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Role Description

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will lead charity: water’s finance function during a period of growth, investment, and organizational transition. With an annual revenue budget of ~$100M, the CFO will ensure strong financial stewardship while advancing long-range planning, forecasting, and financial insight in service of the organization’s mission and long-term sustainability.

charity: water is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the organization’s finance function and provide strategic financial leadership across the organization. Reporting to the President and serving on the Executive Team, the CFO will lead long-range financial planning, board communication, and provide enterprise-level financial decision support, while also ensuring excellence in accounting, compliance, and risk management. The CFO will oversee financial operations for both the US and the UK entities. This role requires a leader with nonprofit accounting expertise who can both stabilize and evolve the finance function—strengthening core accounting and audit readiness while building forward-looking FP&A capabilities that support executive and board-level decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Organizational Leadership, Long-Range Planning & Board Engagement
  • Lead enterprise-level long-range financial planning, multi-year forecasting, and scenario modeling to inform strategic choices, investment pacing, and risk tradeoffs.
  • Serve as a primary financial partner to the President and Executive Team, providing clear insight into financial performance, sustainability, and strategic options.
  • Prepare and present financial results, forecasts, and long-term outlooks to the Board, and manage relationships with the Board’s Finance and Audit Committees.
  • Translate complex financial information into clear narratives that support strong governance and confident decision-making.
  • Support major strategic initiatives through rigorous financial analysis, due diligence, and “what-if” modeling.
  • Review business results and help direct resources toward initiatives that most effectively advance mission impact and operating efficiency.
• Financial Management & Stewardship
  • Lead all finance and accounting functions, including nonprofit accounting operations, FP&A, treasury, cash management, financial controls, compliance, and financial risk management.
  • Oversee annual and long-term budgeting processes, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy and operational realities.
  • Oversee the development and maintenance of integrated financial models and performance metrics that support monthly and quarterly reporting, forecasting, and decision-making.
  • Oversee the modernization of financial systems and planning processes, including a transition to the social-impact version of NetSuite and improvements to budgeting and forecasting tools to support long-term planning and decision-making.
  • Ensure accurate, timely, and transparent financial reporting in accordance with nonprofit accounting standards.
  • Oversee audit processes, insurance coverage, and regulatory compliance, ensuring the organization is appropriately protected as it scales domestically and internationally.
  • Partner closely with Revenue Operations to incorporate revenue forecasts into integrated financial plans, while maintaining clear role definition and accountability.
• Team Leadership & Development
  • Lead and develop a team across Accounting and FP&A, fostering a culture of clarity, accountability, and excellence.
  • Set clear priorities and expectations for the finance function that support both near-term execution and long-term planning.
  • Coach and mentor team members, supporting professional growth and capability development.
  • Guide the finance team through periods of transition, ensuring continuity while strengthening systems and processes over time.
  • Build strong cross-functional partnerships while maintaining appropriate financial rigor and ownership.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior financial leadership experience, including significant experience within nonprofit organizations.
• Demonstrated, hands-on experience leading nonprofit accounting functions, including audit, compliance, and GAAP reporting for nonprofits.
• Proven experience leading long-range financial planning, forecasting, and board-level financial communication.
• Strong strategic and analytical skills, including financial modeling, scenario analysis, and risk assessment.
• Track record of building and leading effective finance teams.
• Global perspective and experience supporting international operations strongly preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required; MBA a plus.
• Preferred experience with Netsuite.

Requirements

• Strategic thinker with the ability to build scalable models.
• Great communicator who can turn data into compelling messages.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to manage multiple work streams.
• Team-oriented with a passion for collaboration.
• Meticulous and values precision in work.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

• Unlimited PTO.
• Summer Fridays.
• 6-week paid sabbatical leave after 5 years of employment.
• Annual bonus potential through The Pool.
• 401k plan + employer match.
• Medical covered at 85% + Dental/Vision contributions.
• FSA + dependent day care FSA.
• Employer-paid life insurance, STD, LTD.
• 16-week paid maternity and paternity leave for new parents.
• Stipends for Home office, Professional Development, and a You-do-You Perk.
• TSA Pre-check reimbursement.
• Flexible working hours; team members are expected to be online 10am - 4pm ET regardless of location, plus three hours per day asynchronously, which factors in an hour for lunch.
• 2-4 annual travel requirements that foster team alignment, connection and in-person collaboration.

Hiring Timeline

This role was posted on January 9th, 2026 and will remain open for approximately 90 days.

Salary Range

This is an exempt role with a range of $260,000 - $280,000 a year.

Company Description

At charity: water, we believe that water changes everything. We work with local implementing partners to fund sustainable solutions that provide clean and safe drinking water to people around the world. Since 2006, with a diverse team of world-changers and an unstoppable community of supporters, we’ve brought clean water to more than 20 million people worldwide.

At charity: water, we value every background, identity, and experience. We believe that a diverse team, informed by different cultures and perspectives, makes us stronger. We are committed to doing the work and challenging each other to be an organization in which everyone is respected and heard. We commit to providing genuine opportunities for all people to thrive. And we will continue to embed diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equality in everything we do.