Missouri Botanical Garden
Chief Financial Officer
Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, 63146
Overview
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Chief Financial Officer
role at
Missouri Botanical Garden .
Founded in 1859, the Garden’s mission "to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life" drives its global leadership in plant science, conservation, sustainability, and education. With over 79 acres of curated gardens, a world‑renowned herbarium, and three additional properties—the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Shaw Nature Reserve, and Litzsinger Rd Ecology Center—the Garden serves more than one million visitors annually. The institution also engages in research and conservation efforts across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In 2025, the Garden welcomed Dr. Lúcia G. Lohmann as its new President and Director. A globally respected botanist and conservationist, Dr. Lohmann brings a collaborative leadership style and a bold vision for expanding the Garden’s scientific and cultural impact. Her appointment marks a new era of innovation, inclusion, and global and local engagement.
As CFO, you will play a pivotal role in supporting this vision by ensuring the Garden’s financial health, sustainability, and strategic growth. You will work closely with the President and Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership to steward resources, optimize operations, and align financial strategy with the Garden’s evolving priorities.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Institutional Financial Leadership and Collaboration
Collaborate with the President to construct and implement a long‑term financial strategy supporting the Garden’s mission and strategic plan.
Serve as a strategic advisor and partner to the President, Board of Trustees, and Senior Leadership team on financial matters.
Collaborate with senior leadership in the annual budget and financial planning process with programmatic and operational priorities.
Lead multi‑year financial planning, scenario modeling, and capital planning.
Champion interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and with external partners to support programmatic and operational goals.
Partner with Development, Horticulture, Education, and Science teams to align financial planning with mission delivery.
Maintain and build trusted relationships with key partners and stakeholders, both internal and external.
Serve as liaison with financial institutions on behalf of the Garden; conduct negotiations for lines of credit, corporate credit cards, and other financial transactions.
Lead the Procurement function, coordinating the RFP process and selection and management of key contractual relationships.
Review and ensure appropriate contracts are in place for major projects and organizations that contract with the Garden for support.
Financial Management and Reporting
Oversee all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and audits.
In collaboration with the Investment Committee and Board of Trustees, manage the Garden’s endowment, investment portfolio, and cash flow; manage third‑party consultants who advise on investments.
Ensure compliance with nonprofit accounting standards, IRS regulations, and grant requirements.
Develop financial reports and strategic recommendations for key stakeholders and partners, including the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Zoo Museum District Board, and Botanical Garden Sub‑district.
Risk Management and Compliance
Identify and manage financial risks, including investment oversight, insurance, and internal controls.
Ensure compliance with grant requirements, donor restrictions, and regulatory filings (e.g., IRS Form 990).
Lead the annual audit process and maintain strong relationships with external auditors.
Operational Oversight
Supervise high‑performing finance and accounting staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive team culture focused on transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Implement systems and processes that improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
Collaborate with Development and Grants teams to support fundraising and donor stewardship through financial insights.
Board and Donor Engagement
Serve as staff liaison to the Finance, Audit, and Investment Committees.
Support fundraising efforts by providing financial data and impact analysis for grants and donor proposals.
Communicate financial performance and strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
Qualifications
Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, ideally in a nonprofit, cultural, or scientific institution.
Deep understanding of nonprofit financial management, including fund accounting and restricted funds; experience with capital campaigns, grant compliance, and donor reporting.
Experience managing endowments, capital campaigns, and grant compliance.
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and communication skills.
Commitment to the mission and values of the Missouri Botanical Garden, including sustainability, education, and community engagement.
Familiarity with financial systems.
Ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal team members and external organizations to achieve organizational goals.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; CPA or MBA strongly preferred.
An equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience may be considered.
Computer Skills
Demonstrated expertise in utilizing a wide range of computer applications, including the full Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook), with advanced proficiency in Excel for financial modeling and analysis.
Comfortable navigating web‑based platforms and digital publications to support research, reporting, and decision‑making.
Experience with database management systems is a plus, particularly in organizing, maintaining, and extracting financial data (e.g., UNIT4).
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Chief Financial Officer
role at
Missouri Botanical Garden .
Founded in 1859, the Garden’s mission "to discover and share knowledge about plants and their environment in order to preserve and enrich life" drives its global leadership in plant science, conservation, sustainability, and education. With over 79 acres of curated gardens, a world‑renowned herbarium, and three additional properties—the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Shaw Nature Reserve, and Litzsinger Rd Ecology Center—the Garden serves more than one million visitors annually. The institution also engages in research and conservation efforts across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
In 2025, the Garden welcomed Dr. Lúcia G. Lohmann as its new President and Director. A globally respected botanist and conservationist, Dr. Lohmann brings a collaborative leadership style and a bold vision for expanding the Garden’s scientific and cultural impact. Her appointment marks a new era of innovation, inclusion, and global and local engagement.
As CFO, you will play a pivotal role in supporting this vision by ensuring the Garden’s financial health, sustainability, and strategic growth. You will work closely with the President and Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership to steward resources, optimize operations, and align financial strategy with the Garden’s evolving priorities.
Key Responsibilities Strategic Institutional Financial Leadership and Collaboration
Collaborate with the President to construct and implement a long‑term financial strategy supporting the Garden’s mission and strategic plan.
Serve as a strategic advisor and partner to the President, Board of Trustees, and Senior Leadership team on financial matters.
Collaborate with senior leadership in the annual budget and financial planning process with programmatic and operational priorities.
Lead multi‑year financial planning, scenario modeling, and capital planning.
Champion interdisciplinary collaboration across departments and with external partners to support programmatic and operational goals.
Partner with Development, Horticulture, Education, and Science teams to align financial planning with mission delivery.
Maintain and build trusted relationships with key partners and stakeholders, both internal and external.
Serve as liaison with financial institutions on behalf of the Garden; conduct negotiations for lines of credit, corporate credit cards, and other financial transactions.
Lead the Procurement function, coordinating the RFP process and selection and management of key contractual relationships.
Review and ensure appropriate contracts are in place for major projects and organizations that contract with the Garden for support.
Financial Management and Reporting
Oversee all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and audits.
In collaboration with the Investment Committee and Board of Trustees, manage the Garden’s endowment, investment portfolio, and cash flow; manage third‑party consultants who advise on investments.
Ensure compliance with nonprofit accounting standards, IRS regulations, and grant requirements.
Develop financial reports and strategic recommendations for key stakeholders and partners, including the Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, Zoo Museum District Board, and Botanical Garden Sub‑district.
Risk Management and Compliance
Identify and manage financial risks, including investment oversight, insurance, and internal controls.
Ensure compliance with grant requirements, donor restrictions, and regulatory filings (e.g., IRS Form 990).
Lead the annual audit process and maintain strong relationships with external auditors.
Operational Oversight
Supervise high‑performing finance and accounting staff, fostering a collaborative and inclusive team culture focused on transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Implement systems and processes that improve efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
Collaborate with Development and Grants teams to support fundraising and donor stewardship through financial insights.
Board and Donor Engagement
Serve as staff liaison to the Finance, Audit, and Investment Committees.
Support fundraising efforts by providing financial data and impact analysis for grants and donor proposals.
Communicate financial performance and strategy to internal and external stakeholders.
Qualifications
Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership experience, ideally in a nonprofit, cultural, or scientific institution.
Deep understanding of nonprofit financial management, including fund accounting and restricted funds; experience with capital campaigns, grant compliance, and donor reporting.
Experience managing endowments, capital campaigns, and grant compliance.
Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and communication skills.
Commitment to the mission and values of the Missouri Botanical Garden, including sustainability, education, and community engagement.
Familiarity with financial systems.
Ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with internal team members and external organizations to achieve organizational goals.
Education
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, or related field; CPA or MBA strongly preferred.
An equivalent combination of education, skills, and experience may be considered.
Computer Skills
Demonstrated expertise in utilizing a wide range of computer applications, including the full Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook), with advanced proficiency in Excel for financial modeling and analysis.
Comfortable navigating web‑based platforms and digital publications to support research, reporting, and decision‑making.
Experience with database management systems is a plus, particularly in organizing, maintaining, and extracting financial data (e.g., UNIT4).
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