Director of Finance and Operations

About UnCommon Law

UnCommon Law fights to ensure that all people incarcerated for violent crime have access to effective legal representation and opportunities for healing. Through our unique, trauma-informed model of advocacy, we provide the space currently missing in the system for healing, accountability, and safe pathways home from prison. In developing new self-narratives, the people we serve are able to more effectively disrupt violence inside and outside prison and become leaders who change negative societal narratives about those incarcerated for violent crime. Our groundbreaking approach is changing policy and outcomes, driven by the voices and experiences of system-impacted communities.

About the Role

The Director of Finance and Operations leads UnCommon Law’s financial and operational infrastructure in service of the organization’s mission and long-term sustainability. This role is both strategic and hands-on: the ideal candidate can develop long-range financial scenarios and planning models while also engaging deeply in the day-to-day details of nonprofit financial management, including coding accuracy, restricted funding tracking, and financial reporting. This position partners closely with organizational leadership and external accountants to support thoughtful decision-making around growth, staffing, program expansion, and funding strategy. The Director of Finance and Operations oversees key operational functions (including facilities management), guides organizational systems and processes, and supervises the Finance & Operations team.

This exempt position reports directly to the Executive Director and offers an annual salary range of $126,400 to $154,050. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our values. New hires are typically placed between the minimum and midpoint range. Final salary offers are determined based on the candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as assessed during the interview process and aligned with our structured salary schedule.

Our office is based in Oakland, CA, and we offer a team-dependent hybrid work model. We expect this role to work fully on-site for the first 30 days to support onboarding, relationship-building, and learning our office operations. After that initial period, we are open to exploring a hybrid schedule, with a required 3 days per week in the office to support operations and the remaining workday(s) eligible for remote work.
Applicants who submit cover letters that are not tailored to the position or the organization will not be considered.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Finance, Operations, & Compliance Management (60%)

Financial Operations

• Oversee financial operations systems and workflows, including but not limited to managing organizational accounting (e.g., accounts payable, reimbursements), processing payroll, and managing related reporting and reconciliation systems
• Maintain compensation schedules and support the Executive Director in compensation updates
• Review financial reports, coding practices, reconciliations, and budget-to-actual trends to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with organizational and grant requirements
• Maintain and strengthen financial systems, internal controls, and fiscal policies and procedures
• Identify opportunities to improve financial workflows, reporting systems, and operational efficiency
  

Grant Management & Reporting

• Lead budget development for new and existing grants
• Lead financial tracking and reporting for restricted funds to ensure appropriate allocation
• Coordinate invoicing for restricted funding as needed with accountants
  

Office & IT

• Oversee major organizational operations functions, including facilities, office infrastructure, equipment, and vendor relationships, in partnership with the Operations team
• Provide leadership and oversight for organizational technology systems and major IT initiatives in collaboration with UnCommon Law’s external IT provider and Operations & Finance Coordinator
• Manage the IT and operations-related budgets, contracts, and long-term planning
• Support the development and maintenance of operational systems, policies, and documentation to ensure organizational effectiveness and accessibility
• Ensure operational practices reflect organizational values and support a values-driven, collaborative, and functional work environment

Strategic Financial Leadership (25%)

• Lead organizational financial planning and sustainability analysis, including scenario modeling related to staffing, program growth, and restricted funding
• Support organizational leadership in assessing financial risks, opportunities, and long-term sustainability under changing funding conditions
• Partner closely with the Executive Director, Deputy Director, and Team Leaders to support strategic decision-making through financial analysis and reporting
• Lead the annual organizational budgeting process in collaboration with Team Leaders and organizational leadership
• Review financial reports, projections, and analyses with the Board Finance Committee and other leadership stakeholders, leveraging monthly and quarterly materials from accountants
• Collaborate closely with the Development team to align fundraising strategy, grant planning, and organizational financial forecasting
• Review budget-to-actual reporting with Team Leaders and support thoughtful interpretation of financial trends and variances
• With support from external accounting firm, lead the annual audit process and serve as primary liaison with external auditors

Supervision and Team Leadership (10%)

• Supervise and support the two-person Finance & Operations team, fostering a collaborative, accountable, and sustainable work environment
• Provide strategic guidance, prioritization support, and professional development to team members while empowering independent ownership of workstreams
• Ensure strong coordination and communication across finance, operations, and organizational leadership

Organization-Wide (5%)

• Participate in regular staff meetings
• Occasionally participate in in-person team building activities and retreats
• Occasionally assist in cross-team collaborative opportunities, such as policy, non-client mail, and fundraising

Experience

Required

• 4+ years as a senior finance leader in the non-profit sector
• 2+ years experience as a people manager of full-time staff with the knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other staff members
• Demonstrated experience managing nonprofit financial operations, including accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll processing, investment accounting, financial reporting, and budget development and analysis
• Strong understanding of nonprofit accounting principles and standards, including GAAP, restricted funding, multi-year grant commitments, audit coordination, internal controls, and multi-year budgeting and forecasting
• Proficiency with nonprofit financial systems and technology, including accounting software (e.g., Quickbooks) and payroll processing platforms (e.g., BambooHR)

Preferred

• Experience overseeing on-site office operations, including facilities maintenance, office infrastructure, and ensuring a safe, functional, welcoming work environment

• Experience working in diverse settings with people across all socio-economic spectrums and a wide variety of personalities and roles - staff, participants, local agencies, vendors, volunteers, etc.
  
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex financial concepts for non-finance audiences, from program staff to board members
• Experience working with a variety of financial and operational tools or comparable platforms, including EveryAction, Clio, Broadvoice, G-Suite, Box, Bill.com, Slack, and Zoom

Abilities and Attributes

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including presentations to executives, board or other outside partners
• Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts for individuals at all levels, including finance and non-finance managers
• Ability to interpret and adapt to competing priorities and conflicting deadlines
• Excellent written and verbal skills
• Highly organized with attention to detail; patience; ability to work independently and coordinate multiple, diverse projects, set realistic deadlines, and manage a timeline
• Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, and unwavering commitment to the organization’s mission
• Willingness to learn and grow with the organization
• Ability to create and promote a positive and supportive work environment

Benefits and Support

Currently, UnCommon Law offers 100% paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and covers 75% for dependents. To support our team’s mental well-being, we also provide a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) of $200/month in reimbursable funds for therapeutic expenses. We have a flexible time off policy and a full organizational closure for two weeks from late December to early January each year. We offer a generous family leave policy, flexible hours, FSA and Retirement plans, regular access to training and clinical support, and generous sick leave. In addition to the formal benefits, we are committed to building and maintaining an equitable culture that is sustainable and joyful, and where each team member can thrive. You’ll see this in the acknowledgements in weekly staff meetings, in-office lunches, and community gatherings.

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and a cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience for the role, along with contact information for two professional, academic or other relevant references to our hiring portal (https://uncommonlaw.bamboohr.com/jobs/). Applicants who submit cover letters that are not tailored to the position or the organization will not be considered.

Please note that all correspondence in the hiring process will be through the BambooHR portal. Following the submission of your application, you should receive an automatic response (via email) thanking you for your application. If you do not receive this, please check your spam folder.

UCL is committed to providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. UCL does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or prior contact with the criminal justice system. We strongly encourage applications from people impacted by incarceration as well as from traditionally underrepresented communities.