Vice President of Finance - San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is an international, nonprofit conservation organization with two front doors: the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. We integrate wildlife health and care, science, and education to develop sustainable conservation solutions.

HOW YOU WILL IMPACT OUR MISSION The Vice President of Finance leads all of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance's (SDZWA) controllership activities, payroll, grant administration and other key finance functions. Key responsibilities include ownership of the annual audit, income tax return (PF990), treasury functions and banking relationships, and agreed upon procedures reporting coordinated with our outside auditors amongst others. The Vice President of Finance drives projects supporting SDZWA strategic initiatives like:
Leading initiatives aligned to the Finance Departments north star principles (Simplicity, Insight and Profit Enhancement) like the financial services implementation of US Bank completed in 2025.
Building out the framework for our Business Development Program in 2024, which then handed over to a resource that could be fully dedicated to Business Development. The Vice President of Finance continues to support the Business Development function including building financial models and running analytics on opportunities.
This position reports to the Chief Financial Officer.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Leads strategic initiatives and supports business development activities including identifying, researching, building financial models, providing analytical insight and implementing amongst others.
• Establishes and maintains strong and cohesive relationships with business partners providing great customer service and addressing ad-hoc analysis/requests as appropriate. Establishes and supports programs, recurring meetings and developing/presenting materials to the Executive leadership team for insight, evaluation and go/no-go decisions.
• Leads the controllership, payroll, grant administration and treasury functions amongst others, including fund/grant accounting, general ledger / reporting, policy compliance, controls oversight, and process/workflow enhancement activities.
• Leads the team in supporting key external reporting deliverables like debt/bond compliance, Form 990, annual audited financial statements, federal awards compliance audit and filings, etc.
• Hires, trains, leads, develops and coaches staff; monitors and evaluates performance; and recommends and implements personnel actions. Leads the team in developing and implementing training programs for the benefit of the Finance team.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR JOB EXPERIENCE

• 10+ years progressive finance experience required.
• Exceptional finance experience demonstrated in SDZWA deemed as equivalent to 10+ years experience outside of SDZWA.
• 10+ years supervisory experience preferred.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's Degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field or equivalent specialized training and/or job experience required.
• California driver license preferred
• CPA preferred

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Sophisticated financial systems
• Processes across multiple entities/divisions
• Strategic budgeting, forecasting, reporting and analytics
• GAAP for nonprofits with complicated bequests and endowments
• Complex cash flow and funding models for nonprofits
• Governmental regulations for 501(c)3 organizations
• OMB reporting and compliance requirements for federal awards
• Treasury, banking and investment practices
• Analytical and effective organizational skills
• Team building skills
• Effective leadership and diplomacy skills
• Lead a large and diverse workforce
• Lead cross-functional teams
• Manage financial resources
• Develop specialized procedures and systems
• Plan and implement major projects
• Develop and administer budgets
• Prepare and make presentations
• Use word processing, spreadsheet, and database systems
• Communicate effectively (verbal and written)
• Provide strong interpersonal skills
• Meet short and long-range goals
• Work effectively with others in a diverse environment
• Think and act strategically and proactively
• Mentor, develop staff and to create a succession plan

SOME OF THE REWARDS YOU WILL ENJOY AS A TEAM MEMBER

• Free admission to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Family Passes
• Complimentary Tickets
• Free Parking at the San Diego Zoo & San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• Local and In-House Discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellness Program
  

IMPORTANT DETAILS

• Location: San Diego, CA
• Position Type: Salaried Full-Time Exempt Position
• Salary Range: $201,819.20 to $227,046.60

About The Salary Ranges

The posted salary range represents the full compensation potential for this role over time. Initial hiring offers are typically made within the lower to mid portion of the range and are based on a combination of relevant experience, skills, qualifications, internal equity, and organizational considerations. Placement near the top of the range is generally reserved for individuals who demonstrate sustained performance, growth, and expanded responsibilities in the role over time.

Fraudulent Recruiting
Beware of fraudulent recruiting. Legitimate San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance contacts will use an @sdzwa.org email address. We do not request money, checks, equipment orders, or sensitive personal data during the recruitment process. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance only conducts interviews via phone, Zoom, Teams or in-person.

If you have been asked for any of the above, or believe you have been contacted by someone posing as a San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance employee, please e-mail sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org. If you feel that you have been the victim of fraud, please contact your financial institution(s) immediately.

At San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, we celebrate our differences and foster a culture of belonging. Diversity strengthens our employees, enriches our guests' experiences, deepens our connection to our community, and supports the wildlife we serve.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, please email your request to sdzwacareers@sdzwa.org and provide the job title and location to which you are applying.

As a Federal Contractor, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is required to participate in the E-Verify Program to confirm eligibility to work in the United States. We are not offering sponsorship for this position at this time.

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is a drug free workplace.