Application Guide

How to Apply for Vice President of Finance and Operations (Candidates can be based anywhere in the U.S.)

at Mighty Earth

🏢 About Mighty Earth

Mighty Earth is a high-impact environmental nonprofit that has driven major corporations like McDonald's, Nestlé, and Walmart to adopt zero-deforestation policies. With a focus on tangible results and a lean, agile team, you'll work alongside passionate advocates to protect forests and the climate globally.

About This Role

As VP of Finance and Operations, you'll be the financial backbone of Mighty Earth, ensuring resources are optimized to fuel campaigns against deforestation. You'll partner with the CEO and Board to shape strategy, manage a complex grant portfolio, and support international expansion—making your work critical to the organization's growth and impact.

💡 A Day in the Life

Start your day reviewing cash flow and approving grant reports, then join a call with the CEO to discuss budget reforecasting for a new campaign. Midday, you'll meet with the operations team to streamline expense reporting for international staff, and end the day preparing financial dashboards for the Board meeting next week.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Mighty Earth Is Looking For

  • A seasoned nonprofit finance leader with 10+ years of experience, including at least 5 years as head of finance, who has managed fund accounting and federal grants.
  • A strategic partner who can translate financial data into actionable insights for non-finance senior leaders and the Board, and has experience with cloud-based systems like QuickBooks Online and Salesforce.
  • Comfortable operating in a fully remote, global context, with experience supporting international offices or contractors in multiple currencies and regulatory environments.
  • A proactive problem-solver who thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in both team management and operational processes.

📝 Tips for Applying to Mighty Earth

1

Quantify your impact: In your resume, highlight specific financial outcomes you've driven, such as reducing overhead costs by X%, managing a budget of $Y million, or securing Z grants.

2

Show your international experience: Mention any work with foreign entities, multi-currency accounting, or compliance with non-US regulations (e.g., EU funding).

3

Tailor your cover letter to Mighty Earth's mission: Reference a specific campaign or win (e.g., the palm oil victory with Nestlé) to show you've researched their work.

4

Emphasize your experience with grants management: Detail how you've tracked restricted funds, ensured donor compliance, and prepared financial reports for foundations.

5

Highlight your systems expertise: Name the specific cloud-based tools you've used (e.g., QuickBooks Online, Bill.com, Expensify, Salesforce) and any process improvements you've led.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your passion for environmental conservation and alignment with Mighty Earth's mission to end deforestation.", 'Your proven ability to lead finance and operations in a nonprofit with a similar budget size and complexity.', "Specific examples of strategic financial planning you've led, such as multi-year budgeting or cash flow forecasting for growth.", 'Your experience with international operations, including managing remote teams and ensuring compliance across multiple countries.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review Mighty Earth's website and latest annual report to understand their funding sources, program areas, and recent campaign wins (e.g., the role in securing the EU's deforestation law).
  • → Read their blog or press releases to see how they communicate impact and the language they use around finance and operations.
  • → Check their board members' backgrounds to understand the governance structure and expectations for Board reporting.
  • → Look up their 990 filings or financial statements (available on GuideStar) to analyze revenue trends, grant breakdown, and expense ratios.
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💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach developing a 3-year financial plan for an organization that is growing rapidly and expanding internationally?
2 Describe a time you identified a financial risk or inefficiency and implemented a solution that improved the organization's financial health.
3 How do you ensure compliance with federal grants and private foundation restrictions while still allowing programmatic flexibility?
4 Mighty Earth operates with a lean team. How would you prioritize competing demands from the CEO, program directors, and the Board?
5 What experience do you have with remote team management and fostering an inclusive culture across time zones?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't focus solely on for-profit experience; emphasize your nonprofit fund accounting and grant management expertise.
  • Avoid generic language like 'detail-oriented' without concrete examples; instead, describe a specific process improvement you led.
  • Don't overlook the 'operations' part of the role—be ready to discuss how you've managed IT, HR, or office logistics in a remote setting.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Mighty Earth!

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