Director of Finance

Position Summary

The Madison Symphony Orchestra seeks a strategic, analytically strong, and collaborative finance professional to serve as Director of Finance. This role is a key thought partner to the Executive Director and a member of the senior leadership team. The Director of Finance will be responsible for all finance and business operations functions, including accounting, financial reporting, payroll (staff and musician), budgeting, compliance, legal affairs, reports and surveys, insurance, administrative operations, and support for governance. The Director of Finance will ensure that Madison Symphony Orchestra remains financially resilient, operationally sound, and aligned with best practices, while fostering collaboration, and transparency.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Madison Symphony Orchestra’s senior financial executive, responsible for fiscal stewardship of all MSO, MSOF and MSOL bank accounts, and the integrity of financial reporting and internal controls, reporting directly to the Executive Director and functioning as the primary financial liaison to the Board of Trustees and its committees.
• Serve as a staff liaison to the Finance Committee.
• Partner with Finance Committee Chair to develop agendas, provide analysis and recommendations, and present financial data and reports as needed.
• Lead development of the annual operating budget, along with forecasting, scenario planning, and multi-year financial modeling to support the organization’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Develop and maintain financial dashboards, scorecards, and key performance indicators.
• Oversee treasury management, including cash flow planning and relationships with banks, custodians, and investment managers.
• Oversee risk management activities, including insurance coverage and contractual review.
• Serve on a small leadership team managing union relationships and negotiations.
• Manage the external audit process and act as primary liaison to the shared services provider.
• In collaboration with Development, oversee gift accounting to ensure accurate records and donor intent documentation for pledges, planned gifts, and restricted and endowment funds.
• Collaborate with the Development team to supply financial modeling, budgets, reporting, and compliance documentation for grant proposals and post-award reporting, ensuring fiscal accuracy and adherence to funder requirements.
• Partner with Marketing, Orchestra Operations, and Education and Community Engagement to forecast and reconcile all earned-revenue streams – box office, merchandise, rentals and lead show settlements to protect margins and ensure strong cash flow.

Work closely with the Madison Symphony Orchestra League, Friends of the Overture Concert Organ, and the Madison Symphony Orchestra Foundation. Provide accounting services and write their checks, do their books, generate monthly reports and prepare for the audit.

Qualifications

• Ability to translate complex financial data into clear insights that support decision-making at the senior leadership and board level, including monitoring performance against budget and identifying trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Experience partnering with senior leaders and boards on long-term financial planning and organizational sustainability in a nonprofit, arts, or other mission-driven organization.
• 3+ years of experience in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis, including multi-year modeling and scenario planning.
• Experience with accounting, audit, or financial reporting, and the ability to work effectively across strategic and operational finance functions.
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics, business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience; CPA, advanced degree, or relevant certifications preferred.
• Strong communication skills and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach, with the ability to build effective working relationships across departments and with external partners.

Commitment to the mission of the Madison Symphony Orchestra.

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