Job Description

Meet Church Initiative

The Church Initiative is a non-profit ministry established in 1994 by founders Steve and Cheryl Grissom, who, after their personal experiences with divorce, developed the DivorceCare program and subsequently GriefShare to provide support and healing through local churches. Its core mission is to share God’s comfort with individuals who have experienced painful, life-altering events by creating and distributing high-quality, Christ-centered support group resources, equipping churches to offer these programs, and encouraging hurting people to attend. The organization has successfully equipped over 30,000 churches worldwide for biblical, lay-led support group ministries.

About the Vice President of Finance and Administration

The VP of Finance & Administration (VP of F & A) will serve as the ministry’s chief financial strategist and administrative leader, overseeing financial planning, forecasting, reporting, compliance, pricing strategy, human resources administration, and strategic vendor management. This role will provide strategic oversight of accounting, budgeting, and financial operations, while partnering closely with the executive team to drive the ministry’s financial sustainability and operational effectiveness.

The Vice President of Finance and Administration’s responsibilities include:

Financial Planning, Analysis & Forecasting

• Lead organizational budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling activities.
• Conduct monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reporting and analyses, providing detailed insights on departmental P&L, budget adherence, and performance metrics.
• Develop enhanced financial comparisons, year-over-year analyses, and strategic financial insights to inform executive decision-making.
• Oversee cash flow management and strategic spend forecasting, including capital expenditures.
• Provide regular scenario planning and financial analysis to support strategic growth initiatives and decisions.
• Oversee the development and review of sales projections and financial forecasts for new products and ministry initiatives, collaborating closely with customer success, marketing, and product teams.

Accounting & Financial Operations

• Direct oversight of accounting functions, supervising the Lead Accountant, Assistant Lead Accountant, and Special Project Accountant..
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting, compliant with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Implement and maintain effective internal controls, coordinating regular audits performed by independent external auditing firms.
• Streamline financial month-end and year-end closings for financial analysis and reporting.
• Manage banking relationships, and serve as the primary liaison with external-investment advisors and managers and financial-service and benefit providers.

Pricing Strategy

• Develop and oversee pricing strategies for ministry products, both domestically and internationally.
• Ensure pricing structures align with organizational objectives, market positioning, and financial goals.
• Collaborate closely with marketing, sales, and product teams to establish pricing frameworks and evaluate pricing performance.

Administrative & Strategic Vendor Management

• Manage staff retirement plans.
• Oversee facility management, ensuring operational efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and excellence.
• Set policies and procedures to help us mitigate financial, legal, and operational risk
• Manage and coordinate oversight of vendor and supplier relationships relevant to administrative and operational needs. (Initially collaborate with the Sr. VP on managing print vendor relationships, with a planned transition of this responsibility to the VP of F & A role within 6-12 months.)

Compliance & International Financial Management

• Ensure comprehensive compliance with state, federal, and international sales tax and donation requirements.
• Develop and manage financial practices supporting international sales and digital distribution.
• Oversee merchant/payment processing, subscription pricing models, and related operational strategies.

Human Resources Administration

• Manage operational aspects of HR, including payroll budgeting, reporting, compensation analysis, staffing forecasts, and labor cost reporting.
• Hire and directly oversee the HR staff member responsible for daily human resources operations.
• Partner closely with external HR consultants on strategic decisions related to staffing, compensation structures, and HR compliance.
• Oversee annual salary budget planning, tracking total compensation costs, raises, bonuses, professional development expenditures, and related financial analyses.

Strategic Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate closely with executive leadership to establish clear financial targets and strategic goals.
• Provide strategic financial guidance, including customer lifetime value analysis, sales trends, and partner purchasing behaviors.
• Identify and recommend strategic opportunities to enhance ministry impact and financial sustainability.

What you bring

The following describes many of the characteristics of the ideal candidate for the Vice President of Finance and Administration:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field required; MBA strongly preferred.
• 10+ years in senior financial and administrative leadership roles, ideally including executive-level experience.
• CPA is not required; however, experience overseeing accounting functions and working with external CPA firms is essential.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated expertise in financial forecasting, budgeting, and advanced financial modeling.
• Significant experience managing accounting functions, financial operations, internal controls, and audits.
• Experience managing HR operations, vendor relationships, and facility management. (This role does not include oversight of IT infrastructure or systems, which are managed by another department.)
• Deep familiarity with international finance and compliance, including sales tax, merchant processing, and digital sales environments.
• Exceptional analytical, communication, strategic-thinking, and leadership skills.
• Comfortable using NetSuite ERP systems and advanced business intelligence tools for reporting (Tableau experience a plus).

Personal Characteristics and Qualifications

• Aligned with the organization’s mission, values, and ministry objectives.
• High integrity, detail-oriented, and capable of managing complexity.
• Collaborative, influential leader with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Proactive, decisive, and capable of adapting to a dynamic, mission-focused environment.
• This position plays a central role in a Christian ministry, so it is important that applicants possess saving faith in Jesus Christ, actively participate in and belong to a local church, and consistently demonstrate Christlike character (Gal. 5:22 -25, 2 Pet. 1:5 – 9, Rom. 12:6 – 21).

What it’s like to live in Wake Forest, NC

Living in Wake Forest, NC offers a charming blend of small-town feel with easy access to the amenities of nearby Raleigh. The town is known for its family-friendly atmosphere, historic downtown, excellent public schools, growing neighborhoods and its two Chik-Fil-A’s. Wake Forest is also home to Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. And there are a number of flourishing local churches in the area, as well as many active homeschooling networks. Residents enjoy a mix of local shops, parks, greenways, and community events throughout the year. It’s a popular spot for those who want a quieter lifestyle without being too far from city conveniences. The cost of living is moderate, and there’s a strong sense of community that makes it an appealing place for families, professionals, and retirees alike.

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