Director, Finance

The Role: Director, Finance

Applicants need to be legally allowed to work in the US. This is a remote position that requires ability to work in US-time zones. Travel for occasional in-person collaboration is expected.

What is One Project?

One Project is a nonprofit social venture. We're building the infrastructure for a new kind of economy — one that benefits everyone. Communities worldwide are already creating alternatives to outdated economic systems that prioritize profit over people and the planet. One Project provides the technology and nurtures the network of alternatives, laying the groundwork for a sustainable, community-driven future.

Why do we need a new economy? 

Today’s current economic systems reward profit over people and the planet. This misaligned incentive structure drives the current global polycrisis. When trees are valued more dead than alive, we end up with ecological devastation. When children are more valuable on their screens than living their childhoods, we get social media addiction. When war is more profitable than peace, we end up with a military industrial complex that thrives on endless wars. At One Project, we spent our first few years researching these interlinked challenges and realized that we need to address the root cause: we need a new economy with different incentives.

Our history and role

We are not alone in this realization. All around the world, there is a growing ecosystem of communities, movements, and experts who are already working towards a just transition to a new economy. We launched in 2021 with a focus on listening to and supporting these change-makers, and today, One Project is a substantial grantmaker in the new economy space ($32M to date). Our current direction is the outcome of what we heard from more than 300 field leaders, dozens of leading organizations, and extensive in-house research: One Project’s role is to build shared infrastructure and a network to move resources to community control. We call this infrastructure Common.

What is Common?

Common is a collectively governed technical infrastructure that enables a thriving global network of people, projects, and polities to successfully coordinate the world's resources in service of democratically determined goals. This helps build power for the transition to a new economy.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (COO), the Director, Finance plays a critical role in shaping and managing the financial infrastructure that enables One Project's mission and growth. This role is part of a succession plan as our current Director, Finance approaches retirement. The Director, Finance will develop, implement, and maintain robust financial strategies and systems to support diverse funding streams, growing organizational needs, and innovative product development initiatives. The Director, Finance is a key partner to leadership and program teams, balancing strategic financial planning with hands-on execution of day-to-day financial operations.

What You'll Do

Financial Strategy & Systems 

• Develop financial models and forecasts to support organizational decision-making
• Provide financial insights to leadership for strategic planning
• Manage and lead budgeting lifecycle
• Identify and mitigate financial risk and maintain and improve risk management systems
• Lead process improvement initiatives and build financial systems for organizational growth
• Design financial infrastructure for pooled funds, including reporting frameworks
• Support pricing strategies for tech platform and fund management services

Financial Operations & Compliance

• Perform day-to-day accounting operations 
• Manage cash flow across multiple funding streams
• Oversee audit process and tax filings, ensuring compliance with nonprofit regulations
• Document and maintain standard operating procedures for financial processes
• Manage vendor and contractor lifecycle and external partners and stakeholders (e.g., legal counsel, accounting firm)
• Manage organizational governance compliance, including overseeing board operations, drafting resolutions, maintaining corporate records, and ensuring adherence to bylaws and regulatory requirements

Reporting & Communication 

• Prepare clear, actionable financial updates for leadership team, board and donors
• Provide financial analysis for new initiatives, including sustainability considerations
• Support fundraising efforts through financial modeling and donor reporting
• Translate complex financial concepts for diverse stakeholders

Payroll & Benefits

• Process payroll for all employees, ensuring accuracy and compliance with all regulations 
• Manage all benefit administration, including plan selection, employee enrollment and annual renewals 
• Coordinate with HR on onboarding and offboarding processes related to payroll and benefits
• Manage relationships with US and international payroll providers and benefit administrators

Grants & Pooled Funds

• Design and implement financial processes and infrastructure for new pooled/collaborative funds, including reporting structures and compliance frameworks
• Execute grant disbursement processes with strong attention to detail and documentation

You may be the candidate we’re looking for if you bring… 

Core Experience

• 8+ years of progressive hands-on non-profit finance experience 
• Solid background in nonprofit accounting, fund management, or social enterprise finance
• Experience building and scaling financial systems and processes in growing organizations
• Experience managing payroll and benefit management systems, ensuring full compliance
• Track record of developing financial strategies that support organizational goals
• Proven ability to translate complex financial concepts for diverse stakeholders

Skills & Expertise

• Expertise in nonprofit accounting principles and compliance requirements
• Proficiency in  financial, payroll, accounting software (e.g., Quickbooks Online, BILL, Expensify)
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, evolving environment while maintaining high standards

Valuable Perspectives

• Experience in one or more of these areas: social impact organizations, technology startups, philanthropy, or movement building
• Understanding of economic justice, cooperative models, or solidarity economy principles
• Background in building financial infrastructure for early-stage initiatives
• Experience with pooled/collaborative fund management, donor-advised funds, or fiscal sponsorship is a plus

Qualities We Value

• Strategic mindset balanced with willingness and ability to roll up your sleeves
• Collaborative approach and ability to build trust across diverse stakeholder groups
• Creativity and passion for innovating and building
• Adaptability and comfort with ambiguity
• Commitment to equity and systemic change

Our Commitment to Inclusion

 We believe that our work is strengthened by a diversity of perspectives and experiences. We encourage applications from candidates who:

• Have non-traditional career paths or gaps in their resume
• Come from non-profit, grassroots, or community organizing backgrounds
• Bring lived experience with the economic challenges we're working to address
• Have skills and knowledge gained outside traditional professional settings

If you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, we still want to hear from you. We're committed to supporting professional growth and will work with the right candidate to build the additional skills needed for success in this role.

At One Project, team members bring our values to life when they: 

• Drive clarity by connecting work to purpose and help others understand the "why" behind decisions.
• Support teammates' success as readily as their own, sharing knowledge and pitching in across boundaries.
• Communicate directly with empathy, giving and receiving feedback in service of growth.
• Actively seek diverse perspectives and create space for others' unique strengths to shine.
• Build trust through consistent follow-through and transparent communication.
• Find creative solutions by embracing nuance and moving beyond either/or thinking.
• Deliver excellence through careful work, measurable results, and continuous improvement.

Compensation  

The salary range for this role is $140,000 - 180,000. One Project offers competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits to attract the strongest candidates and to reflect our values.

How to Apply 

Please submit your resume below. As part of the application process, we’re asking candidates to answer the following questions in place of a cover letter. Your answers will help us get to know you better and hopefully give you a chance to better understand what we are looking for in candidates. We ask that you craft your answers to these questions personally, as we want to hear your genuine voice and experience. While AI tools may be used for editing and proofreading, the core content should be your own original writing.

“What personal or professional experience motivates you to apply to this opportunity?”

“One Project is an early-stage, ambitious initiative that brings together multiple disciplines. We look for people who are comfortable with ambiguity and can operate in evolving environments. What experience - professional, educational, or lived - do you have in this type of environment that shows you’d be able to thrive here?”

What You Can Expect from Our Hiring Process:

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated confirmation. If you are selected for an interview, we aim to reach out to you within 2 weeks of submitting your application.

We strive to have an inclusive hiring process that includes opportunities for us to get to know you and vice versa. We may ask to review examples of your work in addition to inviting you to participate in interviews. Our process may include:

• An initial phone or video interview 
• A second video interview with our COO
• A short interview assignment (candidates will be compensated for their time and work)
• Panel interviews with other members of our team
• Reference checks 
• Final 1-on-1

On occasion, we may invite other team members to participate in the interview process and/or touch base with finalist candidates by phone. We understand that candidates’ time is limited and that these conversations will be seen as invitations to learn about One Project and ask questions.