Executive Assistant to CFO
Position Grade: 4
THE AREA FOUNDATION
The Area Foundation serves as the community’s most trusted and impactful philanthropic partner, managing more than 500 charitable funds totaling $1.3 billion in assets. Coordinating efforts with numerous area nonprofits, the Area Foundation serves as a collaborative leader, connecting donors to address key community issues and investing in our future. Since 1964, over $900 million for scholarships and grants have been awarded to close opportunity gaps for those who need it most in San Antonio. Learn more about your community foundation at saafdn.org.
Our core values are Excellence, Passion, Integrity, and Community.
SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES
The Executive Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides high-level administrative, financial, and operational support to ensure the efficient management of the CFO's office. Acting as a trusted partner to the CFO, this position manages communications, prioritizes workflow, coordinates key projects and deadlines, and serves as an essential liaison between Finance and other departments.
This role requires strong business acumen and accounting knowledge to effectively review, prioritize, and route high volumes of communication; support audit, investment, insurance, and financial management activities; and coordinate follow-up on critical organizational matters. The Executive Assistant exercises sound judgment, discretion, and professionalism while helping the CFO focus on strategic leadership and organizational priorities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Executive & Administrative Support
- Manage the CFO's calendar, scheduling, meeting logistics, and competing priorities.
- Serve as the primary gatekeeper for the CFO's communications, independently reviewing and prioritizing a high volume of incoming emails, requests, and correspondence, exercising sound judgment to determine appropriate response, escalation, delegation, or follow-up.
- Draft, edit, and prepare communications, reports, presentations, and correspondence on behalf of the CFO.
- Track action items, deadlines, deliverables, and follow-up responsibilities arising from meetings, projects, strategic initiatives, and Finance-related priorities.
- Maintain organized records, files, contracts, financial documentation, insurance materials, and departmental procedures in accordance with organizational requirements.
- Anticipate needs and proactively identify opportunities to improve efficiency of the CFO’s
- office.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Financial & Accounting Coordination
- Coordinate annual audit requests, tax filings, financial reviews, and regulatory reporting
- deadlines.
- Review, prioritize, and route requests involving accounting, investments, grants, donor
- funds, scholarships, insurance, compliance, contracts, and risk management based on
- urgency, financial significance, risk, and organizational priorities.
- Assist with budget preparation materials, financial reports, dashboards, board
- presentations, and management reporting.
- Support invoice approvals, expense reporting, purchasing documentation, and contract administration as assigned.
Insurance & Risk Management Support
- Assist with the administration and coordination of the Area Foundation's insurance
- programs, including annual renewals for property and casualty, cyber liability, directors
- and officers (D&O), fiduciary liability, and other insurance coverages.
- Coordinate with insurance brokers, carriers, and internal stakeholders to gather
- information, track renewal timelines, and support renewal submissions.
- Request, obtain, maintain, and distribute Certificates of Insurance (COIs) as needed for
- contracts, vendors, events, tenants, and other business activities.
- Track insurance-related compliance requirements and follow up with vendors,
- consultants, and contractors regarding insurance documentation.
- Support organizational risk management initiatives through accurate recordkeeping and deadline management.
Project & Operational Support
- Coordinate cross-departmental projects involving Finance and other organizational
- teams.
- Assist with policy administration, process improvement, and workflow documentation
- initiatives.
- Actively participate in Collaborative Business Planning (CBP) and maintain project information in Monday.com.
Stakeholder & Organizational Coordination
- Serve as a professional liaison between the CFO, Finance Department, and internal and
- external stakeholders.
- Coordinate communications and follow-up with auditors, attorneys, investment advisors,
- banks, insurance brokers, consultants, vendors, donors, and other partners.
- Collaborate closely with the Officer, Board Relations & Governance to support
- Audit/Finance and Investment Committee and Board deliverables, ensuring financial
- reports, presentations, and supporting materials are prepared accurately and provided
- timely.
- Track board and committee action items assigned to the Finance Department and
- coordinate follow-up with responsible staff.
- Support a collaborative, responsive, and service-oriented organizational culture
- Maintain the highest degree of confidentiality regarding financial, personnel, donor, legal, and organizational matters.
Technology & Continuous Improvement
- Leverage Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Copilot, AI tools, and other organizational systems to streamline administrative and financial processes, improve information management, and support new technologies and process enhancements.
- Demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and adapting to evolving technologies and organizational systems.
QUALIFICATIONS
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field
- preferred.
- Minimum five years of executive assistant, accounting, finance, audit, bookkeeping,
- project coordination, or executive support experience.
- Nonprofit, public accounting, banking, or financial services experience strongly
- preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
- Ability to review communications and independently determine priority, risk level, and appropriate routing.
- Demonstrated ability to understand accounting, finance, audit, investment, insurance, and compliance-related matters sufficiently to identify issues requiring executive attention.
- Working knowledge of insurance administration, certificates of insurance (COIs), contract-related insurance requirements, and risk management practices preferred.
- Ability to independently coordinate with insurance brokers, auditors, attorneys,
- consultants, and other professional service providers.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and SharePoint, with experience using project management and other business applications.
- Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines.
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Commitment to Mission & Core Values.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- High level of professionalism, adaptability, and interpersonal skills.
WORKING CONDITIONS & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Hybrid office environment with work flexibility as determined by organizational policy.
• Typical office working conditions with extended periods of computer use.