Position: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Organization: Bishop Paiute Tribe Location: Bishop, California Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
About the Opportunity
The Bishop Paiute Tribe is entering an unprecedented era of economic expansion and infrastructure modernization. We are seeking a visionary and highly technical Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to architect the financial strategy that will sustain our community for generations.
This is not a standard maintenance role. As CFO, you will step into a dynamic environment to financially steer major, immediate capital projects, including a new hotel targeted to open by mid-July, a new RV resort, extensive housing developments, and critical infrastructure upgrades. You will partner directly with the CEO and an executive leadership team (including two COOs) to bridge strict federal grant compliance with agile, profit-driven enterprise development.
To ensure our new CFO is set up for immediate success, the Tribe has commissioned an independent, top-to-bottom assessment of the Fiscal Department. Upon your arrival, you will be equipped with a comprehensive diagnostic report and a strategic roadmap to guide your first 180 days.
The Lifestyle: Bishop & The Eastern Sierra
Located in the stunning Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, Bishop offers an unparalleled quality of life for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you are seeking world-class fishing, hiking, bouldering, or simply the breathtaking proximity to Yosemite National Park and Mammoth Lakes, this role offers the rare opportunity to build a career legacy while living in one of the country's premier outdoor destinations.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Enterprise Expansion
- Serve as the primary financial advisor to the CEO and Tribal Council, providing predictive modeling and risk assessments for all tribal enterprises and development projects.
- Oversee financial structuring, capital deployment, and hospitality accounting for the upcoming hotel, RV resort, and housing initiatives.
- Implement and refine financial workflows to ensure seamless coordination between the Fiscal Department, the COOs, and the Tribe’s diverse operational divisions.
Government Finance & Grant Compliance
- Direct the administration of all federal, state, and private grants, ensuring absolute compliance with 2 CFR 200, PL 93-638 contracts, and other relevant funding regulations.
- Lead the annual budgeting process, coordinate external audits, and negotiate the Tribe’s Indirect Cost Rate (IDC) agreements.
- Optimize internal controls, standard operating procedures, and procurement policies to safeguard Tribal assets.
Team Development & Operations
- Evaluate, mentor, and build capacity within the Fiscal Department staff.
- Execute the strategic recommendations resulting from the recent independent department assessment to streamline processes and upgrade financial reporting systems.
Position: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Department: Finance
Supervised by: Chief Executive Officer
Pay Grade: E7 $120,000 - $170,000 DOE
FLSA: Exempt, Salary/ Regular; Full Time
Position Summary:
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic executive leader responsible for the long-term financial health and sustainability of the Bishop Paiute Tribe. The CFO provides high-level oversight of all financial activities, including investment management, Indirect Cost (IDC) rate negotiations, bonding, and capital project planning. This role is designed for a strategic visionary who can translate complex financial data into actionable advice for the Tribal Council while maintaining executive oversight of the Finance Department.
Indian Preference: The Bishop Paiute Tribe is an Equal Opportunity Employer within the confines of the Native American Preference and the Bishop Paiute Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance No. 1992-01 (as amended on June 28, 2012) and the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (24 U.S.C. 450, et seq.), 25 CFR 271.44 and other relevant laws.
This list of duties and responsibilities is illustrative only of the tasks performed by this position and is not all-inclusive.
Essential Duties:
- Strategic Planning: Develop and implement the Tribe’s long-term financial roadmap; advise the Tribal Council on economic diversification and investment strategies.
- Oversight: Provide executive-level direction to the Finance Department with responsibility for the integrity of all financial systems.
- Inter-Governmental Relations: Lead negotiations for Indirect Cost (IDC) rates with federal agencies; ensure compliance with 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Guidance) across all tribal programs.
- Financial Reporting: Present monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance reports to the Tribal Council, offering high-level analysis of variances and trends.
- Treasury & Investment: Manage the Tribe’s investment portfolios, debt service, and banking relationships to maximize returns while minimizing risk.
- Audit Executive Lead: Serve as the primary liaison for the annual external audit, focusing on the management discussion and analysis (MD&A) and resolution of any high-level findings.
- Other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Provides direct supervision and oversight of the Controller, including task coordination, work prioritization, performance guidance, and accountability.
Qualifications:
- Education: Master’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, or Business Administration (MBA) required.
- Certification: CPA or CMA highly preferred.
- Experience: Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership, with at least 5 years in a Tribal Government or complex non-profit environment.
- Skills: Proficiency in fund accounting software (e.g., MIP); expert-level financial modeling; ability to lead effectively in a hybrid/remote environment.
Other Requirements:
- Must have and maintain a valid California Drivers’ License and be insurable by the Tribe’s existing automobile insurance policy.
- Must have the ability to work with people from diverse cultures, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds and possess a basic knowledge of Native American communities and always maintain cultural sensitivity.
- Must comply with the Bishop Paiute Tribe’s organizational policies.
Competencies:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies to perform the essential functions of this position.
- Decision Making – the individual identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully to make the responsible decision.
- Interpersonal Skills - the individual maintains confidentiality, remains open to others’ ideas and exhibits willingness to try new things; ability to interact and maintain good working relationships with individuals of varying cultural and social backgrounds.
- Analytical Skills - Ability to analyze operational, statistical and financial information and draw logical conclusions; compare and interpret facts and figures.
- Communication – Ability to communicate clearly both verbally and in-writing; ability to write clear and concise reports, memoranda, directives and letters.
- Customer Oriented – the individual delivers excellent service to both internal and external customers in a friendly and courteous manner.
- Time Management – the individual prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently and develop realistic action plans.
- Detail Oriented – the individual demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness and monitors own work to ensure quality.
- Adaptability – the individual adapts to changes in the work environment, manages competing demands and can deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events.
- Reliability – the individual is consistently at work and on time, follows instructions, responds to management direction and solicits feedback to improve performance.
- Organized – the individual keeps clean and organized workspace and projects.
- Motivated – inspires self and others about them to get the job done and follow through on tasks.
- Technology Skills – Operates various word-processing, spreadsheets, MIP and database software programs in a Windows environment. Understands where and when AI tools can be employed.
- Safety Oriented - aware of surroundings to maintain a safe work environment for community members and co-workers.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Ability to work long hours as needed.
- Ability to frequently stand, walk, sit, perform desk-based computer tasks, and use a telephone.
- Ability to occasionally stoop, kneel or crouch.
