The Hawthornden Literary Retreat is a U.S. private charitable
foundation supporting contemporary writers and literary arts with
an international residential fellowship program in its castle in
Scotland. Hawthornden also supports a second historic property,
Casa Ecco on Lake Como in Italy, the site of years of
“Conversazioni” among writers and now a retreat for invited
established authors to complete a literary work in progress. In
addition, the Foundation sponsors the annual Hawthornden Prize, one
of Britain’s oldest and foremost literary awards, and provides
grant support to other literary programs. Hawthornden is beginning
an expansion of its global activities.
Position
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Finance and
Operations will be responsible for the development of Hawthornden
Foundation’s financial management strategy and contribute to the
development of the organization’s strategic goals. In addition to
the strategic components, the Director will be charged with
developing and implementing policies and procedures both in the
finance and general operational realms and will develop and lead an
internal team to support the areas of finance, business planning
and budgeting, global property management and development, human
resources, administration and IT. This is an outstanding
opportunity for a finance executive with operational experience and
a proven track record of creative problem-solving and change
management to join in a high-growth, mission-driven
organization.
We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive and
equitable working environment for all staff. We encourage
applicants of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply. Qualified
applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard
to age; ethnicity; gender; gender identity and expression;
nationality; parental status; physical, mental and developmental
abilities; race; religion; sexual orientation; skin color;
socioeconomic status; and human styles.
Responsibilities Financial
Management
– Implement an appropriate system of policies, internal
controls, accounting standards, and procedures.
– Plan, coordinate, and execute the annual budget and planning
process in conjunction with the Executive Director, administer and
review all financial plans and budgets; monitor progress and
changes;
– Manage organizational cash flow and forecasting.
– Assist in the development and adoption of a strategic plan and
ensure that Hawthornden Foundation is adhering to the
strategic plan, delivering status reports to the board.
– Oversee operational accounting services including grants payment
processing, payroll, accounts payable, and purchasing:
oversee all financial, project/program and grants accounting.
– Implement a robust contracts management and financial management/
reporting system; ensure that the contract billing and collection
schedule is adhered to and that financial data and cash flow are
steady and support operational requirements.
– Update and implement all necessary business policies and
accounting practices; improve the finance department’s overall
policy and procedure manual.
– Effectively communicate and present the critical financial
matters to the board of directors.
Investments
– Provide organizational leadership in monitoring and
contributing to investment strategies developed by the Investment
Managers that balance long-term returns with mission impact while
assuming appropriate levels of risk to advance the Foundation’s
charitable strategies.
– Collaborate with the Executive Director and Board and other
internal senior leaders in the development and recommendation of
investment policies and opportunities that align with the
Foundation’s evolving organizational strategy and culture.
– Manage external investment advisors and oversee investment
reporting and monitoring.
– In partnership with the Executive Director and the Board, manage
the selection and termination of investment advisors and
consultants.
– Coordinate the portfolio reporting and preparation of materials
for the Board meetings.
Human Resources, Technology and Administration
– Further develop Hawthornden Foundation’s human resources and
administration, enhancing professional development, compensation
and benefits, performance evaluation, training, and
recruiting.
– Ensure that recruiting processes are consistent and
streamlined.
– Work closely and transparently with all external partners
including third-party vendors and consultants.
– Oversee administrative functions as well as facilities to ensure
efficient and consistent operations as the organization scales.
Capital Management and Planning
– Oversee the maintenance and development of significant
properties overseas, including regular and ordinary maintenance,
regular improvements for health and safety compliance, evaluation
of opportunities for restoration, development and refurbishment of
properties to meet the programmatic objectives of the Hawthornden
Foundation, adoption of a capital plan and budget.
Qualifications
– Minimum of a BA, ideally with an MBA/CPA or related
degree
– Minimum 10 years experience in a senior management role; ideally
six-plus years of broad financial and operations management
experience
– The ideal candidate has experience of final responsibility for
the quality and content of all financial data, reporting and audit
coordination for either a division or significant program area, and
has preferably overseen a human resources function previously
– Ability to translate financial concepts to – and to effectively
collaborate with — programmatic colleagues who do not necessarily
have finance backgrounds
– A track record in grants management
– Technology savvy with experience selecting and overseeing
software installations and managing relationships with software
vendors; knowledge of accounting and reporting software
– A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and
inclusion
– A successful track record in setting priorities; keen analytic,
organization and problem solving skills which support and enable
sound decision making
– Excellent communication and relationship building skills with an
ability to prioritize, negotiate, and work with a variety of
internal and external stakeholders
– A multi-tasker with the ability to wear many hats in a fast-paced
environment
– Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and dedication to
the mission of the Hawthornden Foundation.
Application Process
Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume in a
single file to careers@hawthornden.org with the subject line
“Finance/Operations.” Applications should be submitted by 5 p.m.
Thursday, December 15, 2022.
