SUMMARY
The Chief Financial Officer serves as the chief financial steward of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, providing executive leadership for the financial management, stewardship, and administrative support of WELS and its affiliated ministries and organizations. The CFO leads Financial Services and is responsible for financial planning, accounting and reporting, treasury and investment management, budgeting, audit oversight, risk management, legal coordination, nonprofit compliance, internal controls, and strategic financial counsel and decision support.
Reporting directly to the President of the Synod, the CFO provides executive oversight of Financial Services and other assigned ministry support functions and affiliated organizations, currently including Human Resources, Facilities Services, WELS Church Extension Fund, WELS Foundation, WELS Investment Funds, the WELS Retirement Program Commission, and the WELS VEBA Commission. The CFO also serves as the Treasurer of the Synod, participates in governance of various boards, commissions, and committees, and advises the President, Synodical Council, Accounting Oversight Committee, ministry leaders, and other stakeholders.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides executive leadership for the financial stewardship and long-term financial sustainability of WELS, aligning financial resources with the Synod's mission, ministry priorities, and organizational objectives.
- Leads the development and administration of the biennial ministry financial plan including budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, recommendations, and executive decision support.
- Oversees accounting, financial reporting, audit coordination, internal controls, financial policies, and nonprofit and regulatory compliance, ensuring complete, accurate, and timely financial information.
- Directs treasury, cash and investment management, banking, financing, liquidity, debt, and enterprise financial risk activities, including relationships with financial institutions and investment advisors.
- Provides executive leadership, financial integrity, effective governance, organizational alignment, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
- Oversees the financial planning, financing, contract administration, and executive governance of major capital construction, renovation, and facility improvement projects at WELS and its ministerial education schools.
- Serves as Treasurer of the Synod and provides executive financial leadership and strategic counsel to the President, Synodical Council, Accounting Oversight Committee, governing boards, ministry leaders, and affiliated organizations.
- Manages key executive relationships with external auditors, legal counsel, insurance providers, consultants, and other professional service partners and leads cross-functional initiatives assigned by the President.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides executive leadership for assigned staff and organizational leaders, including recruitment, delegation, coaching, performance management, professional development, and succession planning. Fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, servant leadership, mutual respect, and faithful stewardship.
These requirements are representative, but not all-inclusive, of the knowledge, skill, and ability required to perform this job. Other duties may be assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Active voting member in good standing of a WELS congregation, with a demonstrated commitment to the doctrine, mission, and ministry of WELS.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a closely related field required; an MBA, graduate degree in a related discipline, or other advanced education is preferred.
- CPA designation strongly preferred. Other relevant professional certifications may be considered based on the candidate's education and experience.
- Progressively responsible executive leadership experience built on a strong foundation in accounting and financial management, including financial reporting, budgeting, treasury, investments, internal controls, risk management, and financial strategy.
- Experience leading responsibilities beyond traditional finance, including cross-functional initiatives, organizational improvement, technology implementation, capital projects, or other complex enterprise activities.
- Experience overseeing independent financial audits, regulatory compliance, legal coordination, banking relationships, financing activities, investment management, and other professional service relationships.
- Experience advising executive leadership, governing boards, or similar oversight bodies and presenting complex financial information in support of strategic decision-making.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and project-management abilities, with the capacity to identify trends, evaluate alternatives, manage competing priorities, and recommend practical solutions.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate and present complex financial, legal, regulatory, and organizational matters clearly to audiences with differing levels of technical and financial knowledge.
- Strong integrity, discretion, executive judgment, interpersonal skills, and ability to maintain confidentiality while managing sensitive financial, personnel, legal, and organizational matters.
- Experience in a nonprofit, faith-based, educational, or similarly mission-driven organization is preferred but not required.
- Proficiency with modern financial systems, Microsoft Office applications, data analysis tools, and technology that support financial and organizational effectiveness.
- Ability to travel as necessary for meetings, conferences, ministry activities, and visits to WELS schools, ministries, subsidiaries, and affiliated organizations.