Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer

Location Seattle, WA 98109 Date Posted August 21, 2026 Job ID 15223 Employment Type Retained

Scion Executive Search has been retained to identify the incoming Chief Financial Officer on behalf of our client, Museum of Pop Culture, a nonprofit museum whose mission is to activate the world-shaping power of pop culture through participative experiences, discovery, and play - using creativity and cultural expression to inspire connection, understanding, and community. MOPOP is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial, and highly collaborative financial leader who can be more than a traditional financial steward; they will be a commercially minded and mission-driven business partner who understands the financial drivers behind attendance, pricing, consumer behavior, philanthropy, and organizational growth.

Comfortable with change, ambiguity, and building within an evolving organization, the right CFO will bring the judgment, financial discipline, and curiosity to evaluate new opportunities, translate complex information into actionable insights, and help leaders across MOPOP make informed decisions that balance mission, innovation, access, and long-term sustainability. This full-time, hybrid (3 days/week onsite) opportunity is located in Seattle, Washington. There are occasional night and weekend hours to support events, philanthropy, and representing MOPOP.

ABOUT MOPOP:

At the Museum of Pop Culture (MOPOP), pop culture isn't something we simply collect, it's something we celebrate, question, amplify, and experience together.

Located in the heart of Seattle, MOPOP is a one-of-a-kind nonprofit museum where music, film, fashion, gaming, science fiction, sports, and more come together to tell the stories that shape us. For more than two decades, we've created bold, immersive experiences that explore the people, movements, ideas, and creative expressions that influence how we see ourselves, and one another.

We believe pop culture is for everyone. It can challenge convention, spark conversation, build community, and give people permission to see possibility in themselves. Through unforgettable exhibitions, iconic collections, live programs, education, and experiences that invite participation rather than observation, MOPOP creates space for curiosity, discovery, nostalgia, joy, and connection.

That same creative spirit fuels the people behind the museum. Our team includes storytellers and strategists, educators and experience-makers, collectors and creators, technologists and operators, all working together to bring MOPOP's mission to life. Whether preserving an artifact that helped define a generation, inspiring a young person to find their creative voice, welcoming a guest from across the world, or building the systems and strategies that will carry MOPOP into its next iconic chapter, every role contributes to something bigger.

At MOPOP, we know the most interesting culture is created when different perspectives collide. We are committed to building an organization where people of different races, cultures, identities, abilities, backgrounds, lived experiences, and ways of thinking are valued, and where those differences make our work, our museum, and our impact stronger.

This is a place for the curious, the passionate, the unconventional, and the people who believe culture has the power to move us forward.

Come help us shape what's next! To learn more, visit https://www.MOPOP.org/.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as a strategic thought partner to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors, providing visionary financial leadership that enables organizational sustainability, innovation, and growth. The CFO directly oversees the Finance and Information Technology functions and leads a team through two direct reports: the Controller and Director of Information Technology. Together, these functions provide the financial, technological, and operational infrastructure essential to MOPOP's success.

As the executive leader responsible for financial stewardship, enterprise risk management, technology strategy, legal coordination, and organizational compliance, the CFO plays a critical role in strengthening MOPOP's long-term financial sustainability. This includes supporting a diversified revenue model, identifying and evaluating new earned and contributed revenue opportunities, and ensuring the organization has the financial infrastructure, systems, and insights necessary to achieve its mission.

This is an opportunity for a strategic and entrepreneurial financial leader to help shape MOPOP's next chapter. As the organization continues to diversify revenue, grow philanthropy, modernize systems, strengthen infrastructure, and pursue new opportunities for innovation and growth, the CFO will play a central role in building the financial models, systems, and decision-making capabilities necessary to support the museum's future.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Financial + Organizational Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop a high-performing and diverse team working across key infrastructure areas, including strategic finance, accounting, legal, compliance, and Information Technology functions.
• Oversee and manage MOPOP's fiduciary responsibilities, including the development of long-term financial planning strategies, annual budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and scenario planning.
• Provide oversight and final review of accounting and financial planning functions, including monthly, quarterly, and year-end close.
• In partnership with the CEO and leadership team, develop and implement financial strategies that support short- and long-term organizational goals through sophisticated forecasting, financial modeling, scenario planning, and timely, accurate financial information.
• Drive overall financial performance and long-term sustainability through strategic pricing, revenue diversification, investment, cash flow, and expense management strategies.
• Serve as a strategic financial partner and executive sponsor for MOPOP's earned revenue activities, helping evaluate pricing, attendance forecasting, channel performance, audience behavior, and new revenue opportunities.
• Develop driver-based financial models and scenario plans that enable leadership to make timely course corrections while balancing growth, mission, access, and long-term sustainability.
• Lead financial planning and liquidity management for a seasonal, attractions-based organization, anticipating fluctuations in attendance and earned revenue and developing strategies to manage off-season cash needs and long-term financial stability.
• Lead the ongoing modernization and optimization of financial systems and partner with organizational leaders to strengthen business intelligence, reporting, and analytics capabilities, ensuring leaders have timely, accurate information to support decision-making.
• Oversee the Controller and Finance team in leading the annual budgeting process, monitoring financial performance, and identifying significant variances, risks, and opportunities.
• Build financial literacy and shared accountability across the organization by translating complex financial information into practical, actionable insights and establishing a regular cadence of financial communication with executive leaders, senior leaders, and budget owners.
• Working closely with the accounting team, oversee both internal and external financial reporting, ensuring compliance with GAAP and all applicable local, state, and federal requirements.
• Effectively communicate and present critical financial matters, organizational risks, and strategic opportunities to relevant stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Lead the oversight of MOPOP's knowledge management infrastructure, enabling real-time, robust access to best-in-class current resources and tools.
• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for the Information Technology function, including strategic planning, staffing, budgeting, vendor management, technology investments, cybersecurity, data integrity, and development of a long-term technology roadmap.
• Partner with organizational leaders and technology and business systems teams to strengthen data management, business intelligence, reporting, and analytics capabilities.
• Foster a collaborative approach to data and systems that enables appropriate ownership while ensuring information supports enterprise-wide decision-making.
• Partner with the CEO, COO, and organizational leaders to evaluate capital and long-term facility needs, translating strategic maintenance and master planning priorities into financially sustainable models and funding strategies.

Compliance + Risk Management

• Oversee annual external audits, Form 990 preparation, insurance renewals, and relationships with external auditors, financial institutions, legal counsel, investment advisors, and other external partners.
• Partner with the CEO, VP of People + Culture, COO, and organizational leadership to maintain strong systems and processes that enable compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal and regulatory requirements.
• Provide executive oversight of organizational contract governance, including financial and risk review, appropriate internal approval processes, and partnership with organizational leaders and outside counsel on complex or high-risk agreements.
• Oversee staff managing federal and state contracts to ensure contracts are secured, allocated, budgeted, tracked, and in compliance.
• Lead organization-wide management of legal affairs, insurance, enterprise risk management, and related compliance strategies.

Board & Governance

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Finance Committee and Audit Committee.
• Prepare and present financial reports, forecasts, scenario analyses, and strategic recommendations to the Board of Directors.
• Build financial literacy among Board members and help ensure trustees have a clear understanding of nonprofit financial statements, organizational performance, financial risk, and long-term sustainability.
• Partner with the CEO, Board, Investment Committee, and external advisors on investment strategy, reserve management, endowment planning, and the financial stewardship of major or transformational gifts.
• Support strong financial governance practices by ensuring the Board and its committees receive timely, accurate, and strategically useful information.

Executive Leadership + MOPOP Community

• Serve as an active and collaborative member of the Executive Leadership Team, helping connect financial strategy to organizational priorities, mission, earned revenue, philanthropy, operations, and long-term growth.
• Lead and develop Finance and IT leadership through regular coaching, one-on-one meetings, performance management, succession planning, and professional development.
• Empower functional leaders and subject matter experts while maintaining clear expectations, accountability, and strategic alignment.
• Foster a leadership environment that balances autonomy with appropriate financial discipline and oversight.
• Provide on-site support on high-visibility days and evenings for openings, late-night programming, select Spectacular Saturdays, member-exclusive hours, fundraisers, and other events as identified by the CEO.
• Work to ensure customer service is ingrained at the core of the Finance and IT teams and reflected outward to guests and colleagues.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 10+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, including senior executive experience leading finance within a complex nonprofit, mission-driven organization, or comparably sophisticated business environment.
• Experience supporting organizations with annual operating budgets of approximately $10 million or greater is preferred.
• Experience supporting complex and diversified revenue models, including earned revenue, admissions or consumer-facing revenue, memberships, philanthropy, sponsorships, partnerships, or other recurring and variable revenue streams.
• Experience overseeing multiple operational or infrastructure functions within a large, complex organization, including the implementation, modernization, and optimization of administrative, financial, or technology systems.
• Deep expertise in financial management, including financial modeling, budgeting, forecasting, scenario planning, cash management, and long-term financial planning.
• Experience with nonprofit accounting, restricted funds, grants, endowments, charitable organizations, investments, and organizational reserve management strongly preferred.
• Experience partnering on investment strategy, endowment planning, major gifts, capital planning, or other long-term financial stewardship initiatives.
• Demonstrated success leading through organizational change, systems implementation, financial transformation, or periods of significant growth and evolution. Comfortable building infrastructure, establishing processes, and bringing clarity and discipline to evolving environments.
• Experience overseeing or serving as an executive sponsor for Information Technology, technology strategy, financial systems, business intelligence, or enterprise systems.
• Clear and effective communicator with extensive experience presenting complex financial information to executives, Boards, committees, and non-finance stakeholders.
• Strong team leadership skills, with high emotional intelligence and a demonstrated passion for coaching, developing, and empowering leaders.
• A highly collaborative and transparent leader who can balance being inclusive with decisiveness, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Demonstrated success leveraging strategic thinking and creative problem-solving skills to improve systems and processes, navigate complexity, overcome challenges, and achieve measurable organizational impact.
• Demonstrated success working with diverse, strong, and creative teams to achieve common goals, with the ability to lead through influence rather than authority.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

In addition to a competitive base salary of $220,000 to $235,000, MOPOP also provides a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA); Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA); Employee Assistant Program (EAP); Life insurance; Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance; Long Term Disability insurance; 401(k) Retirement Plan with 4% vested employer match schedule once eligible; subsidized transportation benefits for Orca Pass or parking, and 15 days of vacation annually, Seattle Sick/Safe, 7 floating holidays, and 8 company holidays.

APPLICATIONS AND NOMINATIONS:

MOPOP has retained the services of Scion Executive Search, a national executive search firm specializing in nonprofit recruitment, to assist in conducting this important search. For immediate consideration, please apply with your resume and cover letter, formatted in Microsoft Word, via: https://scionretainedsearch.com/job/15223.

Please address applications to:

Ex Hopson, Senior Executive Search Principal

Scion Executive Search

(888) 487-8850 Extension 142

Review of applications, nominations, and expressions of interest will begin immediately and continue on a confidential basis until an appointment is made.

ABOUT OUR FIRM:

Scion Executive Search is an award-winning retained executive search firm. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the United States. Through innovative team building and recruitment solutions, Scion Executive Search seamlessly bridges the gap in interim and executive searches. Our track record and recruitment process have made us one of the top recruitment firms in the nation.

We are proud to be part of the Forbes lists of the Best Recruitment Firms and the Best Executive Search Firms in America. Additionally, Scion has been recognized as a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing firm as well as a top recruitment firm by The Business Times. Additional information about our firm and our practices can be found online.

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