Summary
Description
The Opportunity
The St. Louis Community Foundation (STLCF) has been a force for community investment and innovation since its founding in 1915. By connecting generous individuals with important causes, STLCF, the second-oldest community foundation in the country, has inspired purposeful philanthropy that has connected and strengthened the greater St. Louis region.
In 2023, the foundation welcomed Dr. Kelvin Adams as President and CEO. With his impressive experience as both a community leader and administrator, Dr. Adams is expanding the organization’s collaborative philanthropic efforts. Under his leadership, the Foundation is tackling the region’s toughest, long-standing challenges while building pathways toward a more equitable, connected, and stable St. Louis community.
The Foundation seeks a skilled and accomplished Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join its leadership team and drive financial services and strategy. After a 21-year tenure, the Foundation’s beloved EVP and CFO, who held many roles within the organization, is retiring, creating a unique opportunity to join an exceptional organization at a pivotal moment of mission clarity and movement.
A strategic financial leader, the CFO will drive fiscal optimization, ensure accurate reporting, and enhance cross-functional collaboration across our 29-person organization, managing a $3.7 million operating budget. With nearly 900 charitable funds and total assets of more than $645 million, this role demands the talent and dedication of an experienced and sophisticated financial leader.
The Organization
The foundation partners with donors to create lasting impact through community leadership and convening, strategic grantmaking, and innovative philanthropy that addresses the communities’ most challenging needs.
STLCF distributes approximately $90 million in annual grantmaking. Since 1974, the Foundation’s cumulative grantmaking has surpassed $1 billion.
In 2024, the foundation launched a new strategic plan, “A Foundation for the Future,” concentrating a portion of its discretionary grantmaking and resources in two priority areas — Economic Mobility and Youth Connections. The Economic Mobility priority area is defined as organizations and initiatives that address housing, financial empowerment, and job creation issues. The Youth Connections priority area encompasses early childhood development, educational innovation, and scholarship efforts.
STLCF provides best-in-class donor services and leverages a donor’s passion for community impact. In addition, the foundation hosts innovative and impactful programs, including:
- Give STL Day – A day of giving that brings the region together as one community, raising money and awareness for over one thousand local nonprofits in the Greater St. Louis region. Since its inception in 2014, over $34 million has been raised for local nonprofits.
- Regional Response Team – The team was first assembled to respond to the pandemic and distributed over 4.5 million in COVID relief. The RRT provided critical response after the region was devastated by tornadoes in May 2025. Through the Collaborative Action Network (CAN), the team convenes leaders from the region’s government, social service agencies, educators, and healthcare professionals to focus on its mission to mobilize the nonprofit, philanthropic, and public sectors to address life-threatening crises and racial and systemic inequities.
- Gateway Early Childhood Alliance Fund – This fund focuses on a resilient, thriving early childcare system in the St. Louis region in which kids ages 0 to 5 can learn and grow in a joyful, high-quality early care and education environment, regardless of their race, family income level, or zip code.
- Center for Education Leadership – This is focused on improving academic and social/emotional outcomes within the system of schools in the St. Louis Region, by empowering school leaders through professional development and initiating innovative solutions to teaching and learning.
The foundation has incubated and invested in some of the most impactful organizations and programs in the region, including:
- The Magic House – The award-winning children’s museum began with the support of the STLCF.
- InvestSTL – A community development system initiated to strengthen communities and reduce inequities.
- My Scholarship Central – A collaborative regional resource to increase access to higher education by helping students close the funding gap for college with private scholarships and interest-free loans.
- Center for Civic Research and Innovation – Provides objective research and analysis for civic engagement.
The Mandate
The foundation’s most important asset is trust. Under the next CFO, the foundation will continue to bolster and earn the region’s trust through adherence to the highest professional standards and unwavering commitment to remain objective and unbiased.
The CFO to lead in this time of impact will be an experienced, adaptive leader with a passion for building a more equitable and vibrant St. Louis region.
Reporting to the President & CEO, the CFO will be a valued strategist and thought partner. They will play a pivotal role as fiduciary and steward of the foundation’s financial resources by providing strong, strategic, operational leadership that ensures the organization’s long-term financial sustainability, effectiveness, and impact.
With deep experience managing complexity, the CFO will build the organization’s finances for the future. Key responsibilities include:
Financial Operations Management
- Direct day-to-day financial operations, including cash flow management, investments, accounts payable, and financial transactions
- Establish and maintain robust internal controls and compliance systems aligned with statutory requirements and foundation policies
- Lead the annual audit process and coordinate regulatory filings (Form 990, state registrations) with executive management and external auditors
- Manage the annual budget process and provide quarterly financial reporting to executive leadership
- Monitor weekly cash flow requirements related to grantmaking activities and investment account management
- Oversee payroll systems and processes to ensure efficiency and accuracy
- Prepare comprehensive financial reports and analysis for executive management and the Board of Directors
Donor-Advised Fund and Grant Administration
- Manage complex donor-advised fund portfolios with individualized accounting, distribution tracking, and donor reporting requirements
- Support compliance monitoring and impact tracking across diverse funding areas
- Collaborate with program staff to develop compelling funding opportunities and impact narratives
Technology and Systems Management
- Ensure efficient cross-functional coordination within the foundation’s technology platforms
- Lead strategic technology initiatives to optimize dashboards, reporting, and analytical functions
- Oversee integration of specialized procedures into the overall technology platform
- Monitor technological developments for efficiency opportunities and security considerations
Team Leadership and Development
- Champion and develop the finance team through collaboration, mentorship, and professional development
- Provide clear, decisive leadership focused on priorities, process improvement, and measurable results
- Partner with peer leadership to address business needs in a timely and strategic manner
- Support employee benefit program design and management
Donor Relations and Philanthropy Support
- Support comprehensive donor engagement strategies that align philanthropic interests with community needs
- Provide expertise on complex gift considerations, including planned giving, charitable remainder trusts, and sophisticated giving vehicles
- Build and maintain relationships with donors, community leaders, and regional institutions
- Contribute to the growth and stewardship of foundation resources across all fund types
The Candidate
The CFO will be a compelling advanced practitioner with a depth of financial leadership experience in a similarly complex organization. This role combines high-level strategic oversight with hands-on operational management, requiring expertise in nonprofit accounting, investment management, and donor relations within the unique complexities of community foundation operations.
This role requires an understanding of the distinctive complexities inherent in community foundation operations that include:
- Asset Management Complexity – Oversight of substantial endowments and diverse investment portfolios requiring sophisticated investment knowledge and committee collaboration
- Donor-Advised Fund Administration – Management of hundreds of individual funds with unique accounting, distribution, and reporting requirements
- Regulatory Environment – Navigation of complex regulations, including private foundation excise taxes, spending requirements, and extensive IRS compliance
- Stakeholder Diversity – Service to multiple constituencies with varying levels of financial sophistication and diverse communication needs
- Revenue Variability – Management of income streams subject to market performance fluctuations and economic cycles, requiring advanced scenario planning
Essential professional assets:
- Proven experience as CFO or senior financial executive, preferably in the nonprofit sector
- 10+ years of progressive finance and accounting leadership with budget oversight, analysis, risk management, and reporting experience
- Minimum 7 years of supervisory experience developing and motivating high-performing teams
- Demonstrated expertise in nonprofit accounting, institutional investment management, and tax implications of charitable giving
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or related field required
- CPA or CMA strongly preferred
Essential personal attributes:
- Exceptional relationship-building skills with the ability to connect authentically with diverse stakeholders
- Strong diplomatic skills and emotional intelligence for sensitive stakeholder interactions
- High integrity with proven track record of trustworthiness and ethical leadership
- Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
Preferred assets:
- Previous community foundation or similar nonprofit finance experience
- Knowledge of the local philanthropic landscape and key community stakeholders
The Relationships
The CFO reports to:
- President & CEO
Direct reports:
- Accounting Manager
- Two Accounting Associates
Collaborates with:
- Senior leadership team
- Board Treasurer & Finance Committee
- Board Investment Committee Chair
While stewarding such other important relationships as:
- Donors and fundholders
- Professional advisors and program partners
- Peer foundation and organization leadership in the region
The Compensation
The St. Louis Community Foundation provides employees with a collaborative, dynamic, and rewarding professional experience, with a competitive compensation and benefits package and growth opportunities. The expected salary for this position is $165,000.
The Location
The St. Louis Community Foundation is located in the historic Oak Knoll Park in Clayton, MO, a suburb of St. Louis. The Foundation is housed in a charming 20th-century stone mansion. It is a welcoming location for convening and collaborating, and an apt reflection of the warmth and collegiality of the staff and board.
St. Louis is a family-friendly, primarily suburban-based community with approximately 6% lower cost of living than the national average. The St. Louis metropolitan area population is 2.8 million. It is home to the Gateway Arch and Forest Park, considered one of the nation’s greatest urban public parks. The park’s 1,300 acres host five major cultural institutions, including the St. Louis Art Museum, Science Center, and Zoo, as well as the Missouri History Museum and the Muny Opera Theatre.
For potential consideration or to recommend a prospect, please email appropriate materials to STLCFCFO@BoardWalkConsulting.com or call Michelle Hall, Diane Westmore, or Crystal Stephens at 404-262-7392.
