Chief Finance and Operations Officer Full Time

Chief Finance and Operations Officer

Join a compassionate team of lifelong learners, dedicated to building a strong, intentionally integrated community and making the world a better place in the heart of Washington, DC!

The Organization

Founded in 2011 as Washington, DC’s first “green” public charter school, Mundo Verde is an Expeditionary Learning Education, language immersion school serving over 1,200 students across two campuses. Our core pillars—bilingualism, hands-on learning, and sustainability—guide our innovative educational approach, shaping confident kids who generate sustainable solutions. Students in PK-kindergarten are taught and assessed exclusively in Spanish, and 50 percent of instruction in grades 1-5 is in Spanish. Our mission is to foster high levels of academic achievement among a diverse group of students by preparing them to be successful and compassionate global stewards of their communities.

With the hiring of a new Executive Director in February 2025, the launch of a new strategic plan for the fall of 2025, the construction of a new building on the Calle Ocho Campus, and its fifteenth anniversary in 2026, Mundo Verde is at an inflection point in its development as an organization. Mundo Verde seeks to build a strong executive team of mission-driven, compassionate leaders who can lead the school in realizing its mission and chart the path for its next phase.

The Opportunity

Mundo Verde is entering an exciting chapter of growth and transformation. As our community expands and our mission deepens, we are seeking a visionary Chief Finance and Operations Officer to help shape the future of our school.

This is a call to a leader who is not only a strategist, skilled steward of resources, but also a builder, champion of sustainability, and someone who enjoys developing and building capacity in people who love finance and operations. We are looking for someone who sees finance and operations not just as systems to be managed, but as levers to expand opportunity, strengthen community, and ensure that our growth is both responsible and resilient.

The CFOO will join a dynamic leadership team at a pivotal moment, helping us design and sustain the infrastructure—financial and operational—that will support the next era of our school, where we aspire to achieve excellence in delivering our mission. This is an invitation to bring your expertise, creativity, and values to an organization that is reimagining what a thriving, sustainable school community can be.

What you will accomplish in this role

Team Leadership: You will grow and develop the people who ensure high-quality operations and finance work, and serve as critical members of our community in their daily interactions with students and families. Together, you will drive the school’s growth by ensuring financial strength, operational excellence, and sustainable practices that power our mission. From stewarding resources and shaping our campus future to embedding equity and sustainability in every decision, you will be a trusted leader who makes it possible for our community to thrive today—and for generations to come.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team across Finance, Operations, Meals, and Health & Safety.

• Serve as a trusted coach to direct reports, ensuring they have the tools, guidance, and support to excel.

• Work closely with the Executive Director, Chief Academic Officer, Chief of People & Culture, and Campus Principals to align team priorities with the school’s vision and strategic goals.

• Foster cross-departmental collaboration to ensure cohesive execution of initiatives across Finance and Operations functions.

• Promote a culture of accountability, professional growth, and continuous improvement across all teams.

• Support operations and finance team workforce planning and succession strategies to maintain organizational stability and growth readiness.

Finance and Risk Management: You bring the expertise to steward resources wisely, reduce risks, and position the school for long-term financial strength. You understand that sound financial leadership fuels growth, equity, and mission impact.

• Provide strategic financial guidance, financial analysis, and recommendations to the Executive Director and the Mundo Verde Board to support data-driven decision-making.
• Strengthen the school’s financial health through transparent budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
• Lead annual budgeting processes, financial planning, and multi-year strategic financial modeling, including capex planning
• Oversee all financial operations, including accounting, treasury management, payroll, and financial reporting
• Ensure compliance with all federal, state, and local financial regulations and reporting requirements.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, audits, and regulatory requirements.
• Manage banking, investments, and vendor relationships with a focus on long-term stability.
• Explore innovative funding models that support growth and mission-aligned priorities.
• Establish, maintain, and oversee robust financial policies, internal controls, and internal audit processes to ensure accuracy, compliance, risk mitigation, and transparency across all financial operations.
• Ensure strong systems for risk management, including cybersecurity, compliance, and vendor contracts.

Operations: You bring the leadership to ensure the school runs smoothly every day while preparing systems to support future expansion. You know that operational excellence creates the foundation for teaching and learning to thrive.

• Oversee comprehensive school operations, including facilities, technology, health, and food service.
• Lead capital planning, facilities, preventative maintenance, and campus improvement projects that align with the school’s growth and mission.
• Manage vendor relationships and procurement processes in alignment with the vision for sustainable operations (see below).
• Ensure optimal utilization of physical and technological resources to support innovative teaching and learning.
• Manage and oversee campus security and emergency response protocols.

• Manage and oversee the technology team to ensure staff have the technology and software needed to complete their work.
• Collaborate with the Chief Academic Officer on educational technology initiatives that enhance learning outcomes.
• Evaluate and adopt emerging technologies that align with our sustainability and innovation goals.

Sustainability: You bring a commitment to embedding sustainability into every decision, ensuring that growth is both responsible and resilient. You see environmental stewardship as inseparable from financial and operational success.

• Facilitate development of a vision for sustainable operations.
• Integrate environmental sustainability aligned to this vision into all financial and operational decisions.
• Advance initiatives in energy use, waste reduction, food systems, and responsible procurement, aligned with this vision
• Track and report progress on sustainability goals to the school community and the School Board.
• Partner with faculty, staff, and students to create a culture of environmental responsibility.
• Position the school as a model for sustainable growth and responsible stewardship.

The tangible good (what you get):

• The starting compensation for this position will be $170,000-$190,000.
• Mundo Verde offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, short/long-term, and life insurance, employer contributions to a 401(k), a transportation stipend, paid time off (28 days of PTO: 8 Sick, 20 Personal), and days off during holidays scheduled in the school calendar.

Who Should Apply:

We are seeking a dynamic, strategic, and mission-driven leader who thrives at the intersection of finance, operations, technology, and sustainability. The ideal candidate is:

• An experienced senior professional with at least a 5-year track record of strong outcomes in financial leadership, budgeting, strategic financial management, facilities management, capital projects, operational management, and team development.
• A collaborative thinker who can work closely with the Executive Director, Chief Academic Officer, Chief of People & Culture, and other leaders to translate the school’s vision into actionable plans.
• Passionate about sustainability and embedding environmentally responsible practices into every aspect of operations.
• Skilled at leading diverse teams, mentoring staff, and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Comfortable managing complex projects, navigating challenges, and making strategic decisions in a growing and evolving school environment.
• Excited to contribute to a thriving, mission-driven school community and help shape its next era of growth and impact.
• Experience working in schools or a non-profit setting is preferred.
• Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting, or related field; CPA or MBA preferred.
• Knowledge of AI and experience in advising others on safe uses of AI, preferred.
• Spanish proficiency preferred.
• We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every qualification listed—we value diverse experiences and are committed to helping the right candidate grow into this role.