Chief Financial Officer

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Chief Financial Officer

Santa Fe, NM

 

About Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, opened to the public in July 1997, eleven years after the death of its namesake artist. A visit to the O’Keeffe Museum offers insight not only into the artist’s paintings, but also her creative process as well as the light and landscape that inspired her. Since its opening, the Museum has attracted nearly 4 million visitors who come to connect with an icon of American art whose radical approach to painting and living inspired the world. The Museum is a vital platform for understanding O’Keeffe’s artistic legacy, creative process, and cultural landscape.

 

One of the most significant artists of the 20th century, Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) was devoted to creating imagery that expressed what she called “the wideness and wonder of the world as I live in it.” O’Keeffe’s images—instantly recognizable as her own —include abstractions, large-scale depictions of flowers, leaves, rocks, shells, bones and other natural forms, New York cityscapes, and paintings of the unusual shapes and colors of architectural and landscape forms of northern New Mexico. The Museum’s collections of over 18,000 objects includes 140 O’Keeffe oil paintings, 700 drawings, and hundreds of additional works dating from 1901 to 1984, the year failing eyesight forced O’Keeffe into retirement.

 

In addition to the main Museum campus in Santa Fe, the O’Keeffe Museum maintains O’Keeffe’s two historic homes and studios in northern New Mexico at Abiquiu and Ghost Ranch, a research center and library, and a variety of collections relating to O’Keeffe and modern art. O’Keeffe’s home and studio along the Chama River in Abiquiu, New Mexico, about an hour north of Santa Fe, is a national historic landmark and one of the most important artistic sites in the United States. Through its collections and exhibitions, education programs, and community engagement, the Museum provides visitors with passage to O’Keeffe’s story and spirit, and to the curiosity and creativity in their own lives.

 

With a current annual budget of $8.5 million, the O’Keeffe employs approximately 60 employees, making it one of the largest and most influential non-profit organizations in the region. The Museum enjoys national and international recognition, contributing to an annual attendance at all sites of nearly 200,000. The Museum also benefits from an operating endowment of more than $65 million and an acquisitions endowment of more than $60 million.

 

The O’Keeffe is undertaking a campus expansion project which includes enhanced galleries alongside expanded educational and public programming facilities to foster a new level of engagement with the communities and people of New Mexico and a renewed commitment to audience experience.

 

For more information on the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, please visit their website.

 

About Santa Fe, NM

In Santa Fe, culture is at the forefront of city life. The 400-year-old Palace of the Governors is a backdrop to a city plaza that is animated with events year round. Restaurants serve dishes reflecting the Spanish and Native American influence, art and artists are found everywhere, including the fine-art galleries that line Canyon Road, and add contemporary energy to the Railyard district. Creative entrepreneurs are putting Santa Fe at the forefront of the experiential economy, most notably in the phenomenon that is “Meow Wolf.”

 

There are free outdoor concerts at the central plaza bandstand all summer long and the world-famous Santa Fe Opera with its glorious outdoor amphitheater. From dance and theater, to chamber music and symphony, or rock, pop, blues, and world music, Santa Fe’s performing arts scene is vibrant and diverse. Outdoor enthusiasts have options with both the hiking and biking trails that run through the surrounding terrain or head to the ski slopes in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, about a half-hour drive from downtown.

 

Tourism, state government and the nearby Los Alamos National Laboratory dominate Santa Fe's economy as well as the health care sector. The city fosters entrepreneurship, especially in areas such as green technology and media, and supports start-ups through the Santa Fe Business Incubator.

 

It is a culturally rich and complex city that nurtures both the old and the new in an effort to retain its rich and diverse cultural history and heritage while addressing modern-day concerns. Santa Fe is renowned for its friendly people, religious tolerance, progressive politics, and social consciousness.

 

With a mild four-season climate that averages 300 days of sunshine a year, easy access to outdoor recreation, and more arts and cultural events than one could possibly attend, and it’s easy to see why Santa Fe attracts a creative, active populace.

 

Position Summary and Key Responsibilities

The Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) is responsible for all aspects of the financial operations for the Museum. Reporting directly to the Museum Director, the CFO provides accounting, budgetary, operational and programmatic support to all Museum programs and activities. This position directly oversees and supervises the financial/accounting staff and serves as an active member of the Leadership Management Team helping to develop and implement the Museum’s vision and mission.

 

The CFO is responsible for the management of the Museum’s finances and investments, directing the day-to-day accounting and related financial activities of the Museum to ensure sound fiscal administration and legal compliance for the museum and associated corporate entities. As a key organizational leader, offer sounds analysis to recommend and establish appropriate policies and procedures to safeguard the assets and resources of the Museum.

 

Budget Development and Monitoring

  • Establish a schedule for budget planning, coordinate budget preparation with all fiscal managers and with the Finance and Audit Committee, and prepare, with the Director, the Museum’s annual Operating and Capital budgets and both short and long-term forecasts.
  • Establish a schedule for budget monitoring, departmental reporting, analysis of variances and recommending corrective action as necessary.

 

Financial Reporting

  • Prepare and analyze monthly financial reports to ensure compliance with GAAP and the guidelines established by the Finance Committee.
  • Establish and maintain accounting controls over Museum’s restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring compliance with GAAP.
  • Create and maintain financial policies and procedures manual to ensure organization-wide compliance with all accounting laws, professional standards and best practices.
  • Serve as ex-officio member of the Finance Committee, and provide regular reports to the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees.
  • Serves as ex-officio member of the Investment Committee and a liaison with investment consultants.Provides regular reports to the Investment Committee and the Board of Trustees.

 

Tax and Audit Completion

  • Manage preparation of tax returns and related reports to ensure compliance with government requirements.
  • Establish appropriate internal checks and balances to prevent fraud and abuse, and safeguard Museum assets, and perform internal audits of purchase orders, payroll, payables and receivables to ensure compliance with established procedures.
  • Prepare for annual audit and other audit activities, including serving as liaison with external auditors.

 

Day-to-Day Operations

  • Forecast requirements, directcash flows and maintain appropriate level of liquidity to ensure continuity of operations.
  • Manage relationships with banks, auditors and contracts with outside vendors/agencies, including negotiations of terms and conditions, costs/premiums and coverage.
  • Working with Director of Museum Advancement, establish and monitor retail sales profitability, prepared income and loss statements and comparison reports on items sold in Museum Shop and oversees physical inventory.
  • Oversee internal financial and accounting processes related to efficient functioning of Museum.
  • Provide guidance and supervision to personnel to ensure effective performance and accomplishment of department goals.
  • Manage the Museum’s liability insurance package, including ongoing risk analysis.
  • Support the operation and sound management of museum-owned properties, possibly including income-generating leased facilities.

 

Organizational Leadership

  • Provide support and guidance to all departments related to any financial activities, procedures and/or processes.
  • Understand and oversee various corporate entities (the Museum is incorporated as a 501(c)3 and also operates a 509(a)(1) supporting organization and a for-profit corporation for the development of products and services relating to the conservation of fine art).

 

Ad Hoc

  • Perform additional duties, both assigned and implied, consistent with the employee’s background and training, and which are of value to the Museum.

 

Candidate Profile

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or comparable field required. Master’s degree in Business Administration and/or CPA preferred.

 

The ideal candidate will possess the following professional and personal attributes, skills, and characteristics:

 

Finance Expertise & Operations Acumen

The CFO will bring a minimum of eight years of accounting/finance experience, including five years of department supervision/management; experience working with non-profits and Board of Directors, running a 21st-century finance department is strongly preferred, and the ability and confidence to ensure that the O’Keeffe’s financial oversight is of the highest caliber. The CFO will be a strategic, visionary, and creative finance leader with the tactical ability to “deep dive” into the details with strong quantitative and analytical skills. The CFO is able to transition seamlessly between the “big picture” and minutiae. This leader will bring a high level of intellectual horsepower with a collaborative, creative, and customer service-oriented mindset. The CFO must have proven experience in developing and managing complex budgets; knowledge of GAAP and non-profit accounting, specifically pronouncements of FASB related to non-profit organizations; and facility with accounting applications and spreadsheet software is essential. Experience with the Financial Edge G/L software is a plus. The CFO will be skilled at presenting financial information in a clear, confident fashion to a range of constituents with varying levels of expertise.

 

Building Relationships and Leading Through Influence

This leader will have strong executive presence, engender confidence and lead with authority. The CFO has the ability to operate effectively both independently and in collaborative team environments, and will be skilled at quickly establishing rapport and cultivating relationships across all levels of the organization including Board members, staff, and volunteers. Highly articulate and a deft communicator, the CFO will easily convey the O’Keeffe’s successes and opportunities with passion and intensity in written and verbal formats in both formal and informal situations. The CFO will embrace the culture of the O’Keeffe Museum, while also fostering best-in-class practices in a productive manner. The CFO will foster trust and collaboration among team members and possess the ability to manage through change with flexibility and poise. This leader has a positive attitude and sense of humor and is an individual with unquestioned integrity, ethics and values; someone who can be trusted with highly confidential and sensitive information.

 

Ability to Execute for Results

The CFO will have the skills to provide leadership for a new institutional chapter following a period of significant growth. As a strategic partner to the Museum Director, the CFO will conceptualize and analyze problems and solutions in a proactive, constructive, creative manner that will result in improved performance across the organization. A great listener and sound problem solver with excellent reasoning skills, this executive has the ability to understand and deal with complexities with ease and creatively overcome obstacles to achieve goals. The CFO will execute for results with a high degree of responsiveness and motivation. The CFO possesses the curiosity and drive to stay ahead of trends in the museum world in order to identify new and unique opportunities to serve the mission.

 

A Passion for the Mission

The CFO will bring a passion for the mission of the O’Keeffe Museum. This is a leader who understands, and embraces, that the finance functions of a cultural institution of this caliber is dedicated to serving the overall mission of the institution. Sensitive to the O’Keeffe’s culture, this executive will be committed to effectively leading teams and serving as a strategic partner to the Museum Director to support the goals of the institution. This individual will bring a deep appreciation for the business challenges that nonprofits face and an excitement to be part of a team that is focused on identifying creative and strategic solutions to help the O’Keeffe thrive in this next chapter.

 

Contact

Koya Leadership Partners, the executive search firm that specializes in mission-driven search, has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Stephen Milbauer and Naree Viner are leading this search. To make recommendations or to express your interest in this role please visit this link or email smilbauer@koyapartners.com. All nominations, inquiries, and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

 

The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants.

 

Koya does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, military status, veteran status, genetic information, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We encourage all to apply because we believe a diversity of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.