How to apply for Vice President of Finance and Operations

About Mighty Earth

Mighty Earth is a high-impact environmental nonprofit fighting deforestation and climate change through corporate and government accountability. With a track record of winning major policy changes and working with global brands like Nestlé and Cargill, the organization offers a chance to drive systemic change in a lean, mission-driven environment. As VP of Finance and Operations, you'll be a key strategic partner in scaling their impact.

About the role

This role combines strategic financial leadership with operational oversight, ensuring Mighty Earth's resources are optimized for maximum environmental impact. You'll lead a small but growing finance team, manage complex grant portfolios, and drive systems improvements to support rapid growth. The role is critical for maintaining donor trust and enabling program teams to focus on mission.

A typical day

You might start the day reviewing cash flow projections and grant drawdown schedules, then join a call with the CEO to discuss budget reforecasts for a new campaign. Midday, you could lead a team meeting on upgrading the expense management system, followed by a one-on-one with a program director to help them understand their budget variance. Afternoons often involve reviewing grant reports for compliance and preparing board materials.

Who Mighty Earth is looking for

• A seasoned nonprofit finance leader with 10+ years of experience, including 5+ years managing a finance department, who has navigated complex audits, multi-currency grants, and fund accounting.
• Proven track record of implementing cloud-based financial systems (e.g., NetSuite, QuickBooks Online) and driving process improvements in a growing organization.
• Strategic thinker who can translate financial data into actionable insights for non-finance staff, and comfortable presenting to the Board and senior leadership.
• Passionate about environmental justice and climate, with experience in or strong alignment with Mighty Earth's mission to reduce deforestation and protect communities.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of leading a finance team through growth or system transitions (e.g., moving from manual to automated processes, implementing new ERP).
• Quantify your impact: e.g., 'Managed $10M+ budget, improved grant reporting accuracy by 30%, reduced audit findings by 50%.'
• Tailor your cover letter to show understanding of Mighty Earth's campaigns (e.g., forest protection, corporate supply chain accountability).
• Mention experience with remote team management and cross-functional collaboration (e.g., working with program directors on budget planning).
• If you have experience with monitoring and evaluation (M&E) or security assessments, emphasize it—these are listed in the job description.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Your passion for environmental advocacy and alignment with Mighty Earth's mission to combat deforestation.", 'Specific leadership experience in nonprofit finance, including grants management and fund accounting.', 'Examples of driving operational efficiency and systems change (e.g., implementing new accounting software, streamlining grant reporting).', 'Your ability to build financial literacy across an organization and partner with non-finance staff to achieve strategic goals.']

Research before applying

• Read Mighty Earth's latest annual report and financial statements to understand their revenue sources (grants, individual donors, etc.) and spending priorities.
• Familiarize yourself with their key campaigns (e.g., 'Chocolate Scorecard,' 'Forest Protection in Indonesia') to see how finance supports program goals.
• Look into their leadership team and Board members to understand the strategic context and who you'd be reporting to.
• Review recent news about Mighty Earth's wins or challenges (e.g., corporate engagements, policy changes) to show informed interest.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Describe a time you managed a complex financial situation (e.g., multi-year grant, restricted funds, cash flow crisis) and how you resolved it.
• How would you approach building financial literacy among program staff who may not have a finance background?
• What experience do you have with cloud-based financial systems, and how would you evaluate if Mighty Earth's current systems need upgrading?
• Given Mighty Earth's remote structure, how would you ensure effective communication and collaboration with a dispersed team?
• How would you prioritize competing demands between finance compliance (e.g., grant reporting) and operational initiatives (e.g., M&E)?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Failing to demonstrate nonprofit-specific experience (e.g., fund accounting, grant compliance). A generic corporate finance background won't suffice.
• Not showing enthusiasm for the mission. This is a values-driven organization; a purely transactional approach will stand out negatively.
• Overlooking the operations aspect. The role includes security assessments, M&E, and training—ignoring these in your application suggests you're only interested in finance.