Finance Director

Destination Ascendigo: Ascendigo’s mission is to elevate the spectrum by empowering people, inspiring lives, and shattering expectations. We apply this mission to both the people we serve, such as our participants and clients, and the people with whom we serve, such as our co-workers and other stakeholders.

Ascendigo is a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of children and adults living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) through therapeutic recreation, employment, community integration, education, and an array of behavioral health services. Headquarters in Carbondale, Colorado, Ascendigo employs approximately 45 year-round staff and an additional 40+ seasonal employees during summer programming.

The Ascendigo Promise to our employees is to provide meaning and purpose in the work we do and a culture of R.E.S.P.E.C.T. We support high performance through thoughtful on-boarding and training and acting with integrity. We offer 360° compensation, personal well-being, and fulfillment.

Position Summary: The Finance Director is a key member of Ascendigo’s leadership team, responsible for the integrity, sustainability, and strategic alignment of the organization’s financial operations. This role oversees all day-to-day finance and accounting functions while serving as a thought partner to the CEO, COO, and leadership team on financial planning, forecasting, and decision-making.

The Finance Director ensures strong financial stewardship, operational efficiency, and compliance, while translating financial data into clear, actionable insights that support programmatic impact and organizational growth.

Key Responsibilities: 

Financial Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the development and management of the organization’s annual budget, partnering with program leaders to build accurate, aligned departmental budgets


• Responsible for all financial reporting functions.


• Provide monthly/quarterly/annual materials for Ascendigo Leadership Team, inclusive of forward-looking financial forecasting, scenario planning, and cash flow analysis


• Translate financial performance into clear insights and recommendations for the CEO, COO, and Leadership Team


• Support strategic decision-making including program expansion, cost management, and revenue optimization

Financial Operations & Oversight

• Oversee all accounting functions including general ledger, AP/AR, payroll coordination (including outsourced providers if applicable), and month-end close


• Ensure timely, accurate financial reporting (monthly, quarterly, annual)


• Maintain and strengthen internal controls to safeguard organizational assets


• Ensure monthly reconciliation of all accounts and overall financial accuracy

Compliance, Audit & Risk Management

• Oversee preparation of IRS Form 990, audits, and all regulatory filings


• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and grant-related requirements


• Maintain and strengthen financial policies, procedures, and documentation


• Oversee organizational insurance policies and risk mitigation strategies


• Lead financial oversight of billing operations, ensuring regulatory compliance and accuracy in claims submission for Medicaid waiver services, Medicaid insurance, and commercial insurance payers.

Grants, Contracts & Revenue Optimization

• Oversee financial tracking and reporting for grants and contracts


• Partner with program leadership to ensure accurate billing, reimbursement, and cost allocation


• Support efforts to maximize earned and contributed revenue through strong financial systems and insights

Board & Stakeholder Engagement

• Prepare and present financial reports and dashboards for the Board of Directors and Finance Committee


• Serve as staff liaison to the Finance Committee


• Support financial transparency and confidence with external stakeholders including funders, auditors, and partners

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Supervise and support the Accounting Manager (and any additional finance support roles)


• Foster a culture of accountability, clarity, collaboration, and continuous improvement within finance operations


• Assist in performing all tasks necessary to achieve organization's mission and help execute staff succession and growth plans


• Train all staff in financial management matters related to the performance of their duties


• Assist President/CEO on the strategic vision including fostering and cultivating internal and external relationships, as well as assisting in the development and negotiation of contracts


• Partner cross-functionally with HR, programs, and operations to align financial practices with organizational goals


• Support organizational planning, technology improvements, benefit & compensation packages, and system efficiencies

Qualifications:

·        Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field (CNAP or Master’s preferred but not required)

·        Minimum five (5)+ years of progressive financial management experience, including two years as a financial controller or finance director and preferably within nonprofit or human services organizations

·        Experience overseeing budgets in the $5M–$10M range

·        Strong understanding of nonprofit accounting, including fund accounting and grant management

·        Demonstrated experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis

·        Experience supervising staff and leading financial operations

·        Proficiency in accounting systems (e.g., QuickBooks) and managing and maintaining un-integrated or partially integrated subledger systems for decentralized billing and receivable functions. Additionally, advanced skills in Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint

·        Ability to communicate & present financial concepts clearly to non-financial stakeholders

·        Experience overseeing audits and regulatory compliance

Personal Characteristics: The ideal candidate is both hands-on and strategic, with a collaborative and mission-driven mindset. They are a strong communicator, a thoughtful problem solver, and a trusted partner to leadership.

They are deeply aligned with Ascendigo’s mission and committed to a culture of R.E.S.P.E.C.T.:

·        R-Recognize the inherent worth of your coworkers.

·        E- Eliminate derogatory words and phrases.

·        S- Speak with people- not at them- or about them.

·        P-Protect the culture of your organization- report and support!

·        E- Empathize- consider what it is like in others’ situations.

·        C-Consider your impact on others before speaking and apologize when you make a mistake.

·        T- Treat everyone with integrity, dignity, and respect.