Director of Finance

Protect Democracy seeks an experienced Director of Finance to head our Finance and Accounting functions, reporting to Executive Leadership. This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished financial leader who is passionate about our mission, oriented towards solutions, and adaptable amidst uncertainty.

In this role, you will lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning; and oversee accounting, controls, and compliance. You’ll manage a small, highly collaborative team (including an Accounting Manager and a Finance Manager) and bring clear financial leadership to a complex, multi-entity nonprofit, working closely with Legal, Compliance, and organizational leadership. You’ll partner with Partnerships to deliver accurate, timely donor reporting. And ultimately, you will be the person colleagues consult to understand the financial implications of a decision, to weigh the risks and tradeoffs, and to assess alignment between resources and strategy.

About our organization: Protect Democracy formed in late 2016, recognizing that the global wave of authoritarianism had begun to erode American shores. We have since assembled a team of120+ expertswho have served under Democrats and Republicans and in the senior ranks of other nonprofit, political, or media organizations. Our team includes lawyers, policy experts, legislative advocates, media strategists, writers, data analysts, and software developers. In 2023, our team received a Skoll Award for Social Innovation and a MacArthur Fellowship. We anchor all of our work in service of our mission: it is the foundation of our team, be it litigation, advocacy, or ensuring that our organization has the secure financial operations to continue to meet the urgency of the moment.

You can work remotely from nearly any location in the United States.* We strongly encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds and from across the political and ideological spectrum to apply.A commitment to our mission andcross-ideological strategyfor defending our democracy is essential.

The priority deadline to apply for this role is November 15, 2026; we will review applications received after that date on a rolling basis.  Please note that candidates who reach the final hiring stage will be required to satisfactorily complete a pre-offer background check.**

The Director of Finance will:

• Lead organizational budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning, including annual budgets, multi-year projections, scenario analysis, and financial reporting, ensuring leadership has timely, accurate, and actionable information to support strategic decisions and resource allocation;

• Lead and integrate the Finance function, managing the Accounting Manager and Finance Manager, developing staff and managers, and establishing clear priorities, responsibilities, and sustainable workloads across accounting, finance operations, payroll, and related activities;

• Direct accounting, financial controls, and compliance, including month-end close, audits, tax filings, regulatory reporting, financial policies, and internal controls, ensuring accuracy, timely execution, and appropriate oversight of the organization's financial activities;

• Provide financial leadership across complex nonprofit structures, including multiple entities, state charitable registrations, grant funding, cost allocations, and other arrangements requiring sound financial judgment and coordination with Legal, Compliance, Partnerships, and organizational leadership;

• Serve as a trusted financial partner to executive leadership and teams across Protect Democracy, helping colleagues understand financial implications, evaluate risks and tradeoffs, and make informed decisions while establishing clear expectations for financial planning, forecasting, and cross-functional coordination;

• Lead improvements to financial systems, processes, and infrastructure, overseeing the effectiveness of contract-to-payment, procurement, payroll, and financial reporting workflows, and strengthening coordination, efficiency, reliability, and internal controls.

The ideal candidate brings:

• Approximately 10+ years of progressively responsible finance experience, including substantial nonprofit financial leadership and experience presenting financial results and forecasts to Executive Leadership and Board of Directors;

• Deep expertise in nonprofit financial management, including accounting, financial reporting, cost allocations, audits, and regulatory compliance across multiple nonprofit entities, including 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) structures;

• Advanced financial planning and analytical capabilities, including experience leading complex budgeting and forecasting processes, multi-year financial modeling, and translating financial information into actionable recommendations;

• Strong financial and operational judgment, including the ability to navigate ambiguity, assess complex or unfamiliar situations, identify material risks, and develop practical solutions;

• Proven leadership and people-management skills, including at least five years of experience setting priorities, delegating effectively, developing managers and staff, and building collaborative, high-performing teams;

• Experience overseeing financial systems, controls, and operations, with a track record of improving processes, strengthening reporting, and leading organizational or systems changes:

  • Experience with Sage Intacct is required;

• Excellent communication, relationship-management, and organizational skills, including the ability to work effectively across departments, manage competing priorities, and communicate financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues;

• A deep commitment to Protect Democracy's mission.
  
  

Preferred, but not required:

• Experience in advocacy, legal, public policy, or other mission-driven organizations with complex funding and programmatic structures;

• Familiarity with Rippling, Ramp, or comparable financial management systems;

• CPA, CNAP, or similar certification.
  
  

Compensation:

The starting salary range for this role is $166,600-$186,000, commensurate with the candidate’s relevant experience, capabilities, and skills, and in alignment with internal equity. 

About Protect Democracy:

• *Flexible location. We are a remote-first organization based exclusively in the United States, meaning our staff work within the US and primarily virtually. We also offer shared workspaces for those who enjoy working in an office environment. We are established for remote work in many states across the country, and while candidates based anywhere in the United States are welcome to apply, we may not be able to offer employment in your current location. If you proceed in the hiring process, we will discuss where you currently live and what is possible in our initial interview. All staff are also required to travel at least two times per year to team retreats, and this role also requires periodic travel. (Accommodations to this requirement will be made only in exceptional circumstances.) 

• Commitment to an inclusive workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that a broad range of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences strengthens our ability to analyze problems, craft solutions, and drive meaningful change. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

• Phenomenal benefits. Our benefits package includes generous sick leave and a flexible vacation policy where we encourage team members to take 4-5 weeks every year, along with 12 paid holidays, 6 weeks of paid family medical leave, and 18 weeks of paid parental leave. We also offer a 401(k) plan with up to 6% employer match that vests immediately. Additionally, we cover employee medical premiums at 100% (with up to 95% coverage for dependents depending on plan selection), and employee and dependents dental/vision at 100%. All employees have access to long-term disability and life insurance, fertility benefits, a home office stipend, and bonuses at the discretion of the Executive Director.

• Ample opportunities for personal & professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

To apply for this position:

Please complete the application linked below. As part of your application, you will be asked to upload PDFs of your resume and cover letter. (Applications missing any of the required materials will be considered incomplete and not reviewed.) The priority deadline to apply for this role is November 15, 2026; we will review applications received after that date on a rolling basis. 

**More information regarding the background check: Candidates who reach the final stage of the hiring process will be required to satisfactorily complete a pre-offer background check. This may include identity verification, past employment and education verification, social media history, bankruptcy and civil court records, criminal records, and any other elements deemed relevant to the role and the security of the organization. 

Important notes:

• Contact [email protected] if you require specific accommodations at any point in the hiring process.

• Keep an eye on your promotions/spam folders to avoid missed communication.

• A note on fair hiring and automated tech: To help our small team review applications efficiently and fairly, we use automated screening tools to assist with resume and response review. Every candidate flagged by our system is reviewed by a member of our recruiting team; we never rely on automated scoring alone to make hiring decisions. If you have questions about this process, or need an alternative application path as an accommodation, reach out to us at [email protected]. 

• We are unable to provide status updates for each application we receive. If you reach out and do not hear back, please know it is not for lack of appreciation or interest, but simply for lack of staff capacity to respond to individual inquiries.

• The application will include a voluntary EEO survey so that we can monitor the applicant pool as a whole for representation and equal employment opportunities, and to evaluate our progress as an organization toward a diverse and inclusive workforce, which we believe is a pillar of a thriving democracy. The categories used by the EEO survey are limited and may not reflect your lived experience; please feel free to opt out of any of the questions. Your responses to this survey are entirely separate from your application materials, are not accessible to those responsible for hiring decisions, and will not affect your candidacy in any way.