APA International
Head of Business Operations & Financial Planning
APA International, Washington, DC
Note: APA operates on a 37.5-hour work week with one hour lunch breaks each day. APA sets salaries based on several considerations, including years of relevant experience, level of education, and previous staff and/or governance experience at APA.
The Head of Business Operations & Financial Planning is a senior leadership role focused on driving the financial and operational excellence of the publishing program of the American Psychological Association to support the association's mission to advance psychology as a science and a profession. This position is crucial to ensuring the program is financially sustainable, operationally efficient, and strategically positioned to continue their impact on scholars, students, and practitioners. The Head of Business Operations & Financial Planning will lead initiatives that optimize the publishing program's performance, ensuring that the resources, processes, and financial strategies are in place to achieve long-term growth and organizational objectives. By overseeing business planning, financial management, and operational processes, this role ensures that APA's publishing efforts support the association's broader mission of disseminating knowledge and contributing to psychological science and practice.
About APA
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 157,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. APA is a remote-first work environment that employs about 500 staff members. At APA, we are passionate about enhancing knowledge and improving the human condition. At APA, mental health, emotional well-being, and work-life balance are priorities.
About APA Publishing
APA Publishing is the premier publisher of psychological content and the global leader in the behavioral sciences through its Open Science practices, scholarly standards, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives. As APA's primary source of income, the publishing portfolio includes 89 journals, professional and academic books, Magination Press books for children and caregivers, PsycINFO discovery platform, and APA Style products. In the largest directorate of the association, APA Publishing staff are encouraged to collaborate, communicate, and innovate.
Education and Experience Required:
Education:
Experience:
Skills:
Computer Skills Required (including level of expertise):
Responsibilities:
Strategic Financial Leadership:
Advanced Business Planning & Reporting:
Performance Analysis & Decision-Making Support
Operational Leadership and Performance Management:
Stakeholder Engagement and Executive Reporting:
Supervision:
*Other Duties as Assigned
About APA:
The American Psychological Association (APA) represents 122,000 psychologists, students, and affiliates, primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also in other countries around the world. APA is a scientific and professional organization with about 500 employees and is categorized as a 501(c)(3) along with its 501(c)(6) companion organization, APA Services, Inc.
Job Location: Remote: APA jobs may be considered for remote work eligibility as defined in APA's Flexible Work Policy and are subject to approval. Remote work employees may not work from the following states or U.S. territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming.
Application Instructions:
Qualified candidates must apply online through APA's applicant system and attach a resume and cover letter specifying your salary expectations. Applications that are submitted without both documents are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed for consideration. Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. Please make sure to check your Spam folder if you do not receive an email from us.
The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected categories covered under local law.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)
The Head of Business Operations & Financial Planning is a senior leadership role focused on driving the financial and operational excellence of the publishing program of the American Psychological Association to support the association's mission to advance psychology as a science and a profession. This position is crucial to ensuring the program is financially sustainable, operationally efficient, and strategically positioned to continue their impact on scholars, students, and practitioners. The Head of Business Operations & Financial Planning will lead initiatives that optimize the publishing program's performance, ensuring that the resources, processes, and financial strategies are in place to achieve long-term growth and organizational objectives. By overseeing business planning, financial management, and operational processes, this role ensures that APA's publishing efforts support the association's broader mission of disseminating knowledge and contributing to psychological science and practice.
About APA
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 157,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. APA is a remote-first work environment that employs about 500 staff members. At APA, we are passionate about enhancing knowledge and improving the human condition. At APA, mental health, emotional well-being, and work-life balance are priorities.
About APA Publishing
APA Publishing is the premier publisher of psychological content and the global leader in the behavioral sciences through its Open Science practices, scholarly standards, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives. As APA's primary source of income, the publishing portfolio includes 89 journals, professional and academic books, Magination Press books for children and caregivers, PsycINFO discovery platform, and APA Style products. In the largest directorate of the association, APA Publishing staff are encouraged to collaborate, communicate, and innovate.
Education and Experience Required:
Education:
- Bachelor's degree required. MBA degree or CMA certification strongly preferred.
Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of senior financial management experience, with at least 5 years in executive roles, similar to CFO or VP of Finance positions, preferably at medium to large scholarly or professional publishing organizations.
- Extensive experience in overseeing financial planning, budgeting, and reporting for large, complex organizations, especially within the scholarly publishing or the digital content sector.
- Proven ability to manage professional staff, drive cross-functional initiatives, and align financial strategies with long-term organizational goals.
- Experience in contract negotiation, vendor management, and intellectual property management, with a focus on achieving financial optimization.
- Extensive experience with financial management tools (e.g., Business Central, advanced Excel, and project management software).
Skills:
- Exceptional financial acumen, with the ability to lead comprehensive financial strategies.
- Advanced proficiency in financial modeling, budgeting, and forecasting techniques.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with experience presenting financial results to executive-level stakeholders.
Computer Skills Required (including level of expertise):
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce.com, and financial management software.
Responsibilities:
Strategic Financial Leadership:
- Develop and implement financial strategies to maximize net revenues, ensuring financial sustainability and supporting the continued growth of APA's publishing program, which is critical to fulfilling the organization's mission of advancing psychology.
- Manage and oversee the financial planning process, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, of APA's $110M publishing office.
- Implement comprehensive financial controls to ensure the publishing organization meets its financial objectives while maintaining transparency and accountability.
- Lead financial planning efforts across publishing departments (Product, Editorial, Sales & Marketing) to ensure sustainable growth and operational excellence.
- Collaborate with association finance team on all financial reporting and accounting matters, assure compliance with accounting practice, and advocate for accounting treatment beneficial publishing needs.
Advanced Business Planning & Reporting:
- Provide strategic oversight and ongoing management reporting to the CPO and the publishing management team, improving business insights and enhancing financial transparency across the organization.
- Ensure business risks are tracked and managed in collaboration with internal stakeholders.
- Lead the development and implementation of advanced budgeting and financial reporting tools, inspired by best practices in top-tier non-profit associations with large publishing programs.
- Spearhead initiatives to optimize the financial performance of the publishing organization, from cost controls to revenue enhancement opportunities.
Performance Analysis & Decision-Making Support
- Establish key performance metrics and standard reports to guide performance across APA Publishing and within its three main functional areas: Editorial, Product, and Sales & Marketing.
- Collaborate closely with the business leaders in those functional areas to ensure they can make the appropriate business decisions to advance their impact and optimize their performance.
Operational Leadership and Performance Management:
- Lead a team of 20 Business & Planning and Sales Support professionals.
- Oversee sales support and invoicing processes within APA Publishing, ensuring they are timely, accurate and aligned with customer expectations.
- Collaborate with internal teams to negotiate favorable contracts with external partners and vendors
- Work with technology, legal, and financial colleagues to ensure appropriate organizational controls and processes are in place.
- Drive the successful and timely completion of financial product and process development projects that move the publishing business forward.
Stakeholder Engagement and Executive Reporting:
- Regularly present financial and operational performance results to the CPO and other senior executives, using data-driven insights to inform decision-making.
- Ensure that financial reporting is timely, aids comprehension and where applicable is actionable to support business understanding and improvement.
- Work with internal and external stakeholders to ensure financial goals are met across the organization and that APA's publishing operations reflect financial best practices.
Supervision:
- This role supervises a team of 20 FTEs and is responsible for ensuring the financial and operational success of APA Publishing.
*Other Duties as Assigned
About APA:
The American Psychological Association (APA) represents 122,000 psychologists, students, and affiliates, primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also in other countries around the world. APA is a scientific and professional organization with about 500 employees and is categorized as a 501(c)(3) along with its 501(c)(6) companion organization, APA Services, Inc.
Job Location: Remote: APA jobs may be considered for remote work eligibility as defined in APA's Flexible Work Policy and are subject to approval. Remote work employees may not work from the following states or U.S. territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming.
Application Instructions:
Qualified candidates must apply online through APA's applicant system and attach a resume and cover letter specifying your salary expectations. Applications that are submitted without both documents are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed for consideration. Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. Please make sure to check your Spam folder if you do not receive an email from us.
The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected categories covered under local law.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)