Chief Financial Officer, The Lamplighter School

The SchoolThe Lamplighter School (Lamplighter) is an independent, coeducational day school accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest with 470 students in Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade, making it unique compared to other early childhood and elementary schools in the Dallas area.Lamplighter was created in 1953 under the founders' vision of a school to celebrate and educate children while encouraging lifelong learning. The school is simultaneously rooted in culture-creating traditions and dedicated to providing innovative programming in math, science, technology, and the arts for the youngest learners. The school moved to its current location in 1969 and since has completed several expansions, including purchasing the land under the campus in 2010. Although the names and trends may have changed, the original mission of the school remains strongly intact.The OpportunityUnder the leadership of Dr. Joan Buchanan Hill, Catherine M. Rose Head of School, The Lamplighter School looks into the future with excitement and momentum generated by the accomplishments reached by the institution through the vision of the Board of Trustees. Lamplighter is seeking an experienced and data-driven financial executive to manage all aspects of the school’s finances and execute its strategic objectives.Reporting to the Head of School, and supervising a staff of three, the Chief Financial Officer is an integral member of the Leadership Team responsible for all financial and business functions and for establishing financial and administrative objectives, policies, programs, and practices consistent with the Board of Trustees decisions, legal guidance, and National Business Officers Association best practices.This individual will work alongside committed and experienced senior leadership in the allocation of resources to maintain the school’s high-performance standards. In addition, this individual will serve as a business partner to the Head of School in assessing organizational performance against both the annual budget and the institution's long-term strategy. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to utilize tools and systems to provide critical financial and operational information to make actionable recommendations on financial and business operations matters. Specifically, the Chief Financial Officer will:Develop and oversee financial policies, procedures, and internal controls to safeguard assets, protect confidential information, and ensure accurate financial reporting.Oversee school business functions, including tuition billing and collection, accounts payable, contracting, payroll, benefits programs, human resources policies and practices, accounting and reporting, regulatory reporting and compliance, and other business administration activities.Administer the annual budget and multi-year forecasting process to align with the school’s goals and mission and maintain account records related to the school’s budget.Provide timely financial reports to school leadership and the Board of Trustees.Manage banking, loan, and lease agreements. Receive, account for, and disburse monies and securities.Supervise accounting for and the investment of the endowment funds and ensure gifts of cash, stock, and gifts in kind are applied to appropriate gift categories and corresponding draws are appropriately calculated and applied.Oversee financial records for the annual independent financial audit and retirement plan audit 403b and assist the audit team in preparation of Form 990, Form 5500, and other regulatory reporting requirements.In coordination with the school’s Audit/Risk Committee, ensure timely renewal and review of the school’s insurance coverage.Oversee the financial aid process in collaboration with the Head of School.Serve as staff liaison on board committees (Finance, Audit, Employee Benefits, and Investment).Participate in the development of school strategy, providing recommendations, financial analysis, projections, and other data to inform the process.Collaborate with and assist the Head of School and the Board of Trustees in meeting fiduciary responsibilities.Manage, mentor, and develop direct reports, providing constructive and timely feedback.Ensure that human resources policies and practices are clearly communicated, consistently applied, and conform to legal requirements.Remain current with business management trends and cultivate professional standards and development by participating in educational opportunities, reading professional publications, maintaining personal networks, and participating in local, regional, and national professional organizations.

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