Continuous Improvement Manager, Finance

Why we need you

Springboard Collaborative invites talented and passionate candidates to apply for the position of Continuous Improvement Manager. The Continuous Improvement Manager will be responsible for financial business systems and process optimization. A successful candidate will be accountable and dependable for taking ideas from inception to delivery and will oversee financial business systems and process optimization.

Springboard Collaborative closes the literacy gap by closing the gap between home and school. We coach educators and family members to help kids learn to read by 4th grade. Springboard envisions a world in which all children have the requisite literacy skills to access life opportunities. The Continuous Improvement Manager supports this goal by ensuring that business leaders have access to consistent, quality data to make sound business decisions that align with organizational goals.

The Continuous Improvement Manager will be an independent contributor. The Continuous Improvement Manager will report to the Assistant Vice President, Finance, and work as part of the Finance Team under the Business Strategy Department. This is a great opportunity to support an entrepreneurial team to maximize the impact of a rapidly growing organization.

You can read more about the requirements, competencies, goals, and responsibilities below. We'd love to have you join us!

This is important

We are an equal-opportunity employer. Diversity is more than a commitment at Springboard Collaborative-it's at the core of what we do and how we do it. No one can solve a problem better than those who experience it firsthand. That's why Springboard aspires to hire a diverse team that is representative of the marginalized communities we serve.

We also know that having a diverse workforce makes for a better workplace. Springboard's hiring process seeks individuals who value diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, etc.

Here are your priorities in the first year:

• You will perform cost reduction opportunity analysis that will inform senior leadership decision-making and organization-wide change in support of the 3-year action plan. You will partner with internal departments and external vendors to identify and evaluate Springboard's current financial systems, suggest changes, and integrate new systems to improve processes.
• Optimize and automate current finance operation processes where possible to enhance team efficiency by 25%.
• Write and update Finance standard operating procedures focused on building scalable operations and processes.

Here are your responsibilities within and beyond the first year:

You establish and support a culture of continuous improvement on the finance team.

• Identify necessary improvements through process mapping, gap analysis, root cause analysis, and/or other continuous improvement analyses.
• Utilize business process reengineering to achieve significant improvements in performance, quality, and internal/external stakeholder satisfaction.
• Prioritize process improvement opportunities that automate workflows and increase operational efficiency.
• Update standard operating procedures and train the finance team on new processes.

You lead all project management activities for the finance team.

• Assist finance team leadership with project qualification, selection, and prioritization.
• Build and manage the team's project pipeline, lead internal cross-functional teams/subject matter experts, and see projects through completion.
• Regularly communicate project status and provide regular reports to leadership and internal stakeholders.

You perform financial analysis that validates a sound business model and data analysis that measures the impact of continuous improvement initiatives.

• Ensure consistent, quality financial data across all systems/software.
• Measure, monitor, and evaluate process improvements post-implementation and make appropriate adjustments to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
• Establish and promote continuous process improvement mindset and practices through KPI/metric target-setting.
• Perform financial analysis (cost analysis, cost reduction, cost-benefit, etc.) to enable business leaders to evaluate decisions in a data-driven & evidence-based manner.

You serve as the primary liaison to the Systems Team to evaluate and implement the unused functionality of current financial systems or new financial systems.

• Research and evaluate existing or potential financial software solutions.
• Identify technical requirements to streamline and automate the activities of the finance team.
• Support solution deployments, new functionality, and/or system enhancements.
• Diagnose root cause and recommend end-to-end solutions that use digital workflows.

What you offer us

Here are the competencies and requirements we expect the right candidate to have:

• Communication: You have excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact with a diverse group of partners, managers, and subject matter experts to support project success and continuous improvement.
• Accountability & Dependability: You are accountable and dependable for taking ideas from inception to delivery. You are able to align the finance goals with the larger organization's goals.
• Change Leadership: You have experience with and are comfortable leading cross-functional teams in the hands-on implementation of continuous improvement programs and Lean solutions.
• Analysis/Reasoning: You can design remediation plans to address productivity and efficiency issues, and have an established track record of data-driven decision-making that leads to process improvements.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: You have the ability to navigate unforeseen obstacles and be flexible while keeping focus on the end goal.
• You have 3+ years of continuous improvement, process improvement, or business transformation experience.
• You have 2+ years of project management experience.
• You have demonstrated data analysis experience and you are an advanced Excel/sheets user (Data Analysis Certification preferred).

It would also be nice to have:

• You have previous accounting or finance experience.
• You have financial planning and analysis experience.
• You have experience with continuous improvement and business process improvement tools & methodologies (Lean Six Sigma, Kaizen).

What we offer you

Compensation

Here are our compensation values: At Springboard, compensation equity is integral to the way we operate and our commitment to competitiveness, pay equity, performance-based rewards, transparent & equitable career growth, and progressive benefits.

Compensation for this role: Each role at Springboard is placed in a compensation band with 5 levels. This role sits within Band 5. Generally, we expect all candidates that meet the hiring criteria to be offered $119,797.65. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would we consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range. The actual level of the successful candidate (and corresponding salary) will be based on compensable factors such as job-relevant education, job-relevant experience, training, licensure, demonstrated competencies, and other factors. You may also be eligible for Springboard's collective bonus program.

Our process to determine compensation: Springboard does not negotiate the offered salary during the offer conversation. Throughout the interview process, we will evaluate your alignment with the compensable factors listed in the job description. From there, we will determine your starting salary on a level within the job band.

Benefits

What we offer you

Compensation

Our compensation values: At Springboard, compensation equity is integral to the way we operate and our commitment to competitiveness, pay equity, performance-based rewards, transparent & equitable career growth, and progressive benefits.

Compensation for this role: Each role at Springboard is placed in a compensation band with 5 levels. Generally, we expect all candidates who meet the hiring criteria to be offered the midpoint of the band. This role sits within Band 5. The midpoint of this band is $119,797.65. The actual level of the successful candidate (and corresponding salary) will be based on compensable factors such as job-relevant education, job-relevant experience, training, licensure, demonstrated competencies, and other factors. You may also be eligible for Springboard's collective bonus program.

Our process to determine compensation: Springboard does not negotiate the offered salary during the offer conversation. Throughout the interview process, we will evaluate your alignment with the compensable factors listed in the job description. From there, we will determine your starting salary on a level within the job band.

Benefits

At Springboard, we feel it is important to take care of our employees, which is why we offer a competitive benefits package. These benefits include the following:

• The usual stuff - Medical insurance with a cash stipend for those who waive Springboard coverage. Options include PPO, High Deductible/HSA, and EPO. Health Savings Accounts are available for our high-deductible plan.
• We'll take care of it - We fully cover your vision & dental insurance premiums, plus your short & long-term disability coverage.
• Securing your future - We match up to 6% of your salary in 403(b) retirement contributions (or student loan payments!) after your first six months at Springboard.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) is important - Four weeks annually, prorated from the date of your hire. At Springboard, time off isn't earned. Everyone gets access to their time at the start of the calendar year.
• Holidays! - All eleven federal holidays, including Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples' Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day, plus two extra floating holidays! If a holiday occurs over the weekend, we take off during the week. Election Day. YOUR. BIRTHDAY.
• Paid Leave - Parental Leave (12 weeks after the first 6 months of employment). Marriage Leave (five days).
• Under the weather? - We don't cap the number of sick days available to employees.
• Technology support - All employees receive a Springboard laptop.
• Your wellness is a priority - Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides support for stress/anxiety, finance, law, family, substance abuse, grief, and more.
• Transparency is key - We ensure regular opportunities to discuss individual and organizational development and our commitment to equity. Consistent, structured, and real-time feedback is foundational to Springboard's culture.

Location and travel

Applications are welcome from any location within the United States. This is a remote position, with a preference for candidates who are able to work Eastern Standard Time hours. There will be quarterly travel required to participate in team and org-wide retreats. Springboard Collaborative's headquarters office is in Philadelphia, PA.

About Springboard

Since our founding in 2012, we have grown Springboard's reach from 40 to nearly 20,000 students across 51 cities. Amidst rapid growth, Springboard consistently delivers best-in-class results. In schools that often struggle to get 20% of parents to show up for report card conferences, Springboard's weekly family workshops average 88% attendance. Students average a 3-4-month reading gain during each program cycle, closing the gap to grade-level performance by about half in just five or ten weeks. Springboard's work has been featured by Forbes, NPR, and the New York Times (twice). Nationally, Springboard Collaborative is the only organization to have cracked the code on equipping marginalized families to teach reading at home. You can learn more by watching our CEO on the main stage of ASU GSV.

Our org chart & mission

Click here to view Springboard's structure at a glance, and here to browse our incredible staff. You can read more about how we engage teachers and families to accelerate student learning in this op-ed.