Democratic Governors Association (DGA) - Chief Financial Officer

About the Democratic Governors Association

Founded in 1983, the Democratic Governors Association (DGA) is an independent voluntary political organization organized to support Democratic governors and candidates across the nation.

Electing Democratic governors has never mattered more. As Washington is increasingly gridlocked, Democratic governors are protecting our rights and making progress on key issues in the states. Democratic governors are building brighter futures for all Americans –  expanding health care, creating good-paying jobs, protecting workers’ rights, and defending the right to vote.

As the only organization dedicated to electing Democratic governors and candidates, the DGA participates at all levels of campaigns, from providing resources to fund operations to helping articulate and deliver their messages. The DGA also helps governors lead their states. The organization serves as a clearinghouse of best practices to help governors and their staff share policy successes and learn from each other.

In 2022, the DGA set a record-breaking fundraising year, spending over $170 million directly on campaigns and electing a record-setting eight Democratic women governors. With a talented team of over 65 staff, the DGA is proud to support Democratic governors in 23 states and 4 U.S. territories, as well as the mayor in Washington, D.C.

Position Overview

As a member of senior-level staff, the Chief Financial Officer reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for strategically aligning the financial operations of the DGA and its associated state PACs, Federal PACs, 501(c) organizations, and Independent Expenditure organizations to its political and organizational goals.

The Chief Financial Officer is expected to provide counsel and analysis on the organization’s financial status to inform strategic spending decisions at the highest levels of the organization.

The ideal candidate is a financial strategist with a strong compliance background, a collaborative leader, and a creative problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced campaign environment and has a strong commitment to electing Democratic governors.

Key Responsibilities

• Create, actively manage, and provide regular reporting to the Executive Director on a $300 million+ organizational cycle budget;
• Regularly provide short-term and long-term cash flow projections to inform political spending decisions for the Executive, Political, and Independent Expenditure teams;
• Closely collaborate with other department directors to understand and manage budget changes and expectations;
• Oversee the facilitation of coordinated-side and independent-side political payments;
• Receive deposits to all entities through various fundraising programs while ensuring all campaign finance reporting obligations are met;
• Align multiple types of revenue streams to meet organizational needs, in collaboration with leadership;
• Appropriately manage financial risk across the organization by creating a culture of close collaboration, documentation, and strong accountability;
• Monitor changes in legal, regulatory, and administrative environments and implement changes in procedures needed to maintain compliance standards;

• Manage a talented team of seven staff and oversee day-to-day activities;

• Manage vendor relationships and relationships with financial institutions;
• Oversee quarterly/annual IRS and tax filings for all associated organizations in collaboration with accounting and legal firms;
• Oversee annual, external audits across all organizations;
• Manage other special projects, assignments, and tasks across the entire organization as assigned by the Executive Director.

Key Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience managing multi-million-dollar, multi-account, and multi-department budgets for a political committee, political organization, and/or a national non-profit/advocacy organization;
• At least 10 years of experience managing financial operations for a committee or organization with federal and state campaign finance reporting obligations; experience with both federal and state level organizations required and experience with nonfederal committees strongly preferred;
• A strong understanding of the different functions and reporting requirements for nonfederal committees, Federal PACs, 527 organizations, state-registered PACs, 501(c) organizations;
• Demonstrated expertise managing financial strategy and operations, including providing short-term and long-term forecasts, managing cash flow, and overseeing internal controls;
• At least four years of experience working collaboratively with senior leaders across an organization to execute organizational goals;
• At least four years managing staff as well as outside consultants, auditors, lawyers, and accountants;
• Demonstrated experience with generally accepted accounting principles and collaborating with auditors to ensure the financial health of multiple organizations;
• Experience using QuickBooks accounting software and NGP VAN software;
• Must be comfortable with long, irregular hours during peak seasons;
• Knowledgeable of who the nation’s Democratic governors are and how they fit within the Democratic Party;
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the overall mission of the DGA.

Location, Structure, and Benefits

The CFO directly reports to the Executive Director, and the position is based in the DGA’s downtown Washington, DC office.

The DGA offers 100% employer-paid health care for employee + spouse/partner + dependents, up to 4% 401(k) matching program, employer paid phone bill, and other employee benefits.

To Apply

Submit a resume at https://grossmansolutions.applytojob.com/apply. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

The DGA recognizes that its continued success requires a staff of hardworking, intelligent people from diverse backgrounds. The DGA is committed to ensuring equal opportunity employment regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status. The DGA strongly encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply to these positions.