Deputy Chief Financial Officer
SkyWater Search Partners is proud to once again partner with Portico Benefit Services — one of our long-standing clients and one of the most mission-driven organizations we’ve had the pleasure of working with — in their search for a Deputy Chief Finance Officer.
Over the past few years, SkyWater has partnered with the Board of Directors and has helped Portico build out key members of their senior leadership team, including most of the C-suite (CEO, COO, CIO, etc.). The result has been a period of strong cultural alignment, refreshed leadership, and meaningful organizational momentum.
This Deputy CFO will provide strategic and operational leadership across all aspects of the Finance function, with the intent to succeed the current CFO at the time of her planned retirement.
This is a rare opportunity for an experienced finance leader to join a mission-driven organization during a transformative era — serving as both a key strategic partner and a hands-on leader across accounting, FP&A, treasury, actuarial, and investment finance.
Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Deputy CFO will partner closely with executive leadership, Portico’s Board of Trustees, and external financial partners to ensure the organization’s long-term financial health and risk governance.
Responsibilities
- Policy, Strategy, and Corporate Projects
- Partner with the Chief Financial Officer in developing strategic plans for the finance unit. Provide tactical leadership for implementing policies and procedures through continuous efficiency efforts; assist in supporting the financial reporting to Portico’s Board of Trustees. Participate in corporate project teams and/or steering committees.
- Oversee the annual review and analysis of the various insurance policies that Portico maintains. Work with internal subject matter experts and outside consultants to evaluate risks Portico has identified and ensure that proper insurance policies are in place to cover the identified risks.
- Oversee the alignment of metrics and reporting from the strategic plan through operations using current best practices and benchmarks.
- Strategically monitor funding adequacy across benefit plans, periodically evaluating funding targets are in alignment with the enterprise strategic plan. Operational Oversight
- Oversee finance unit operations, including financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, payment services, pricing, and actuarial valuations.
- Provide leadership and direction to ensure timeliness, accuracy, and completeness of periodic reporting deliverables to the board of trustees, leadership teams, and management. Oversee financial and data integrity by assuring accounts, entries, transactions, and reconciliations are reviewed, authorized, and analyzed according to procedures, standards, and expectations.
- Oversee regulatory reporting requirements related to multiple U.S. and Non-U.S. taxing authorities and other government agencies as necessary.
- Provide oversight of the preparation and publication of the annual report, ensuring compliance with external reporting requirements for benefit plans and trust funds.
- Provide oversight of internal financial reporting controls, ensuring key controls are functioning as designed. Monitor a well-documented set of accounting processes and procedures, managing risks while continuously promoting process efficiency.
- Provide leadership for the investment accounting function for the retirement, other `1s plans and the trust accounts. Provide oversight to research documentation on new accounting and reporting standards. Maintain proper documentation and accurate reporting for issues that arise from the various types of investment vehicles at Portico Benefit Services. Oversee custodial financial reporting including providing direction to the custodian and record keeper relative to investment accounting issues.
- Ensure operational processes related to cash management, investment operations, asset transfers, risk reporting, compliance, and transactional accounting align to enterprise strategies
- Oversee annual benefit obligation valuation and pricing processes. Hire and direct internal and external actuarial service providers, continuing to update actuarial assumptions in accordance with industry best practices to ensure financial reporting accuracy.
- Understand and comply with all of Portico’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance standards (e.g. internal controls, regulatory compliance, policy compliance evidence retention) and promote these standards in a manner that is required of this position. This position is also responsible for their direct reports understanding and complying with Portico’s Governance, Risk, and Compliance standards.
Desired Skills and Experience
- Qualifications:
- Strong knowledge of GAAP, financial controls, and policy, investment accounting, principles of insurance, actuarial liabilities, and benefit plan accounting.
- Ability to communicate and partner with all levels of leadership, directors, and employees of Portico.
- Strong knowledge of tax regulations and reporting related to benefit plans, nonprofits, and the corresponding unrelated business income tax regulations.
- Knowledge of securities industry, investment management, trading activities, and the financial reporting requirements for a wide range of investment types and transactions.
- Strong communication and employee management, coaching, and mentoring skills. Ability to work within and lead cross-functional teams.
- Ability to organize and prioritize work in a fast-paced and changing environment. Flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing priorities in a professional manner.
- Knowledge of church plans and Lutheran doctrine Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field (Master’s degree, MBA, CPA, or similar designation strongly preferred).
- 10+ years of progressive experience in finance or accounting leadership, including oversight of reporting, internal controls, and financial analysis.
- 5 – 7 years’ experience in overseeing these functions.
- Experience in investment accounting, insurance, or benefits administration preferred.
- Background in public accounting or audit (Big 4 or regional firm) strongly valued.
- Demonstrated ability to translate financial data into actionable business insights.
- Excellent communication and leadership skills with the ability to mentor and develop teams.
- Alignment with Portico’s mission and comfort operating within a faith-based organization. This role operates in a hybrid environment with flexibility for in-office and remote work. However, most of the finance team is in the office regularly, and it is expected that this person will be in the office a majority of the time. Occasional travel to support leadership meetings, staff events, or external partnerships may be required.
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