Director of Finance and Operations

Director of Finance and Operations

UnCommon Law fights to ensure that all people incarcerated for violent crime have access to effective legal representation and opportunities for healing. Through our unique, trauma-informed model of advocacy, we provide the space currently missing in the system for healing, accountability, and safe pathways home from prison. In developing new self-narratives, the people we serve are able to more effectively disrupt violence inside and outside prison and become leaders who change negative societal narratives about those incarcerated for violent crime.

Our groundbreaking approach is changing policy and outcomes, driven by the voices and experiences of system-impacted communities.

The Director of Finance and Operations leads UnCommon Law's financial and operational infrastructure in service of the organization's mission and long-term sustainability. This role is both strategic and hands-on: the ideal candidate can develop long-range financial scenarios and planning models while also engaging deeply in the day-to-day details of nonprofit financial management, including coding accuracy, restricted funding tracking, and financial reporting.

This position partners closely with organizational leadership and external accountants to support thoughtful decision-making around growth, staffing, program expansion, and funding strategy. The Director of Finance and Operations oversees key operational functions (including facilities management), guides organizational systems and processes, and supervises the Finance & Operations team.

This exempt position reports directly to the Deputy Director and offers an annual salary range of $126,400 to $154,050. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our values. New hires are typically placed between the minimum and midpoint range. Final salary offers are determined based on the candidate's job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as assessed during the interview process and aligned with our structured salary schedule.

Our office is based in Oakland, CA, and we offer a team-dependent hybrid work model to our employees. This role includes responsibility for office operations and will therefore involve a more consistent on-site presence than most positions. Applicants who submit cover letters that are not tailored to the position or the organization will not be considered.

• Strategic Financial Leadership (30%)
• Lead organizational financial planning and sustainability analysis, including scenario modeling related to staffing, program growth, and restricted funding
• Support organizational leadership in assessing financial risks, opportunities, and long-term sustainability under changing funding conditions
• Partner closely with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and Team Leaders to support strategic decision-making through financial analysis and reporting
• Lead the annual organizational budgeting process in collaboration with Team Leaders and organizational leadership
• Oversee review of financial reports, projections, and analyses with the Board Finance Committee and other leadership stakeholders, leveraging monthly and quarterly materials from accountants
• Collaborate closely with the Development team to align fundraising strategy, grant planning, and organizational financial forecasting
• Review budget-to-actual reporting with Team Leaders and support thoughtful interpretation of financial trends and variances
• With support from external accounting firm, lead the annual audit process and serve as primary liaison with external auditors

• Financial Operations & Compliance (25%)
• Oversee financial operations systems and workflows, including Quick Books, , Divvy, payroll, accounts payable processes, and related reporting and reconciliation systems
• Maintain compensation schedules and support the Executive Director in compensation updates
• Review financial reports, coding practices, reconciliations, and budget-to-actual trends to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with organizational and grant requirements
• Maintain and strengthen financial systems, internal controls, and fiscal policies and procedures
• Identify opportunities to improve financial workflows, reporting systems, and operational efficiency

• Grant Management & Reporting (15%)
• Lead budgeting for new and existing grants
• Lead financial tracking and reporting for restricted funds to ensure appropriate allocation
• Coordinate invoicing for restricted funding as needed with accountants

• Operations (20%)
• Oversee major organizational operations functions, including facilities, office infrastructure, equipment, and vendor relationships, in partnership with the Operations team
• Provide leadership and oversight for organizational technology systems and major IT initiatives in collaboration with UnCommon Law's external IT provider and Finance & Operations Coordinator
• Manage the IT and operations-related budgets, contracts, and long-term planning
• Support the…