Chief Finance & Operations Officer

Our Mission

10,000 Degrees is unlocking student success at scale by giving more students equitable opportunities for a quality college education and career success. The most efficient and effective college success non-profit in the U.S., 10,000 Degrees’ mission is to achieve educational equity and to support students from low-income backgrounds to and through college to realize their full potential and positively impact their communities and the world. We envision a world where all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background, will have the full range of educational opportunities, support, and resources to realize their potential. Accepting a role at 10,000 Degrees implies a personal commitment to this mission.

Learn more about 10,000 Degrees at www.10000degrees.org.

The Leadership Opportunity

10,000 Degrees is entering an extraordinary period of growth and possibility. With a bold five-year strategic plan, expanding regional reach, a transformative $42 million gift from MacKenzie Scott, and an ambitious vision to advance student success at scale, the organization is poised to deepen its impact on educational equity. The Chief Finance & Operations Officer (CFOO) will join at this pivotal moment as a critical member of the Senior Leadership Team and strategic thought partner to the President & CEO, Executive Vice President, and Board of Directors, helping translate the organization’s aspirations into a financially sustainable strategy for enterprise growth and systemic impact.

More than a traditional finance executive, the CFOO will connect financial strategy, operations, technology, data, program execution, and fund development. This leader will guide long-range financial planning, business modeling and forecasting, investment and reserve strategies, regional expansion, and the implementation of integrated systems that enable 10,000 Degrees to operate as an increasingly sophisticated organization. Building on the strength of the existing finance team, the CFOO will elevate strategic capacity, lead complex initiatives, drive continuous improvement, and cultivate an agile, service-oriented operations function.

The CFOO will also serve as the primary liaison to the Board’s Finance, Audit, and Investment committees, translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insights that support high-stakes decision-making and inspire confidence. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in nonprofit finance and enterprise operations, significant Board engagement experience, and a genuine passion for 10,000 Degrees’ mission and philanthropy. Leading with cultural competence and a commitment to inclusion, the CFOO will honor and leverage the diverse contributions and lived experiences of staff while building the organizational foundation through which thousands more students can realize their full potential.

Core Accountabilities

While departmental heads handle day-to-day program administration, the CFOO is specifically accountable for:

• Enterprise Sustainability & Growth: Ensuring the organization’s long-term financial health, reserve strategies, and business models to structurally and economically support rapid, large-scale growth.
• Board Governance & Trust: Maintaining the absolute confidence of the Board of Directors by translating complex financial and operational metrics into high-level, actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
• Strategic Execution & Scale: Driving the high-level operationalization of the strategic plan by empowering the finance and operations teams to remove expansion friction.
• Enterprise Risk Navigation: Exercising legal officer fiduciary responsibilities to safeguard the organization’s assets, financial stability, and public trust, while proactively managing compliance, legal exposure, and corporate governance.
• Culture of Trust & Confidentiality: Maintaining the highest standards of professional discretion, integrity, and confidentiality across all operational, legal, and personnel matters, serving as a trusted advisor to the CEO and senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Executive Leadership

• Serve as a critical member of the executive leadership team, contributing to the development of the organizational strategic plan and policy, ensuring all initiatives are economically sound and consistent with the organization’s financial strategy and effective operations.
• Act as the primary liaison to the Board of Directors’ Finance, Audit, and Investment committees, clearly communicating and presenting critical matters including monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting and metrics.
• Provide insightful financial and economic analysis for decision-making, strategic direction, long-range planning, and business modeling.
• Direct and develop a high-performing finance and operations team to successfully operationalize the strategic plan, scale regional growth models, and drive cross-departmental alignment.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and discretion when handling sensitive personnel, executive, and HR-related matters, serving as a trusted sounding board and strategic partners to the President & CEO.
• Set strategic agendas for senior executive processes, lead cross-functional decision-making, and advise the President & CEO on organizational readiness, growth sequencing, and structural shifts.
• Support and represent 10,000 Degrees at fundraising and appreciation events, acting as a key organizational leader, ambassador, and champion for philanthropic initiatives.

Finance & Administration

• Ensure strict compliance with local, state, and federal legal requirements, charitable giving guidelines, and corporate governance regulations, applying GAAP and GAGAS principles and remaining current with evolving standards to maintain sound financial control.
• Oversee the tools and systems for all finance and accounting functions, including organizational budgeting and financial analysis, internal accounting, compliance, contracts management, year-end financial audits, and tax filings.
• Oversee and manage costs and profitability, ensuring expenditures align with the organization’s budget, goals, and mission, including fund spending calculations and cash flow to meet operational needs.
• Create and update sophisticated multi-year financial models, use-of-funds projections, and cost analyses for new programmatic opportunities and regional expansions.
• Fulfill the responsibilities of 401(k) Plan Administrator, overseeing plan governance, legal compliance, and the selection and performance of third-party administrators and investment managers.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for external investment advisory firms, driving the strategy, performance monitoring, and alignment of portfolio reserves with long-term organizational goals.
• Design, implement, and monitor robust internal financial controls, general ledger protocols, and chart of accounts management.
• Lead the preparation and management of RFPs and serve as the primary interface for independent annual fiscal audits.

General Operations 

• Establish organization-wide administrative, technological, and operational objectives, policies, programs, systems, and practices, continuously facilitating inter-team collaboration, improvement, and efficiency.
• Oversee high-level relationships with third-party vendors and external contractors, ensuring that specialized infrastructure systems are effectively integrated.
• Hire, guide and empower the Director of Strategic Operations to architect unified, cross-departmental operational frameworks and eliminate redundant workflows.
• Model and instill a service orientation that inspires a professional staff to provide the best possible service internally and externally.
• Oversee macro-level workspaces, facilities, hardware/telecom configurations, and safety practices to ensure robust operational continuity across all regions served.
• Coordinate organizational effectiveness audits to identify bottlenecks or duplications, proposing structural re-designs to the Executive team to maintain strategic momentum.
• Partner with the Data & Evaluation team to establish clear reporting cadences, allowing departmental heads to track their progress against KPIs and OKRs.
• Partner with the Director of Strategic Operations to ensure that all newly designed regional workflows and program models are economically sound and support long-term financial sustainability.
• Other duties as assigned.
• This position requires some in-person presence and/or travel within the regions served. 

Candidate Profile

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate will bring at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience across finance and operations, including three to five years in an enterprise-level senior role and at least five years overseeing the fiscal responsibilities of an organization or business unit with a budget of $10 million to $20 million or greater. Experience supporting the growth of a complex nonprofit organization is strongly preferred. A bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA, MPA, or comparable advanced degree is preferred. Candidates will also bring executive maturity, strong judgment, cultural competence, technological fluency, and a commitment to social justice and educational equity.

Strategic Financial Leadership and Stewardship

The CFOO will bring deep nonprofit financial expertise and the ability to anticipate future opportunities, risks, and resource needs. They will lead multiyear financial modeling, financial forecasting, scenario planning, budgeting, cash-flow analysis, and investment and reserve strategies - including helping determine how to deploy the organization’s transformational gift responsibly over time. The successful candidate will demonstrate command of fund accounting, grants management, audits, internal controls, GAAP and GAGAS standards, regulatory compliance, and investment oversight. They will use financial data and analysis to offer forward-looking insights that inform organizational priorities, regional expansion, and long-term sustainability.

Enterprise Growth and Operational Execution

The CFOO will bring a proven track record of designing and implementing complex, cross-functional operational strategies that have enabled scalable organizational and regional growth. A visionary and growth-oriented leader, they will translate 10,000 Degrees’ strategic plan into clear operating models, systems, and measures of success. They will assess organizational readiness, guide the sequencing of investments and expansion, and establish the infrastructure needed to support new staff, programs, and regions. Entrepreneurial yet disciplined, this leader will remove barriers to growth and align finance, programs, development, data, and administrative functions around shared priorities and measurable results.

Board Partnership and Executive Communication

The CFOO will serve as a trusted advisor to the Board of Directors and as the primary liaison to its Finance, Audit, and Investment committees. They will translate complex financial and operational information into clear, decision-ready insights for Board members with varied professional backgrounds. The ideal candidate will have substantial experience preparing Board materials, presenting financial results and projections, facilitating productive committee discussions, and supporting directors in fulfilling their fiduciary responsibilities. They will offer balanced perspectives on risk and opportunity to inform sound decision-making.

Systems, Technology, and Organizational Integration

The CFOO will lead the development of the systems and infrastructure required to support a larger, more connected organization. They will guide the modernization of finance and enterprise platforms, strengthen cross-departmental processes, and improve the quality and accessibility of organizational data. Advanced fluency with CRM and data platforms - ideally Salesforce - as well as financial or ERP systems and project-management tools will be important. This leader will also develop a high-performing operations team, oversee key vendors and contractors, and establish meaningful measures of efficiency and effectiveness.

Collaborative and Mission-Centered Leadership

The CFOO will be a confident and highly relational executive who leads with humility, transparency, respect, and good judgement. They will build trust within an established, fast-moving leadership team and approach challenges as a constructive, solutions-oriented partner. With high emotional intelligence and self-awareness, they will navigate ambiguity, adapt as the organization evolves, and know when to seek input from others. As a servant leader, they will mentor staff, foster accountability, and cultivate an inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives and lived experiences in advancing the mission of 10,000 Degrees.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $225,000 - $280,000 with a generous benefits package.
• Excellent healthcare benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; check out our full benefit options HERE
• 15 days paid vacation + holidays and paid sick leave
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Professional development including conferences, seminars, webinars, and directed career advice

Contact 

DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

10,000 Degrees is an equal opportunity employer offering a welcoming and inclusive environment in service to one another as well as the students, families, and communities we support. We recruit, hire, employ, train, promote, and compensate individuals based on job-related qualifications and abilities.

About DSG | Koya

DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world. 

DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's website.