Job Description

Chief Financial Officer

About California Community Foundation

The mission of the California Community Foundation (CCF) is to lead positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles communities. We envision a future where all Angelenos have the opportunity to contribute to the productivity, health, and well-being of our region. We believe that our common fate will be determined by how successfully we improve the quality of life for all of our residents. The impact we help create is of, by, and for Los Angeles, because the community is our foundation.

What We Fund

We are driven to find long-term, systemic solutions addressing the root causes of the most pressing issues facing Los Angeles County. Since 2000, we have given more than $4.5 billion in grants, impacting hundreds of thousands of lives and helping to transform entire communities. Every one of those grants represents a donor who was dedicated to creating a healthier, more prosperous, and empowered L.A. and beyond.

How We Work

Every year, we and our donors invest tens of millions in transforming Los Angeles, but real change takes more than money. Through partnerships and innovative approaches, we use our tools to maximize impact, empower communities, and strengthen the nonprofit sector for generations to come.

Learn more about California Community Foundation at

The Opportunity

The incoming Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will join the California Community Foundation (CCF) at a pivotal moment for one of Los Angeles’ most trusted and impactful philanthropic institutions. With $2.3 billion in assets and approximately $500 million in annual contributions and grantmaking, CCF manages a complex portfolio of donor-advised funds, endowments, and mission-aligned investments. The CFO will inherit a strong foundation of financial trust—backed by clean audits and operational credibility—but will be charged with elevating the function to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving philanthropic landscape. This includes navigating liquidity constraints, tax reporting complexity, and intricate fund-level management, all while ensuring accuracy, transparency, and integrity in financial reporting.

Under the energized leadership of President & CEO Miguel Santana, CCF is developing a bold new 10-year strategic plan that will shape its next decade of impact. The CFO will play a central role in implementing this strategy—modernizing financial systems, embedding stronger metrics and reporting practices, and helping translate vision into operational and financial models. As a key member of the executive team, this leader will enhance the foundation’s treasury function to support long-term financial resilience, expand its impact investing capabilities, and deliver forward-looking insights that empower strategic decision-making across the organization. The CFO will also serve as a dynamic thought partner to Board members, program staff, and fundraising leaders, ensuring financial stewardship is aligned with mission and community needs.

This is a rare opportunity for a strategic, business-minded, and mission-aligned financial executive to shape the future of Los Angeles. The ideal candidate brings not only technical expertise and operational discipline, but also strong emotional intelligence and a passion for equity and systemic change. They will be energized by the chance to lead in an organization that is both deeply rooted in community and poised for bold innovation. As CCF continues to serve as a catalytic partner for change—mobilizing hundreds of funds and deploying resources when the city needs them most—the next CFO will ensure the foundation remains fiscally sound, operationally excellent, and indispensable to the future of Los Angeles.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Management: Encourages the setting of clear priorities, measuring results, and contributions to enable CCF to be a greater resource to Los Angeles. Works in concert with the Leadership Team and the President/CEO to formulate, execute, adjust, and evaluate the foundation’s strategic plan. Is primarily responsible for translating organizational vision and strategy into integrated operational tactics and strengthening the human and technical infrastructure needed to achieve CCF’s vision. Serves as a member of the Leadership Team, working to further CCF’s mission and goals, maintain and improve operational efficiencies, and maintain a highly motivated and effective staff.

• Planning and Strategy Development: Develops plans and strategies for finance in support of CCF's strategic plan and goals.

• Budget: Working with the President/CEO, Leadership Team, and other managers as necessary, prepares and administers the budget for operations and grantmaking activities of CCF. Presents the operating budget to the Board’s Budget Committee.

• Investment: Working with the Board's Investment Committee, prepares investment and asset analysis reports and monitors the performance of asset managers and consults with investment consultant(s) as needed. Manages the short-term cash flow and investment of assets. Oversees monthly investment reporting to ensure equitable allocation and accounting for investment income and expenses to funds. Works with the Investments Director in implementing changes to investment accounts as approved by the Board’s Investment Committee.

• Audit: Plans for and manages the audit by an outside independent auditor, providing schedules and information as required.

• Financial Forecasting: Working with the President/CEO, develops financial forecasts and reports regarding other key performance indicators.

• Contract Negotiation: Within policies and procedures, negotiates contracts as needed.

• Leadership: As a member of the Leadership Team, responsible for fostering and promoting interdepartmental collaboration that capitalizes on diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills to accomplish foundation goals. Contributes to the development and implementation of the organization’s mission, policies, strategies, and operations. Identifies, considers, and leads opportunities for internal integration of work across functions and departments to make connections and leverage the strengths and efforts of CCF.

• Interdepartmental Collaboration and Team Building: Leads efforts to engage other departments in collaborative opportunities to advance the goals and initiatives of Finance. Works internally to maximize inter-departmental communication, effectiveness, and coordination. Fosters and encourages excellent employee morale and open communications with/between all foundation staff.

• Department Oversight: Manages the Finance function to ensure smooth operations. As department head, directly supervises the Controller and Investment and Financial Analyst, and indirectly supervises other department staff. Builds, develops, and manages a team capable of carrying out needed strategies. Creates budgets and timelines for projects and manages workflow internal to the department. Prepares and reviews staff work assignments and evaluates individual and department performance. Ensures department staff has clearly defined and communicated goals designed to advance and support CCF’s strategic objectives. Active involvement in professional development of staff, utilizing CCF resources and training. Coaches and mentors staff in the areas of problem solving, understanding CCF’s financial priorities, and developing strategies and goals for Finance.

• Board Relations: Provides staff support to the Audit, Budget, and Investment Committees of the Board of Directors (“Board”).

• Special Projects: Provides research and analysis on other projects as requested by the President/CEO.

• General: As appropriate, assists other departments and works as a member of interdepartmental teams to ensure the effective and efficient operations of CCF. At all times, demonstrates cooperative behavior with supervisors and coworkers. Other duties as assigned, dependent on organizational needs and employee skills.

Candidate Profile

The ideal Chief Financial Officer for the California Community Foundation is more than a skilled finance executive—they are a mission-aligned, forward-thinking leader who is energized by the opportunity to steward capital for community good. As CCF enters a pivotal moment of organizational evolution, this individual will bring not only deep technical expertise but also curiosity, integrity, and a genuine passion for equity, innovation, and impact. They will embrace the complexity of our work and see the potential in our assets, people, and partnerships to drive meaningful change. Grounded in a strong commitment to the mission and vision of CCF, the CFO will embody the following core competencies in leading the foundation’s financial strategy and operations.

Strategic and Forward-Thinking Financial Leadership

The CFO will be a strategic partner to the CEO and Board, bringing a confident, future-oriented approach to the organization’s financial leadership. As CCF enters a new strategic planning phase, this leader must be deeply outcomes-driven and able to articulate and support a sustainable, forward-looking business model. They will help the organization move beyond traditional budgeting to embrace forecasting, dashboards, and scenario planning—leveraging data and insights to drive decision-making and ensure alignment with long-term goals. This role demands a leader who can synthesize financial information into strategic insights and help shape CCF’s evolution as a 21st-century institution.

Systems Leadership and Investment Fluency

The ideal candidate is a systems-oriented financial leader with a grounding in investments and a commitment to advancing CCF’s impact investing strategy. They bring a track record of overseeing complex, high-volume financial operations—ideally in environments involving endowment management or foundation accounting—and approach this work with a strategic and enterprise-wide mindset. With over $300 million in annual grantmaking and thousands of  funds both restricted and non-restricted, the CFO must demonstrate the ability to lead through complexity, ensuring coherence, precision, and clarity across financial functions. This leader will play a pivotal role in evolving and integrating CCF’s financial systems—driving modernization efforts, strengthening transparency and accountability, and aligning financial infrastructure with organizational strategy to maximize mission-driven impact.

Operational Management and Organizational Development

The CFO will oversee core financial and operational functions—including budgeting, accounting, treasury, and forecasting—while playing a broader leadership role across business operations. This includes evaluating organizational health through a financial lens and ensuring that systems, processes, and teams are aligned for performance and impact. They will bring a strong track record as a manager—developing staff, mentoring high-potential team members, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. With a commitment to institutionalizing knowledge and building durable systems, the CFO will help move CCF from individual-dependent processes to scalable, sustainable operations.

Executive Presence and Stakeholder Communication

This leader must bring gravitas, confidence, and the ability to build trust quickly across a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders. They should be able to communicate financial strategies clearly and succinctly, particularly in Board settings, and offer informed, respectful perspectives—even when navigating difficult decisions. The CFO will serve as a thought partner to the CEO and Executive Committee, presenting complex financial information with clarity and context. A respectful and values-aligned communicator, the CFO will help elevate financial literacy and shared accountability across the organization.

Mission-Driven Integrity and Innovative Problem-Solving

Above all, the CFO must be a mission-aligned, values-driven leader with a growth mindset. They will be motivated by the opportunity to make a meaningful difference and open to creative, bold solutions that reflect the complexity and ambition of CCF’s work. Whether guiding scenario planning, contributing to the development strategy, or offering a fresh perspective on how the business model could evolve, this individual will operate with curiosity, integrity, and a collaborative spirit. They must be comfortable taking initiative, challenging the status quo when necessary, and consistently leading with a commitment to equity, stewardship, and long-term sustainability.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $400,000 - $450,000 with a generous benefits package.

Contact

DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement. Express interest in this role by or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.

DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.

California Community Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.

About DSG | Koya

DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation’s premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.

DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of “America’s Best Executive Recruiting Firms” and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.

Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's

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