: Review and advise on strategic communication plans tied to annual milestones; ensure messaging is clear, proactive, and aligned with Finance leadership.
• Foster Collaboration: Promote cross-functional collaboration—especially with HR Shared Services and Compensation—to improve the end-user experience and service delivery.

Knowledge and Skills – Competencies

• Make Strategic Decisions: This team member fosters an inclusive decision-making environment by encouraging diverse perspectives, managing disagreements constructively, and creating space for all voices to be heard. They clearly communicate final decisions, providing context and anticipated impact-even when choices are difficult or unpopular.
• Manage Work and Teams: This team member leads cross-functional coordination to align efforts with strategic goals, optimizing resource use and minimizing silos. They build accountability frameworks, monitor key performance indicators to guide adjustments, and mentor emerging leaders, while implementing scalable systems that enhance efficiency and team effectiveness.
• Grow Self and Others: This team member uses data to assess development needs and designs learning opportunities that align with team goals and individual career growth. They model a growth mindset by being open about their own development and ensure that both personal and team-led learning initiatives are impactful and well-aligned with organizational priorities.
• Build a Culture of Trust:  This team member builds trust and drives positive engagement across multiple groups, as reflected in strong feedback and survey results. They proactively address concerns, model transparency and authenticity, and foster collaboration through open, honest communication and shared ownership.
• Communicate Deliberately: This team member communicates a clear and compelling vision that aligns team efforts with organizational goals. They proactively identify and address communication gaps across workstreams, implementing solutions to enhance coordination, while anticipating and resolving stakeholder concerns before they surface.

Additional Skills:

·          Skill in critical-thinking and problem-solving, along with the ability to perform during moments of ambiguity   

·          Skill in organization, prioritization, follow-through, and attention to detail  

·          Ability to plan and conduct financial and management audits  

·          Knowledge of state school finance and the willingness to learn other states education finance systems  

·          Able to build strong relationships and mutually beneficial business partnerships through trust, empathy, and credibility  

·          Able to manage and monitor multiple projects at once, often under pressure with competing priorities and tight turnarounds while maintaining composure, ensuring quality, and achieving results   

·          Able to analyze and interpret data and statistics to identify trends, draw conclusions, and develop strategies and tactics that that yield results and achieve goals

Required experience:

·          Bachelor’s degree in accounting, management, finance, business or another relevant field. 

·          10 years of work experience with 5 years finance, accounting or auditing experience; preferably non-profit or educational setting 

·          Mastery in MS Excel and proven experience in building and maintaining complex financial models required.

Preferred experience:

• Master of Accountancy or Business Administration preferred. 

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to be sedentary for extended periods of time. 

What We Offer:

Compensation & Benefits:

Salaries for people entering this role typically fall between $161,600 and $198,800, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications and in alignment with internal equity. This role is also eligible for performance pay based on organizational performance and goal attainment.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, and vision plans, disability, life insurance, parenting benefits, flexible spending account options, generous vacation time, referral bonuses, professional development, and a 403(b) plan. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

* IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

Application process:

Submit your application online through Jobvite. Please note that applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

Learn more about IDEA

At IDEA the Staff Experience Team uses our Core Values to promote human connection and a culture of integrity, respect, and belonging for all Team and Family members.  Learn more about our Commitment to Core Values here: https://ideapublicschools.org/our-story/#core-values