Executive Director, Accounting & Finance

The LCMS Mission "In grateful response to God's grace and empowered by the Holy Spirit through Word and Sacraments, the mission of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod is vigorously to make known the love of Christ by word and deed within our churches, communities, and world." Department Profile The Accounting and Financial Services department prepares and maintains, on behalf of the LCMS Chief Financial Officer, all budgetary accounting and financial records and reporting for the LCMS corporate entity. This includes general budgeting, accounting, and reporting, accounts payable, cash receipting and revenue recognition, payroll, treasury and investment management, and tax and compliance services. The department also provides certain of these services to Concordia Plan Services, the LCMS Foundation, Concordia University System, Inc., Concordia Historical Institute, and the Eastern District of the LCMS. In addition to these services, the department assists LCMS districts, congregations and church workers through research, consultation, workshops, training and publication of articles in the Synod’s publications, the Accounting Manual for Synod Districts and the annual Congregational Treasurer’s Manual. Reporting Relationships This position reports to the Chief Financial Officer. The incumbent will work closely with the Synod’s Operations Team (includes the Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Mission Officer) and with unit executives and staff from all corporate entities. Essential Job Functions Directs a team responsible for all accounting, budgeting, financial reporting and analysis, and related services indicated in the department profile Sets the direction and strategic plan for the Finance Department Stays abreast of accounting and technological trends and makes recommendations for changes or improvements to ensure compliance, best practices, and operational optimization Annually develops, sets, and communicates a calendar of activities for the Accounting Department and its deliverables Annually coordinates and leads the budgeting process for Corporate Synod Oversees preparation of the annual consolidated financial statements and supports the annual audit Provides leadership, coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities for staff Assists the CFO with preparation and coordination of the Long Range Plan for Corporate Synod Directs through the team the monthly close cycle including financial close, preparation of and distribution of financial statements and management reports, and other ad hoc analysis Maintains and maximizes relationships with third-party service providers including audit, banking, investment, and financial technology partners Monitors activities of the department for compliance with Synod Board of Directors Policies and Synod Bylaws Maintains policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all laws and regulations, provide clear direction for users, and maintain stewardship over the Synod’s resources Maintains the highest degree of ethical standards Identifies, implements, and maintains strong internal controls and addresses risks identified by internal and external auditors Supports, directly or through the team, key connections with District staff including the annual preparation of the Congregation Treasurer’s Manual and the annual Joint Business Administrator’s Conference May be asked to serve, from time to time, on one or more Boards of entities across the Synod, either directly or as the CFO’s designee Other duties as assigned by the CFO Education and Experience Member in good standing of an LCMS Congregation Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, or a Bachelor’s degree in another field with significant experience in nonprofit financial management Master’s degree in accounting or MBA (preferred) CPA or other relevant certification (preferred) Minimum 10 years of experience, with at least 5 years of management experience and 5 years of nonprofit experience (preferred) Competencies (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities) Leadership and Team Building: Attracts, develops, and retains talent. Fosters an atmosphere of collaboration. Encourages growth. Proactively addresses issues. Provides direction and clarity. Collaboration: Works effectively with others across the organization. Influences Others: Sets a compelling direction for the organization. Recruits support for key initiatives. Customer Service Mindset: Considers the needs of stakeholders outside the accounting organization and works to develop useful, actionable, and timely reporting across the organization Ethical Judgment & Integrity: Models ethical behavior. Commitment to transparency and accountability. Stewardship. Technological Savvy: Experience with accounting and reporting software and tools, process automation and design. Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite and similar productivity tools Detail-Oriented: Able to zoom in when necessary and demonstrate precision, ensuring accuracy and completeness of information and following up on outliers Strategic Thinking: Able to zoom out when necessary to see the big picture, set the direction, and align the department and resources to business needs Analytical Mindset: Capable of distilling large amounts of data and information into actionable insights, identifying trends and patters, to inform decision making Supervisory Responsibility This position supervises 2 Direct Reports (the Director of Accounting and the Director of Tax and Compliance) and oversees a total team of approximately 12.