Job Description

Deputy Chief Financial Officer (Hybrid Role Metro DC Area)

About ADEA:

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is a 501c(3) nonprofit and serves as The Voice of Dental Education®. The Association’s mission is “to develop an inclusive, future-ready oral health workforce prepared to improve the health of all people and communities through leadership, education and collaboration.” As such, ADEA represents approximately 65,000 faculty, staff, students, administrators, residents, and fellows at U.S. and Canadian dental schools, allied dental education and advance dental education programs. Our activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty and leadership development, meetings, news and publications, including the peer-reviewed Journal of Dental Education . We also offer centralized application services to support the recruitment, enrollment, and matriculation of individuals pursuing oral health education. Learn more at

Position Overview:

Reporting to the ADEA Senior Chief Financial Officer (Sr. CFO), the ADEA Deputy Chief Financial Officer (DCFO) is a key financial leader who plays a vital role in supporting the CFO and ensuring ADEA's financial success. The DCFO also is a critical strategic leader who is instrumental in advancing ADEA’s financial health, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability. As a core member of the ADEA senior leadership team, the DCFO will play a major role in budgeting, financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls, ensuring that ADEA’s financial investment portfolio and business practices support its mission and strategic priorities. This role requires strong coordination and collaboration with not only the ADEA Sr. CFO but also the ADEA President and CEO, Chief Operating Officer; Chief of Staff, internal teams, and the Board of Directors to drive sound fiscal decision-making and ensure alignment across departments and divisions. Additionally, the Deputy CFO also plays a crucial role in ensuring the organization's financial health and stability and in developing strategies to increase profitability while minimizing risks.

The ideal candidate is a thoughtful and collaborative financial leader with deep experience in nonprofit or association finance. You combine strategic insight with strong financial acumen and have a proven ability to manage complex financial systems while effectively communicating clearly across functions. You’re comfortable partnering with senior leadership, coaching internal and external teams, and navigating evolving priorities in a fast-paced environment, leading with transparency, and using financial and other data to recommend, educate, and inform evidence-based decisions to align with strategic goals and the Association’s mission. You excel in breaking down sophisticated financial data and communicating it in a manageable way that is also part of a compelling narrative to guide decisions and drive performance. If you thrive in a dynamic environment where your expertise can directly support organizational impact, this role offers the opportunity to lead and partner with purpose.

Key Attributes:

• Proactive, detail-oriented, and solutions-focused.
• An approachable leader with strong relationship-building skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate financial data into actionable organizational insights.
• Capable of collaborating effectively with executive leadership, board members, committees, and operational staff.
• Comfortable navigating change and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Committed to advancing an inclusive, welcoming, and safe workplace and oral health education community.

Primary Responsibilities:

Financial Leadership, Analysis, & Reporting

• Partner with the ADEA Senior CFO to develop, implement, and manage financial strategies aligned with ADEA’s mission and strategic plan.
• Developing and implementing financial plans, budgets, and forecasts.
• Lead the preparation, accuracy, and timely completion of monthly, quarterly, and year-end financial statements and reports.
• Supports the ADEA Sr CF, Finance Team, and staff in managing vendors and contracts related to financial services.
• Collaborates with the ADEA Finance team to ensure that external audits and year-end financial processes are timely, and to produce, clean audit outcomes.
• Develop and communicate financial reporting goals and operational objectives across departments and divisions.

Budgeting & Financial Planning

• Oversee the development, review, and monitoring of annual department budgets, business plans, and financial performance measures.
• Direct and guide accounting staff and department leads throughout the annual budget development process.
• Monitor budgets regularly, analyzing variances, expenditures, and revenue streams to optimize financial performance.
• Works closely with the ADEA Sr CFO and Finance team to maintain up-to-date records on cash flow, assets, liabilities, and investments.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings, process improvements, and revenue generation in collaboration with relevant departments.
• Respond to inquiries and special reporting requests regarding financial performance, budgeting, and compliance.

Compliance & Operational Oversight

• Ensure adherence to financial policies, procedures, and internal controls in alignment with nonprofit financial management standards and best practices.
• Lead the organization’s financial compliance activities, ensuring timely filings, reporting, and adherence to applicable laws, regulations, and accounting standards.
• Serve as a key financial liaison for resolving operational, personnel, and budgetary issues.
• Provide financial analysis, forecasting, and recommendations to support decision-making by ADEA senior leadership and the ADEA Board of Directors.

Additional Leadership Duties

• Support the ADEA Senior CFO in financial planning, investment oversight, and risk management initiatives.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the ADEA Senior Chief Financial Officer, ADEA President & CEO, and/or the ADEA President and CEO’s designee

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or a related field; CPA certification and/or advanced degree (MBA, MPA, MHA, or related) strongly preferred.
• At least 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, ideally within a nonprofit, association, higher education, or mission-driven organization.
• Proven experience supervising, mentoring, coaching, and developing finance teams, with a demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and foster collaborative working relationships.
• Strong working knowledge of nonprofit financial management standards, including accounting principles (GAAP), audit preparation, budgeting, and financial reporting.
• Experience navigating organizations engaged in health care policy, government relations, or nonprofit financial advocacy is a plus.
• Exceptional interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for executive leadership, staff, and board members.
• Strong communication and diplomacy skills;
• Outstanding strategic thinking, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and experience with financial management systems and accounting software; ability to serve as a financial systems super-user preferred.
• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally for ADEA meetings and events, and to work some weekends and evening hours to support ADEA’s mission.
• Availability to work in ADEA’s Washington, D.C. office on a hybrid schedule, at least three days per week.

Compensation: $180,000-$190,000depending on experience and qualifications. Offering generous and comprehensive benefits.

EOE Statement: The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is an equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

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