Greenhouse Gas Management Institute Director of Finance and Operations Remote · Full time Company website

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Addressing climate change will require fundamental societal, organizational, and behavioral changes on a global scale. The GHGMI is dedicated to creating an ever-improving professional society composed of internationally recognized, highly competent, and unquestionably ethical professionals that provide the foundation and leadership for greenhouse gas management globally.

Founded in 2007, GHGMI builds and supports a global community of experts and institutions with the highest standards of professional practice in measuring, accounting for, auditing, and managing greenhouse gas emissions, meeting the needs of governments, corporations, and organizations large and small.
We educate countries, organizations, and communities on the basics of GHG accounting, auditing, and management, train professionals to meet the highest standards of expertise and ethical conduct, and conduct forward-looking research into critical GHG measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) issues.

GHGMI also partners with other nonprofits worldwide, public agencies, and small and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries. We collaborate with other organizations in various regions of the world to provide training in multiple languages and in ways that address local conditions.

The Director of Finance and Operations is responsible for managing finances and operations across the organization, ensuring that grants and contracts are administered accurately and in compliance with funder requirements, and that the organization’s financial records are timely, complete, and audit-ready. Responsibilities include:

Approximate time allocation: strategic leadership, governance, and controls (20%); financial management and reporting (35%); grants and contracts, pre-award to close-out (30%); operations, systems, and HR support (15%).

Strategic Leadership, Governance, and Controls

·     Advise the Executive Director and Managing Director on organizational financial planning and decisions, bringing a financial and operational perspective to strategic planning, major decisions, and organizational growth.

·     Develop and maintain a multi-year financial plan and sustainability strategy, including reserve targets, full recovery of indirect costs, pricing of training courses and fee-for-service work, and diversification of funding sources.

·     Lead the financial review of new proposals and contracts before GHGMI commits, assessing cost recovery, cash flow, currency, and compliance risk, and advise Directors on project finances.

·     Own GHGMI's finance and operations policies, including financial management, procurement, travel, payments, delegation of authority, conflict of interest, anti-fraud and anti-bribery, whistleblower, safeguarding, data protection, and document retention. Keep them current with funder and legal requirements, review them at least annually, keep them simple enough to follow in practice, and train staff on them.

·     Design, document, and monitor internal controls at every level of the function, covering budgeting, procurement, payments, grants, contracts, and system access. Maintain the delegation of authority matrix and segregation of duties, carry out periodic control reviews, and track audit and funder findings through to resolution.

·     Maintain an organizational risk register covering financial, compliance, operational, and data security risks, and report mitigation plans to senior management and the Board.

·     Act as staff lead to the Board Finance Committee and Treasurer, preparing board financial packages, the annual budget for approval, audit results, and policy updates.

·     Supervise, coach, and set priorities for the finance and operations team (1.5 FTE), and manage the external bookkeeper, accountant, and auditors.

Financial Management and Reporting

·     Manage day-to-day financial and accounting operations and support Senior Management and the Board in maintaining the financial health of the organization.

·     Own the financial close out and financial statement processes, directing GHGMI's external bookkeeper and reviewing transaction coding, reconciliations, journal entries, payroll accounting, revenue recognition, and review of AP, payroll, credit card, bank, and revenue activity for accuracy, completeness, and policy compliance.

·     Prepare program and project spend-down reports, identifying financial trends, risks, budget variances, and cash flow concerns. Explain financial results clearly to colleagues without a finance background.

·     Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process with Senior Management and project directors, including rolling cash flow forecasts and monitoring of operating reserves.

·     Translate financial information into clear, actionable analysis for the Executive Director, Managing Director, Board, Finance Committee, and program team, and recommend corrective actions as needed.

·     Maintain accounting system integrity, including the chart of accounts in coordination with the external bookkeeper and accountant.

·     Oversee project accounts receivable and payable, including invoicing funders and clients in line with contract terms, applying payments, reconciling accounts, and following up on past-due balances.

·     Oversee the preparation of domestic and international payments for Managing Director approval, require independently verification of any change to vendor bank details before payment, and liaise with the bank on payment issues.

·     Manage multi-currency grants and payments, including foreign exchange gains and losses on awards and contracts denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars.

·     Oversee vendor and contractor records, including W-9s, W-8s, contracts, and information needed for Form 1099 and, where applicable, Form 1042-S reporting.

·     Ensure that vendors, consultants, and partners are screened against U.S. (OFAC) and UN sanctions lists before contracting and payment, and that records of the checks are kept.

·     Oversee payroll processing and updates for consultants based outside the United States, including identifying opportunities for reducing wire fees.

·     Manage organizational billing and indirect cost rates, including annual rate sheet updates, fringe and indirect cost pool calculations, and preparation and negotiation of the NICRA proposal.

·     Lead the annual financial audit (including a Single Audit where applicable) and project audits, including audit schedules and Form 990 coordination, and ongoing compliance with grant, audit, insurance, and internal policy requirements.

Grants and Contracts: Pre-Award to Close-Out

·     Work with project directors to develop proposal budgets, budget narratives, and cost proposals, applying the correct billing, fringe, and indirect cost rates and funder cost rules.

·     Maintain institutional registrations and funder due-diligence requirements (for example, SAM.gov/UEI, UN Global Marketplace, and donor portals), and complete funder financial capacity assessments.

·     Serve as the primary compliance contact for project teams from award through close-out, ensuring grants and contracts are implemented according to the operational financial, reporting and monitory and evaluation needs of the organization. Interpret funder terms and regulations (including 2 CFR 200 where applicable, and multilateral and bilateral donor rules), advise project leads on requirements, and manage extensions, amendments, and close-out requests.

·     Develop and maintain project-specific tools, including project tracking, schedules and calendars, project files, communication tools, and operational systems.

·     Develop and manage regular reporting processes to support project implementation and evaluation, including timesheets, financial trackers, and other internal reports as requested.

·     Monitor grant expenditures and funding deadlines; identify financial indicators or anomalies to be reviewed by the project team.

·     Assess the risk of subrecipients and subcontractors before award, flow down funder requirements in their agreements, and review their budgets, invoices, and reports for compliance, leading corrective action when a partner is out of compliance.

·     Prepare financial reports, invoices, and funds requests for grants and contracts; identify and communicate financial status to relevant project staff.

·     Maintain audit-ready documentation and prepare schedules for audits, funder reviews, and site visits.

·     Promptly report compliance risks, unsupported expenses, missed deadlines, or unresolved discrepancies to project directors and the Managing Director.

Organizational Operations and Systems

·     Oversee budgeting and reimbursement processes for staff and subcontractor project travel.

·     Maintain internal systems and tools (Google Workspace, QuickBooks, Gusto, ClickTime, Slack, Dropbox, Asana, Airtable, and other subscriptions), assess organizational needs, recommend and implement improved tools, and train staff on their use.

·     Manage vendor relationships for insurance, banking, payroll, benefits, and technology; coordinate insurance renewals and support risk management and data security practices.

·     Support the Managing Director in ensuring the organization is in good legal standing (e.g., state corporate filings, charitable solicitation registrations, and employer registrations in each state where staff live).

·     Proactively identify and develop strategies to optimize internal processes, and independently troubleshoot unforeseen operational and project barriers.

Contract Management

·     Draft, review, and edit organizational agreements using GHGMI templates, including subcontracts, teaming agreements, professional service agreements, amendments, and nondisclosure agreements, and lead their negotiation, coordinating with legal counsel as needed and routing them to authorized signatories for execution.

·     Manage organizational relationships with grant and contract funders and subcontractors.

·     Manage the contract life-cycle from initiation to close-out, including extensions and amendments, and maintain correspondence and documentation, including the grants and contracts tracker.

·     Identify and develop processes for streamlining contract management.

HR and Benefits Support

·     Assist the Managing Director with the coordination of payroll, timesheets, and benefits selection.

·     Support onboarding and offboarding, employee records, and compliance documentation in partnership with the Managing Director.

·     Support updates to the employee handbook and HR policies, including PTO, and help ensure compliance with employment laws; escalate sensitive HR matters to the Managing Director and Executive Director.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The candidate is extremely organized, personable, engaged, a self-starter and can prioritize a diverse workload. Required qualifications include:

·     Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience

·     At least 7-10 years in a finance and operations managerial role at a nonprofit, leading organizational finances, grant and contract compliance, and operational activities.

·     Strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting principles, grant processes and practices, and experience with month-end and year-end close

·     Experience developing and monitoring budgets, financial reporting, reconciliations, and reviewing the work of bookkeepers or accounting staff

·     Experience with grant and subaward management, including invoicing, reporting, and funder compliance

·     Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating grant agreements, subcontracts, and service agreements

·     Proficiency in QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, and the ability to learn new systems quickly

·     Experience managing external providers such as bookkeepers, auditors, and preparing financial reports for a board or finance committee

·     Track record of designing internal control frameworks and writing and maintaining finance and operations policies, and of contributing to strategic and long-term financial planning with senior leadership

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

·     Advanced degree (such as an MBA or MPA) or a CPA or similar accounting credential

·     Working knowledge of payroll and HR functions, including benefits administration and employment compliance

·     Experience with international payments, foreign vendors or consultants, or payroll for employees outside the United States

·     Experience with Airtable, ClickTime, Asana, or similar tools

·     Experience at a small or growing organization, and experience training or supporting colleagues on financial and operational processes

·     Strong process improvement, problem-solving, and project management skills with a solutions-oriented approach

·     Judiciousness and fiscal responsibility in managing confidential organizational and financial matters

·     Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to explain financial information to people without a finance background

·     Effective relationship-building skills to maintain good connections with staff, management, contractors, and funders

·     Ability to handle a wide variety of work in a fast-paced environment and to work remotely with limited supervision

·     Experience with funding from governments, multilateral and UN organizations, foundations, or corporations, including cost principles, indirect cost rates (such as a NICRA), and audit requirements

·     Commitment to climate action and cross-cultural experience; fluency in a language other than English is an advantage

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $90,000 – $115,000 commensurate with experience. Benefits include:

·     Health insurance

·     401(k) with an employer match

·     15 paid holidays

·     20 vacation days

·     12 sick days

·     Annual salary increases

·     Eligibility for an annual organizational performance bonus

At GHGMI we recognize that attracting the best talent is key to our strategy and success as an organization. As a result, our salary ranges and benefits reflect a good faith estimate to provide fair compensation based on the candidate's expertise and skills.

APPLY

All applicants must be able to work during U.S. hours, with at least five hours of overlap with Pacific time each workday. To apply, please submit your CV highlighting experience relevant to this position, along with a cover letter that explains how you are a good fit for the role and why you are interested in working for GHGMI. All applications must be submitted by November 25, 2026. Applications submitted after this date will not be reviewed.

CULTURE

GHGMI is, by design, a remote, work-from-home organization. With staff located in the U.S. and around the world, we work as one team across time zones, using tools like Slack, Asana, and Google Workspace to stay connected.

We are a collaborative, mission-driven team that values open communication, shared ownership, and respect for each person’s expertise. You will learn from leading experts in greenhouse gas accounting, climate policy, and international capacity building, and gain hands-on experience managing large, internationally funded grants and contracts from governments, multilateral and UN organizations, foundations, and companies.

We invest in professional growth by offering new responsibilities as the organization grows and continued support for building your skills.