Senior Finance Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis

About The Kennedy Center

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation’s cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra. 

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law. 

Mission Statement: As the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts. 

Why Join Us

We offer a comprehensive range of benefits to all full-time employees including: 

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year 
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA
• Flexible work arrangements
• We like to have fun! Check out the Kennedy Center National Dance Day 2023 staff video!

Job Description

The Senior Finance Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis will be instrumental in establishing efficient and effective financial processes to support the daily operations of the Kennedy Center. The individual will reinforce consistent financial analysis to inform data-driven decisions by providing in-depth financial analysis and reporting to support the Kennedy Center’s annual operations plans to achieve current and future program objectives.

The individual will oversee and manage reporting, analysis, and development of the Kennedy Center’s financial plans for operations to include the annual budget and ongoing projection cycles throughout the fiscal year. The Senior Finance Manager is responsible for leading, training, and developing staff; project managing and leading the Center through its core financial planning processes; maintaining relationships with Program leads; and liaising with external financial parties to include auditors and other third-party partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide financial management and oversight of the Kennedy Center’s Trust budget, including both operating and capital budgets. Oversee dissemination of quarterly and monthly budget variance reports. Lead the analysis of current year budgets and projections by developing and maintaining complex financial analysis on the entirety of the Kennedy Center’s Trust operations. Establish strong partnerships with other departments to identify areas of concern and facilitate future recommended projection changes. Drive core financial planning processes by being a leader in project management. Maintain confidentiality of financial information, or any other tasks assigned by the organization.
• Develop, build, and maintain financial products that can summarize complex financial information into concise reports. Using such products, provide expert advice to the Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis, Chief Financial Officer, and other senior leaders on budget/projection development, financial trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Lead cross-cutting analysis that brings together key financial stakeholders such as Development, Marketing, Finance, Program Leads, and Senior Management. Lead monthly revenue alignment analysis that maps expense projections with restricted revenues so that the Kennedy Center can optimize its use of restricted revenues in a matrixed funding environment.
• Support the preparation of financial statements and coordination with independent auditors for all annual and quarterly audit planning and execution functions. Assist in the implementation and upgrades of financial systems, which includes designing systems and processes, migrating data, testing, training, and administration. Develop and provide training presentations for users across the organization.
• Work with business unit leaders for solutions that drive cross-functional impact. Assist in establishing short and long-range departmental goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures. Maintains close communication with internal users and decision-makers to stay abreast of business needs or industry trends, opportunities, and threats. Develop benchmarks and key indicators for measuring the financial performance of the Kennedy Center over the short and long-term.
• Foster a culture of service and excellence that motivates staff and encourages collaboration in order to provide the best experience for our customers. Empower and mentor team members to advance their professional growth.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, commerce or a related field required.
• At least ten (10) years of experience in financial management within the nonprofit industry with at least three (3) years of management experience.
• MBA or CPA is a plus.
• Proven track record of driving innovation and continuous improvements while championing change.
• Strong leadership and problem-solving skills that bring a department together to foster teamwork and achieve great results.
• Expert in quantitative analysis and Microsoft Excel including complex formulas and financial modeling. Power Query is a plus.
• Strong organizational, conflict management, analytical, and strategic thinking skills
• Ability to adapt within a rapidly changing environment.
• Effective communication and follow through that build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external customers.