Vice President of Finance - Palo Alto - Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health

Description

The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, in partnership with Stanford Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, unlocks philanthropy to transform health for children and families in Northern California - and around the world. Through fundraising and grantmaking, the Foundation drives scientific research, innovation, and policy change that will improve care, advance cures, and reform healthcare systems for this and future generations.

Make sure to apply with all the requested information, as laid out in the job overview below.
MAIN FOCUS:

The Vice President of Finance provides strategic financial leadership to drive organizational performance and long-term growth. As a trusted advisor and thought partner to senior leadership, this role ensures disciplined financial oversight, aligns resources with the Foundation's goals, and strengthens the organization's capacity to advance its mission.

LOCATION:

Hybrid Position – the candidate will work at least eight (8) days per month in our Palo Alto, CA office; the successful candidate will be based in the Bay Area.

WHAT YOU'LL DO...

The Vice President of Finance (VP Finance) plays a central leadership role in overseeing the Foundation's accounting, finance, investment, tax, treasury, and regulatory compliance functions. The VP Finance leads the Finance team and ensures strong financial stewardship, effective risk management, and disciplined investment oversight. This leader provides forward-looking analysis, modeling, and forecasting to support informed decision-making across the organization and to ensure financial management aligns with the Foundation's goals and long-term growth.

The VP Finance also manages the Foundation's $170 million investment portfolio in partnership with an external investment advisor, ensuring disciplined execution of investment policies, compliance with governance standards, and clear and timely reporting to Board committees. In addition, the VP Finance partners in staffing the Audit and Investment & Finance Committees, offering thoughtful guidance and insight to senior leadership to support strong financial governance.

The compensation range for this role is $ 265,000-$280,000 annually.

YOU'LL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR...
Leadership & Oversight

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing finance team (currently four staff), ensuring excellence in accounting operations, reporting, and compliance.
  
• Collaborate with senior leaders across the organization to align financial resources with fundraising strategies and Foundation priorities.
  
• Evaluate and improve financial processes to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability, leveraging technology and AI tools where appropriate.
  
• Uphold the highest standards of internal controls, financial rigor, and stewardship to safeguard the Foundation's resources.
  
• Oversee internal and external audits and ensure timely and accurate tax preparation and filings.
  
• Build strong, trusted partnerships with colleagues at Stanford University, the Stanford School of Medicine, and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.
  
• Lead financial modeling and long‑range planning to analyze resource needs in support of long‑term revenue growth goals.
  
• Oversee the annual operating budget and deliver monthly financial reporting and analysis to the Executive Leadership Team.
  
• Direct the monthly financial close, including review and approval of investment valuations, financial statements, and budget analyses.
  
• Serve as the Foundation's lead resource for evaluating accounting treatment of significant or unusual transactions, ensuring GAAP compliance and appropriate disclosure.
  
• Manage all investment, bank, brokerage, and trust accounts.
  

Governance & Board Support

• Partner in staffing and supporting the Audit and Investment & Finance Committees.
  
• Prepare and present financial and investment materials for Board committees.
  
• Provide clear, consistent reporting on financial performance, investment results, and emerging risks to support sound financial governance.
  

Investments & Cash Management

• Manage the relationship with the Foundation's external investment advisor to ensure effective implementation of investment strategies and directives.
  
• Monitor portfolio performance and asset allocation, ensuring adherence to investment policies.
  
• Develop and implement cash management strategies to maintain liquidity and optimize deployment of idle cash.
  
• Participate in annual trust and 401(k) investment reviews.
  
• Oversee maintenance of investment cost basis and calculations related to net investment income and deferred tax liabilities.
  
• Execute investment manager agreements, trust and estate documents and related regulatory filings, and tax forms.
  
• Actively engage in the enterprise risk management (ERM) program, ensuring proactive identification, assessment, and mitigation of financial and operational risks.
  
• Review and approve annual insurance applications and policy renewals.
  
• Serve as the finance representative on the Gift Acceptance Committee.
  
• Partner with Gift Planning to evaluate accounting, tax, regulatory, and investment implications of charitable trusts, gift annuities, and complex gifts.
  
• Oversee financial and compliance review of contracts and coordinate legal review when appropriate.
  

YOU MUST HAVE...

• CPA required; Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field required. MBA or CFA a plus.
  
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience, preferably in the nonprofit, higher education, or philanthropic sector.
  
• Strong knowledge of GAAP, nonprofit accounting, financial budgeting and reporting, nonprofit and investment tax, and cash management.
  
• Demonstrated experience with audits, board committee support, and financial governance.
  
• Experience managing external investment advisors and oversight of institutional investment portfolios.
  
• Experience with fund accounting and management of restricted and unrestricted funds.
  
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex financial matters to a variety of audiences.
  
• High integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to the mission of philanthropy and donor stewardship.
  

YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU POSSESS THE FOLLOWING...
Strategic Financial Leadership

• Ability to set long-term strategy, align resources with organizational goals, and guide senior leadership on financial and investment decisions.
  
• Deep knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit fund accounting; experience leading internal and external audits with a record of achieving unqualified opinions.
  

Investment & Cash Management Oversight

• Experience managing institutional investment portfolios, partnering with external advisors, overseeing valuations, and ensuring disciplined cash management.
  

Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance

• Demonstrated ability to build strong internal controls and manage insurance, gift acceptance compliance, and regulatory requirements.
  

Leadership & Team Management

• Skilled at developing and motivating high-performing teams, building cross‑functional relationships, and balancing detail‑oriented rigor with strategic thinking.
  

Executive Communication & Governance Support

• Strong ability to prepare and present financial analyses for Board committees and serve as a trusted advisor to organizational leadership.
  

Working at the Foundation

• Generous leave, including PTO, holidays, Summer Fridays, and a sabbatical (after 7 years of employment)
  
• Annual bonus opportunity
  
• Retirement plan + employer match
  
• Premium Medical and Dental coverage
  
• Employer‑paid life insurance
  
• Legal services plan
  
• 4‑week paid maternity and paternity leave for new parents
  
• Stipend for home office and mobile phone
  

The Foundation is a dynamic organization in a rapidly changing industry. Therefore, the responsibilities associated with this position will evolve and grow in accordance with LPFCH's business needs and growth plans. More specifically, the incumbent may be required to perform additional and/or different responsibilities based on the future growth plans for the Foundation.

WE STRIVE TO EMBODY OUR CULTURAL TOUCHSTONES

• Mission‑first – We can never lose sight of why we exist and exercise profound commitment to advancing child and maternal health.
  
• Good of the whole – We share responsibility for overall results, think of what's best for the team and organization, and act as responsible stewards of resources.
  
• Bold and bendy – We're unapologetically ambitious for our mission, creative, and take risks by trying new things.
  
• Sweat the big stuff – We're clear on our priorities, calibrating effort and resources to audience and impact; the higher the return, the greater the investment.
  
• Make it happen – We're focused on outcomes and prepared with ideas and solutions for every challenge.
  
• Community matters – We prioritize listening to and supporting each other, not just as colleagues, but as people with varied experiences and perspectives.
  

EVERYONE BELONGS HERE

Our Foundation values the unique qualities each of us brings to our team and community. We take pride in cultivating a workplace where every voice is heard and each of us has the opportunity to achieve our fullest potential—so that together, we can make meaningful impact on the health outcomes for children and their families.

We are guided by the following principles:

• Uphold integrity and professionalism in all our actions.
  
• Foster a welcoming and supportive culture.
  
• Embrace unique perspectives and contributions.
  
• Interact with compassion, openness, and an eagerness to learn. xhmxlyz
  

The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

#LI-Hybrid

The pay range for this role is:
265, ,000 USD per year (Palo Alto, CA )