Chief Financial Officer

About the Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation is a nonprofit cultural and educational institution dedicated to promoting the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture. Founded by Dr. Albert C. Barnes in 1922, the Foundation is home to one of the world’s most significant collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art, presented alongside African art, Native American art, antiquities, decorative arts, and other works in distinctive ensembles that reflect Barnes’s pioneering approach to art education.

Today, the Barnes carries forward its founder’s vision by creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to engage with art in meaningful and accessible ways. Through its renowned collection, exhibitions, educational programs, community partnerships, and public programming, the Foundation seeks to inspire curiosity, learning, and new ways of seeing and understanding the world.

Located in Philadelphia, the Barnes is both an internationally recognized cultural institution and an important part of the city’s civic and cultural community. Its work is grounded in a commitment to education, accessibility, inclusion, and the belief that art has the power to enrich lives and strengthen communities.

As the Barnes looks to the future, the Foundation remains focused on stewarding its extraordinary collection and resources while continuing to evolve as a dynamic, welcoming, and financially sustainable institution for generations to come.

Learn more about the Barnes Foundation at https://www.barnesfoundation.org/.

The Opportunity

The Barnes Foundation seeks an experienced, strategic, and collaborative financial leader to serve as its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Reporting to Thom Collins, the Neubauer Family Executive Director and President, the CFO will provide enterprise-wide financial leadership and serve as a key strategic partner to the President, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership team.

The CFO will serve as the critical financial leader across the Barnes Foundation, Calder Gardens, and the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, balancing the unique needs, governance structures, and strategic priorities of three interconnected yet distinct organizations. 

The successful executive will bring the financial acumen and executive presence necessary to build trust with multiple boards, committees, and leadership teams while ensuring transparency, alignment, and sound fiscal stewardship. 

Working closely with executive leadership, the CFO will translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights, helping each organization make informed strategic decisions while maintaining a unified financial perspective. Equally important, the CFO must be adept at navigating differing stakeholder expectations, fostering collaboration among board members and institutional partners, and serving as a trusted advisor who can balance diplomacy with accountability.

This is a compelling opportunity for a sophisticated financial leader to help shape the future of one of the nation’s most distinctive cultural institutions. The next CFO will pair strong financial stewardship with strategic leadership—helping the Barnes protect its extraordinary legacy while building the financial strength, systems, and organizational capacity necessary to advance its mission for generations to come.

The Role

Strategic Financial Leadership & Planning

The CFO will serve as a trusted financial advisor to the Neubauer Family Executive Director and President, senior leadership team, and Board of Trustees, providing the analysis and perspective necessary to inform both near- and long-term decision-making.

The CFO will:

• Lead the Foundation’s annual and long-range financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reforecasting processes.
• Provide leadership and the Board with timely, accurate financial reporting and analysis that identifies key trends, risks, opportunities, and areas requiring attention.
• Advise the President, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and Board on financial policies, procedures, regulatory requirements, and decisions affecting the Foundation’s overall financial position.
• Translate complex financial information into clear insights that support strategic and operational decision-making.
• Partner closely with senior leaders across the organization to ensure financial considerations are integrated into organizational planning and priorities.
• Help leadership assess risks, evaluate opportunities, and understand the financial implications of key strategic decisions.
• Help ensure the Foundation maintains the financial strength, flexibility, and discipline necessary to support its mission over the long term.

Investment & Board Leadership

The CFO will serve as the primary staff liaison to both the Investment Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee of the Board, developing trusted relationships and ensuring Board members have the information necessary to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities. They will bring strong executive presence to these relationships and communicate complex financial matters with clarity and confidence, ensuring Board members and other stakeholders have the information and context necessary to make informed decisions.

The CFO will:

• Oversee the Foundation’s investment portfolio and serve as the primary interface with investment managers and the Foundation’s independent investment advisor.
• Monitor investment performance, reporting, reconciliations, and accounting and identify issues requiring attention or discussion with investment advisors and the Investment Committee.
• Partner with the Investment Committee on the ongoing stewardship of the Foundation’s investment assets.
• Provide financial analysis and reporting to the Finance and Audit Committee and Board of Trustees.
• Build trusted relationships across multiple Board committees and stakeholder groups, navigating differing perspectives with diplomacy, transparency, and sound judgment.
• Serve as a fiduciary on the Foundation’s retirement and pension oversight committees and help ensure appropriate investment vehicles are available to employees.

Financial Operations, Audit & Risk Management

The CFO will ensure the Barnes maintains strong financial operations, controls, compliance, and reporting practices.

The CFO will:

• Oversee financial reporting, accounting, internal controls, and the application of appropriate accounting policies.
• Manage the Foundation’s relationship with its independent auditors and oversee the annual audit process.
• Ensure timely and accurate completion of required federal and state filings, including Form 990, Form 5500, and applicable state registrations.
• Maintain an effective system of internal controls and continually assess opportunities to strengthen financial processes and practices.
• Oversee risk management and the Foundation’s commercial insurance program in collaboration with the General Counsel.
• Ensure strong financial oversight and reporting for restricted grants and the appropriate utilization of restricted funds.
• Review financial reports to funders for consistency and accuracy.
• Ensure the highest standards of financial stewardship across the Foundation and its affiliated relationships, bringing the rigor and discipline necessary to safeguard institutional assets while supporting strategic growth and organizational effectiveness.

Organizational Partnership, Systems & Technology

Beyond traditional financial management, the CFO will play an important role in strengthening the systems and infrastructure that support the Barnes as an organization. They will be comfortable operating within a complex, multi-entity environment, balancing competing priorities and creating alignment across varied stakeholders and evolving governance structures.

The CFO will:

• Partner with the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, General Counsel, and other senior leaders on organization-wide financial and operational priorities.
• Collaborate closely with the Deputy Director of Human Resources and Chief Culture Officer on compensation, salary equity, employee benefits, and related financial considerations.
• Identify opportunities to use technology, data, and improved processes to increase efficiency, strengthen reporting, and support better decision-making.
• Evaluate existing and legacy financial systems and identify opportunities to modernize processes, implement scalable solutions, and improve access to timely and meaningful financial information while maintaining operational continuity.
• Bring a collaborative and solutions-oriented approach to organizational challenges, recognizing the interconnected nature of finance, people, operations, technology, and strategy.

Team Leadership

The CFO will lead and develop a high-performing accounting and finance team of seven professionals, including the Accounting Manager, Accounts Payable Coordinator, Staff Accountant, Payroll Coordinator, Revenue and Grant Analyst, and two General Ledger Accountants.

They will establish clear expectations and accountability while creating an environment characterized by collaboration, communication, professional growth, and strong employee engagement.

The CFO will remain appropriately connected to the work while empowering team members to take ownership of their responsibilities. They will provide regular coaching and feedback, strengthen capabilities across the function, and ensure the Finance team is viewed as a responsive and trusted partner throughout the organization. Their leadership style will combine high standards and accountability with emotional intelligence, humility, and a genuine commitment to developing and mentoring talent.

Candidate Profile

We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined below, ideal candidates will demonstrate the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics.

Strategic Financial Leadership & Business Acumen

The CFO will be an accomplished financial executive with significant experience leading the financial function of a complex organization. They will combine strong technical financial expertise with the ability to think strategically about how financial resources can best support an institution’s mission, priorities, and long-term sustainability.

They will bring significant experience with budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis and reporting, audit, controls, compliance, risk management and long-range financial planning. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between high-level strategy and the details necessary to ensure strong execution. They will bring a forward-looking perspective, helping leadership assess risks, capitalize on opportunities, and align financial resources with organizational priorities and long-term goals.

Investment & Financial Stewardship

The CFO will bring a strong understanding of investment management and the stewardship of institutional assets. They will be comfortable partnering with investment advisors and managers, evaluating performance and risk, and supporting an Investment Committee in fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities.

They will bring sound judgment and an appreciation for balancing current organizational needs with the long-term stewardship and sustainability of the Foundation’s financial resources. They will ensure strong financial operations, reporting, controls, and compliance practices and bring the technical rigor necessary to safeguard the institution’s assets.

Board Partnership & Communication

The CFO will be a confident and credible partner to the President and Board of Trustees. They will have the ability to distill complex financial information into clear, meaningful insights and communicate effectively with audiences possessing varying levels of financial expertise.

They will build trust through preparation, transparency, sound judgment, and follow-through. Experience working directly with Board finance, audit, and/or investment committees will be highly valued.

The successful candidate will bring strong executive presence and the ability to influence strategic decision-making through thoughtful analysis, preparation, and credibility. They will be adept at working across multiple Boards, committees, executive leaders, and external stakeholders, navigating diverse perspectives with diplomacy and ensuring strong governance and fiduciary stewardship across entities.

Enterprise Complexity & Organizational Agility

The successful candidate will thrive in complex environments characterized by multiple entities, varied stakeholder groups, competing priorities, and evolving governance structures. They will be comfortable managing ambiguity and creating alignment across organizations while maintaining attention to both strategic objectives and operational detail.

Experience operating within multifaceted institutions or highly matrixed environments will position the CFO to successfully navigate the interconnected relationships and organizational complexity of the Barnes Foundation.

Collaborative & Organizational Leadership

The CFO will be a highly collaborative leader who views Finance as a strategic partner to the broader organization. They will build productive relationships across functions and approach challenges with curiosity, practicality, and a solutions-oriented mindset.

They will be comfortable contributing beyond the traditional boundaries of Finance and working collaboratively on issues involving people, operations, risk, technology, and organizational strategy. As a people leader, they will set clear expectations, develop talent, hold themselves and others accountable, and foster an inclusive and highly engaged team environment. They will be an empowering leader who mentors and develops finance talent and creates an environment in which colleagues across the organization view Finance as a trusted, responsive, and strategic partner. Their leadership style will combine high standards with emotional intelligence and humility.

Technology, Systems & Continuous Improvement

The CFO will understand the important role technology, data, and business systems play in building an effective modern finance function. They will bring experience strengthening financial systems and processes and will be comfortable helping lead or support the implementation of enterprise-wide technology.

They will continually look for opportunities to improve efficiency, reporting, controls, and access to information while ensuring systems effectively support the needs of both Finance and the broader organization. They will bring a track record of evaluating processes and systems, implementing scalable solutions, and thoughtfully modernizing legacy financial systems while maintaining operational continuity.

Qualifications & Leadership Characteristics

Ideal candidates will bring:

• Significant senior-level financial leadership experience within a complex organization, ideally including experience in a nonprofit, foundation, museum, cultural institution, or other mission-driven environment.
• Experience operating successfully within a multi-entity or highly matrixed organization with multiple Boards, governance structures, and stakeholder groups.
• Deep expertise in financial planning and analysis, budgeting, forecasting, accounting, audit, controls, compliance, and long-range financial planning.
• Experience overseeing institutional investments and partnering effectively with investment advisors, managers, and Board investment committees.
• A track record of serving as a strategic partner to executive leadership and Boards, with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear insights and recommendations.
• Strong executive presence and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to build credibility, influence decision-making, and navigate diverse stakeholder perspectives.
• People leadership skills and experience building, developing, and holding high-performing teams accountable.
• A collaborative, solutions-oriented leadership style and the ability to build trust and work effectively across functions and at all levels of an organization.
• Strong judgment, integrity, and a commitment to the thoughtful stewardship of institutional resources.
• An understanding of how technology, systems, and data can strengthen financial operations and organizational decision-making, including experience evaluating and improving financial systems and processes and leading teams through systems or technology change.
• A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field; an advanced degree and/or CPA designation is preferred.

Location & Work Environment

The CFO will work in a hybrid environment that includes regular presence at the Barnes Foundation’s Philadelphia campus as well as remote work. Given the highly collaborative and relationship-driven nature of the role, the CFO will be expected to maintain a meaningful presence with colleagues, senior leadership, and the Board.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $250,000–$300,000 with a generous benefits package.

Contact 

DSG Global has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Ken Hirshman, Tyler Ridgeway, and Christy Farrell. Submit a compelling cover letter and resume by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries are strictly confidential. 

DSG Global 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. 

The Barnes Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.