Non-profit Finance & Accounting

Position: Director of Finance
Type: non-profit board of directors (volunteer)
Organization: Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation
Location: Flexible, but with experience working in Canada and complying with CRA requirements (our current board members live in Canada, US, and the UK).

About COTERC

COTERC (Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation) is a not-for-profit protecting tropical ecosystems by empowering the next generation of conservation scientists.

Tropical ecosystems are under threat from a range of human disturbances — and we still lack the necessary knowledge to intervene and protect biodiversity that is critical to society’s survival.

Over the past 33 years more than 2400 early-stage researchers have visited our biological station in Costa Rica — publishing groundbreaking research on some of the least understood species in the world.

Given our geographical location in one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and our laser-focus on high quality research and conservation we’re ready to lead the way in the fight against biodiversity loss.

Join us in protecting tropical biodiversity.

Dr Kym Snarr, Chair of COTERC

What we do

COTERC provides immersive learning experiences that deepen comprehension and appreciation of tropical ecosystems. We do this by:

• Training the next generation of conservation scientists: We inspire and empower early-stage researchers to support their development and maximise their contribution to tropical biodiversity conservation.
• Deepening understanding of ecological communities: We baseline and track changes in biodiversity — with a particular focus on the impact of local, international, and global human activities on vulnerable and endangered species.
• Creating awareness of tropical ecosystems: We communicate research findings and stories from the station to influence local ecosystem management and generate interest in protecting biodiversity amongst the broader public.
• We work closely with the local government ministry responsible for protecting the national park and wildlife refuge that we work in — providing them with up-to-date knowledge of the local ecosystems to inform their planning and practices.

Director of Finance
The role: overview

COTERC is looking for a highly experienced, senior finance professional to join us and lead our accounting and budgeting efforts in the wake of a renewed emphasis on organizational growth and impact.

Over the past 12 months we have reviewed our approach to driving change and are in the process of setting a new three-year strategy.

The Director of Finance will oversee all financial matters — including management of the charity’s accounts and related Canada Revenue Agency submissions.

Reporting to the Chair of the board, the Director of Finance will join the board and empower other board-members and staff to transform how we plan and manage our income.

This is an exciting time to join COTERC with the opportunity to lead the ongoing transformation of how we budget and drive growth.

Due to our renewed focus on growth and impact, we have created two additional roles — Director of Grants and Director of Fundraising — who will oversee financial income but be expected to work closely with the Director of Finance.

The role: responsibilities

• Responsible for managing the charity’s financial income.
• Responsible for developing and communicating ethical financial policies and best practices.
• Responsible for preparing CRA’s T3010 forms and for all relevant reporting.
• Responsible for preparing forward-looking budgets.
• Responsible for responding to requests from donors.
• Input into the development of a long-term organizational strategy.
• Input into the identification of new partnership and fundraising opportunities

About you

The ideal candidate will:

• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build and articulate COTERC’s position and impact in a persuasive and compelling way.
• Have strong leadership skills, with experience of working at a senior/director level.
• Be self-motivated and a good team player who gets things done.
• Be a natural collaborator, creating buy in through influence and persuasion, with an integrated communications and engagement approach.

Skills and experience:

• Experience of developing and managing budgets and complying with CRA requirements (essential).
• Deep knowledge of how to develop and implement finance policies (essential).
• Knowledge of the space that COTERC operates in (desirable).
• Experience working at, or with, not-for-profits seeking to grow with limited resources (desirable).

Role information

• Location: Flexible, but with experience working in Canada and complying with CRA requirements (our current board members live in Canada, US, and the UK).
• Salary: N/A (volunteer role).
• Time commitment: 2 to 3 days per month (monthly committee meeting lasting two hours and time to complete tasks).
• The Director of Finance will join for an initial two-year term with an opportunity to renew.

What’s in it for you?

• Contributing to an important cause: Understanding and protecting tropical ecosystems is not just important for preserving biodiversity but is essential in protecting the future of humanity.

• Opportunity to make a difference: As the new Director of Finance for COTERC you will have the opportunity to drive the growth of a highly impactful charity. With the appointment of an excellent candidate we expect to level-up everything we do and create new opportunities to grow and drive impact.

How to apply

To apply for the position, please send an up-to-date CV and cover letter (collectively no more than four pages) to tom.bregman@coterc.org

The cover letter should explain your motivation for the role, and how your skills and experience fit the person specification.

 

The closing date for applications is 30th June 2025 at 9am GMT. Interviews will be conducted remotely as soon as appropriate candidates apply, and we may close the application window earlier.

At COTERC, we value diversity and inclusion. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to having a team with a diverse set of skills, experiences and abilities.

If you would like to have a chat to learn more about this role before applying, please contact Tom at tom.bregman@coterc.org

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