Friends of the Winooski River & Friends of the Mad RiverFinance & Operations Manager
Locations: Waitsfield, Montpelier, and remote
Position Details
Reports to: Executive Directors of both organizations
Status: Full time (32 – 40 hours, negotiable)
Salary: $28 - $32/hour
Benefits: PTO; retirement plan with employer match contribution; cafeteria plan with HSA/HRA options and employer contribution
Schedule: Expectation of 1-2 days per week in person in each office. Flexible schedule and remote work arrangements are available with supervisors’ approval.
Apply: Send cover letter and resume to [email protected]
Position Overview
Friends of the Winooski River and Friends of the Mad River are seeking qualified candidates to share administrative leadership of our work to engage our communities in taking care of our rivers. We have seven full-time employees between the two organizations, and each organization has its own volunteer Board of Directors.
The Finance & Operations Manager will be an employee of Friends of the Winooski River and contracted to Friends of the Mad River. They will be responsible for the financial administration and operational structures that support both organizations’ similar programs and continued growth. Working closely with the Executive Directors, Executive Committees, and staff, this position will manage day-to-day financial processes, maintain organizational databases and systems, support fundraising operations, and build and maintain effective workflows to achieve organizational goals.
This role combines ongoing financial and administrative responsibilities with opportunities to strengthen the systems and tools that allow our small, growing nonprofits to operate effectively. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead the improvement of the operational systems that support both organizations.
Key Responsibilities1. Financial Administration
Manage routine financial operations
Both organizations currently contract with the same external bookkeeper, and both use Quickbooks Online for accounting and payroll. Each organization manages time tracking and payroll a little bit differently. The tasks outlined below entail coordination between each ED and Treasurer and our external provider. The balance of bookkeeping tasks between in-house and contractual may shift over time, depending on capacity.
● Process and track accounts payable and receivable; outgoing payments and checks; and bank deposits
● Process payroll.
● Maintain grant award, expenditure, and balance records.
● Generate financial reports for the Executive Director, Treasurer, and Board of Directors.
● Prepare financial documentation for grant reporting, budgeting, audits, and insurance requirements.
● Calculate and track employee leave accruals and benefits.
● Monthly account reconciliations.
● Monitor payroll tax filings, quarterly and annual tax reporting, and tax compliance.
● Preparation for annual audit or financial review.
● Maintaining accounting procedures and documentation.
2. Fundraising & Membership Operations
Manage logistics and data for fundraising and membership activities
Friends of the Winooski uses the Network for Good/Bonterra CRM to receive donations, track volunteer hours, and send communications. Friends of the Mad River uses Neon CRM to track donations and memberships.
● Ensure accurate donor, volunteer, and membership records.
● Process donations and prepare donor acknowledgments.
● Generate donor, volunteer, and membership reports.
● Support fundraising and membership campaigns through donor segmentation, mailing lists, data management, and campaign logistics.
● Coordinate with the Executive Directors to ensure fundraising timelines are met.
3. Financial Planning & Reporting
Support financial planning and budget tracking
● Assist with annual budgets and financial forecasting
● Track grant budgets to help evaluate financial performance
● Monitor account balances to achieve cash flow and investment targets
● Support regular financial reviews with Executive Directors and Treasurers
● Improve our budgeting and reporting tools
● Help both EDs consider new systems (software, workflows, tracking) to better integrate accounting, payroll, CRM, and staff time tracking/allocation
4. Human Resources and Office Administration
Coordinate routine administrative functions
● Manage Friends of the Winooski River’s cafeteria plan, administered by Healthy Dollars
● Coordinate hiring and onboarding, including setting up software and other systems access for new hires.
● Establish procedures to ensure compliance with personnel and procurement policies
● Manage employee offboarding, including systems access removal.
● Serve as the staff resource for personnel policy interpretation and benefits inquiries
● Oversee registration and maintenance of employer tax accounts (payroll withholding, unemployment insurance, etc).
● Oversee procurement processes and vendor contracts
● Collect and process mail
● Manage insurance policies, reporting, and compliance.
● Manage recurring operational expenses, including software subscriptions.
● Maintain office supplies.
● Process and mail membership materials.
● Process and fulfill merchandise orders.
● Support general administrative workflows and efficient office systems
5. Special Projects: Organizational Systems & Process Improvement
The Executive Directors and staff welcome the Finance & Operations Manager to be a partner in identifying opportunities and strategies to improve organizational systems, workflows, and information management.
● Managing implementation of new tools, systems, and processes.
● Ensuring new systems are practical, functional, and consistently used.
● Supporting staff adoption of improved workflows.
● Maintaining documentation for key administrative procedures.
● Improving coordination between financial, fundraising, and program information systems.
● Improve CRM functionality and integration of donor and volunteer data with communications and financial systems.
● Strengthen our recurring giving, planned giving, sponsorship, and membership systems.
● Create reports and dashboards that help evaluate fundraising progress and inform decision-making.
Qualifications
Required
● Excellent writing skills
● Strong working knowledge of QuickBooks or comparable accounting software.
● Understanding of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP).
● Proficiency with spreadsheets: both organizations use Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets.
● Experience managing databases or CRM systems.
● Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
● Excellent attention to detail.
● Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
● Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
Preferred
● Experience with nonprofit financial administration.
● Experience supporting charitable organizations, donor-advised funds, or community foundations.
● Experience integrating data from financial and donor management systems into reports useful for monitoring and decision-making
● Experience managing projects, implementing systems, or improving organizational workflows.
Position Specifics
Equal Opportunity Employer
FRIENDS OF THE WINOOSKI RIVER IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, protected veteran status, disability, age (40 or older), political affiliation, and genetic information. This announcement of an available position does not constitute a promise or guarantee of employment to any applicant.
We seek a diverse pool of applicants for this position, and strive to foster an inclusive, collaborative work culture.
Duration: Ongoing
Supervision: ExecutiveDirectors of both organizations
Location
Friends of the Mad River’s office is in Waitsfield, and they work in the Mad River Valley towns of Waitsfield, Warren, Fayston, Moretown, and Duxbury. Friends of the Winooski River’s office is in Montpelier, and they work throughout the rest of the Winooski River watershed, encompassing more than 30 towns from Cabot to Lake Champlain.
Working Conditions
This position includes office-based administrative work and regular computer use. Many responsibilities can be completed remotely, although regular in-person office hours and occasional evening or weekend commitments may be required.
Coordination Between Organizations
For at least the first six months, the Finance & Operations Manager will divide their time equally between the two organizations. Each Executive Director will establish priorities and work plans for their respective organization while coordinating regularly to ensure a manageable workload and clear expectations.
Following this initial period, the organizations will jointly evaluate the position and may adjust the allocation of time and responsibilities based on organizational needs and opportunities.
Pay: $28.00 - $32.00 per hour
Benefits:
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: In person
