Assistant Director of Finance and Investments, UMKC Foundation

Job Description

Assistant Director of Finance and Investments
UMKC Foundation

Purpose: The Assistant Director of Finance and Investment is a senior individual contributor responsible for managing complex financial and investment accounting functions and advising leadership on financial operations, risk, and compliance. The position applies advanced professional judgment, master's-level financial expertise, and broad operational knowledge to support the fiscal integrity, stewardship responsibilities, and long-term sustainability of the UMKC Foundation. The role independently manages high-risk and high-impact financial activities and serves as a trusted finance partner across the organization.

Organizational Relationship: Reports to the Director of Finance and Investments and operates with significant autonomy in managing assigned financial functions and initiatives.

Essential Duties:

• Independently manages daily cash management, liquidity monitoring, and short-term financial positioning to ensure operational continuity and prudent stewardship of Foundation resources.
• Leads asset and liability accounting functions, including complex reconciliations, valuation review, and financial reporting, ensuring accuracy, regulatory compliance, and adherence to internal control standards.
• Performs advanced fund and investment accounting, including monitoring investment performance, analyzing variances, supporting compliance requirements, and providing financial insight to leadership for decision making.
• Provides expert-level support for budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities, contributing analysis and recommendations that inform short- and long-term financial strategy.
• Oversees complex general ledger accounting activities and plays a key role in month-end and year-end close processes, identifying issues, resolving discrepancies, and improving processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Analyzes large, complex, and highly sensitive financial data sets, developing advanced financial models, reports, and summaries used by leadership, auditors, and external stakeholders.
• Serves as a primary finance resource for audits and regulatory reporting, including leading preparation activities, coordinating documentation, responding to auditor inquiries, and supporting IRS Form 990 preparation.
• Provides specialized financial support for gift accounting, donor financial documentation, and stewardship reporting, ensuring compliance with donor intent, legal agreements, and industry standards.
• Supports payroll, employee benefits, and retirement plan accounting activities as needed, applying technical knowledge to ensure accuracy, compliance, and appropriate financial controls.
• Plays a critical role in establishing, documenting, and monitoring internal accounting controls and risk management practices, identifying control gaps and recommending improvements aligned with best practices.
• Acts as a finance representative on cross‑functional initiatives and special projects, providing subject‑matter expertise, resolving complex financial issues, and improving institutional processes and outcomes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Attributes:

• Advanced professional judgment and decision‑making skills applied to complex, high‑risk financial matters with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to assess financial risk, identify control weaknesses, and implement corrective actions that impact organizational effectiveness.
• Ability to clearly explain complex financial and accounting concepts to non‑financial stakeholders and senior leadership.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and accountability in managing confidential, regulated, and donor‑sensitive financial information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and financial systems, with the ability to design, interpret, and maintain sophisticated financial analyses and reports.

Education and Experience: A bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and a minimum of five years of progressively responsible professional experience in accounting, finance, or financial operations involving complex funds, regulatory requirements, or institutional reporting.

Preferred Experience and…