The Asia Foundation (TAF) is an international nonprofit organization working to solve the toughest social and economic challenges in Asia and the Pacific. Home to half the planet’s people, Asia and the Pacific Islands comprise diverse, dynamic, and fast-growing nations. In an era of sweeping global challenges, what happens there impacts the globe.

TAF is seeking to fill a key leadership position of vice president and chief financial officer (VP/CFO), a strategic role responsible for overseeing all business and financial functions of the organization. As a core member of the executive leadership team, the VP/CFO plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing TAF’s financial strategy across a complex international operating environment spanning the United States, Asia, and the Pacific.

About the Role

The VP/CFO operates at the intersection of finance, operations, and programs, partnering with the CEO, board of trustees, executive leadership team, and country office leaders to navigate a complex and evolving funding environment. This role is critical to maintaining strong financial oversight, enabling effective program delivery, and supporting strategic decision-making across TAF. The VP/CFO provides both strategic and functional leadership of TAF’s enterprise-wide finance organization, ensuring strong internal controls, sound fiscal practices, transparency, and compliance. The VP/CFO will have demonstrated expertise in business, finance, and audit. They will lead a high-performing team aligned with TAF’s mission and strategy.

Key responsibilities include developing and implementing financial systems, policies, and processes that drive resource stewardship, operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and strong financial management. The VP/CFO also provides strategic support to the board and its committees and ensures financial systems and tools effectively support the organization’s goals. As a forward-looking leader, the VP/CFO will spearhead the modernization of TAF’s financial infrastructure, championing data-driven practices and technology to enhance efficiency, reduce risk, and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Key Impact Areas

Strategic financial and business planning, budgeting, forecasting, and aligning of resources with organizational priorities
Enterprise-wide financial oversight across headquarters, country offices, and business units
Integrity of financial and operational information through timely and accurate internal and external reporting, as well as effective internal controls
Oversight of donor compliance, including financial reporting, allowable costs, and adherence to grant terms and conditions
Stewardship of both restricted and unrestricted funds
Oversight of TAF’s long-term investments, including close coordination with external investment advisors
Risk management, insurance, pension, audit oversight, and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions
Capacity strengthening in financial literacy for HQ, country offices, and cross-functional teams
Financial reporting and analysis for the board of trustees, donors, and external stakeholders
Strategic investment in systems and technologies that enhance financial stewardship, accountability, and efficiency

Key Relationships

The VP/CFO reports to the president and is a member of the executive leadership team. The VP/CFO interacts closely with country leadership and senior finance staff. In terms of key relationships, the VP/CFO:

Reports to:

President and CEO

Manages direct reports including:

Senior director of financial planning and analysis
Senior director of finance and controller
Director of business systems

Collaborates closely with:

Vice president/chief operating officer
Vice president for programs
Vice president for strategic partnerships
Head of the Washington office
Board of trustees, including treasurer of the board and chair of the budget and finance committee, chair of the audit committee, and chair of the investment committee
Country representatives
Chief people officer
External partners, peers, and donors, including investment advisors, banks, and others

Location

TAF prefers that the VP/CFO be based in California or in the Washington, D.C., area.

Compensation

To attract an outstanding candidate, a competitive compensation package of salary and benefits will be offered. The anticipated range for base compensation is $245,000-$275,000.

Required Competencies

Strategic Stewardship: The VP/CFO brings a forward-thinking, strategic perspective to financial planning and business strategy, aligning organizational resources with mission priorities. This includes modeling financial scenarios to guide executive decisions, support long-term sustainability, and drive measurable impact.

Global Financial Expertise: With deep experience in international financial management, the VP/CFO understands multi-currency operations, donor compliance, and financial management across diverse regulatory environments. They bring fluency in nonprofit accounting, tax regulations, and global reporting standards to ensure consistency, compliance, and accuracy across a complex funding landscape.

Values-Driven Leadership: The VP/CFO leads with integrity, accountability, transparency, and a strong sense of mission. The VP/CFO fosters trust among internal teams and external partners, reinforcing the organization’s mission through ethical and collaborative leadership.

Operational Excellence: A systems thinker and process improver, the VP/CFO modernizes financial infrastructure through strategic investments in technology and internal controls. They ensure scalable operations, audit readiness, and financial performance across grants, contracts, and project and operational units.

Collaborative Partnership: As both a mentor and thought partner, the VP/CFO works across the organization to build financial acumen and ownership. They clarify complex financial concepts and communicate with empathy to help bridge financial responsibility with program and operational success.

Ideal Background

Senior-level financial leadership in international nonprofits or other international mission-driven organizations
Proven experience managing complex, multi-million-dollar budgets and business plans with diverse public and private donor portfolios
Demonstrated success in financial transformation, modernizing financial systems, or scaling financial systems
Proven ability to work cross-culturally with strong interpersonal skills

Required Qualifications

Education

An advanced degree in subjects such as Business Administration, Finance, or Public Administration is required

Experience

Minimum 10 years of progressive financial leadership, including more than five years in a senior executive role
Substantial experience in the nonprofit or similar international sector
Expertise in managing complex financial operations, including multicurrency budgets and highly regulated donor-funded programs
Proven track record in audit management, regulatory compliance, and risk oversight
Deep knowledge of donor compliance, grants management, restricted and unrestricted funding, and donor reporting
Experience leading enterprise-wide change or modernization initiatives, such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementation, shared services development, or process reengineering

Professional certifications

Desirable: Certified public accountant or equivalent financial certification

Technical skills

Proficiency in GAAP and U.S. government compliance and cost accounting regulations (2 CFR 200)
Familiarity with enterprise financial and reporting systems, and ERP platforms like Unit4, NetSuite, Oracle, SAP, or similar
Advanced financial planning and analysis (FP&A), Excel, and financial modeling capabilities
Understanding of U.S. and international tax and compliance frameworks
Familiarity with emerging technologies and AI tools like Microsoft Co-Pilot is a plus

Strategic leadership and management

Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing, geographically dispersed teams
Experience advising executive leadership and working with trustees, including finance, audit, and investment committees
Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-level financial strategy, including scenario planning, cost modeling, and capital allocation aligned with organizational priorities
Strong business acumen and operational insight, strategic thinker with a pragmatic, hands-on, collaborative leadership style

Soft skills and mission alignment

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to translate and explain complex finance to non-financial stakeholders
Highest integrity and ethical standards
Alignment with the organization’s mission and values
Cultural fluency and the ability to work effectively in diverse, cross-cultural teams
Resilience and adaptability in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments

About The Asia Foundation

The Asia Foundation is an internationally recognized nonprofit committed to solving the toughest development challenges to improve lives and expand opportunities across Asia and the Pacific. Societies in Asia and the Pacific continue to face complex challenges that affect their stability and development, including limited access to essential services, gaps in economic and social development, pressures from rapid urbanization, and barriers to participation in civil society.

The Asia Foundation, founded in 1954, seeks to expand opportunities and improve lives in more than 20 countries in Asia and the Pacific. More than 85% of TAF’s staff is locally based. TAF builds partnerships and brings together individuals, communities, and governments to shape solutions to achieve long-term development goals. Informed by its decades of experience and deep local expertise, TAF focuses on strengthening institutions, enhancing economic opportunity, supporting education and leadership development, expanding opportunities for women and girls, addressing environmental challenges, and fostering international cooperation. TAF’s particular strength is the ability to navigate political contexts to facilitate reform and play a catalytic role in advancing development and social progress.

TAF’s offices and programs in Asia and the Pacific are supported by a headquarters office in San Francisco and staff in Washington, D.C.

TAF’s geographic reach and the complexity of its multicountry operating model have prompted the need for more integrated, cohesive, and supportive financial systems and processes, core to the VP/CFO’s mandate.

This position was originally posted by the Asia Foundation and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link below. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.

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