Chief Financial Officer

Lantern Community Services Inc New York, New York, United States

Classification: Full-time, Exempt
Reports to: Executive Director
Location: Midtown, Manhattan

Status &

Hours:

Full-time, daytime hours. Lantern staff may be asked to alter their work schedule depending on the operational needs of the organization.

Who We Are: Lantern Community Services helps New Yorkers impacted by homelessness move from surviving to thriving by pairing safe, supportive housing with wraparound services that build lasting stability and independence. If you believe a steady home can be the start of everything else, you'll fit right in with our mission-first team. Lantern was also recognized as a Top 2025 Workplace by City & State New York - a great place to do meaningful work with people who care!

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the senior-most financial executive at Lantern Community Services and is a core member of the senior leadership team. Reporting to the Executive Director, the CFO holds full accountability for the financial health, integrity, and strategic direction for Lantern. Ownership of accounting and financial reporting, budgeting and forecasting, government contract financial oversight and claiming, treasury and cash management, audit and regulatory compliance, and financial systems.

Lantern’s revenue is overwhelmingly government-contracted directly reimbursed via line-item claim submissions, requiring strong cash management, claiming discipline, cost allocation methodology, and rate/contract negotiation skills. The CFO is expected to translate a demanding contract environment into a durable financial model, to Executive Director and the Board’s Audit & Finance Committee a clear and honest read of the organization’s position at all times, and to serve as a credible voice with founders, government agency partners, auditors, and lenders.

The successful candidate combines technical depth in nonprofit and government contract accounting with the judgement and presence to sit at the executive table and shape decisions well beyond the finance function.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Strategic partnership. Serve as principal financial advisor to the Executive Director, providing analysis and recommendations on program expansion, new site development, contract pursuit, capital needs, and organizational risk.
• Multi-year planning. Build and maintain multi-year financial projections and scenario models that reflect contract cycles, rate assumptions, occupancy, client census and staffing plans.
• Board Engagement. Serve as staff lead to the Finance and Audit Committee. Prepare financial reporting packages, present at Board meetings, and ensure Board members receive accurate, timely, and decision
  -useful information.
• Business Case Development. Evaluate the full financial implications of new programs, sites, and service delivery lines – including “true costs,” indirect costs and recovery, ramp-up period, and downside exposure – before commitments are made.
• Sector Representation. Represent Lantern in coalition and advocacy settings addressing nonprofit contract payment practices, indirect cost recovery and government funding adequacy.

• Financial operations. Direct all accounting operations, including general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and month-end and year-end close.
• Financial reporting. Produce accurate and timely internal financial statements, program-level and site-level reporting, and variance analysis for management and…