Description
About San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
The San Francisco Zoo is designed with the underlying belief that nature-focused interaction leads to conservation action. Learning about animals inspires visitors to care for all wildlife.
Nestled against the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Zoo is an urban oasis. It is home to over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals representing more than 250 species and lovely peaceful gardens full of native and foreign plants.
The majestic Leanne Roberts African Region and the Valentine Family Savanna offer a multi-species landscape with giraffes, zebras, kudu, ostriches, storks, and more. At Hearst Grizzly Gulch, visitors can get nose-to-nose with rescued grizzly sisters Kachina and Kiona. Lemurs leap through the Lipman Family Lemur Forest, the largest outdoor lemur habitat in the country. Penguin Island is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins outside of the wild. The Zoo's troop of gorillas lives in the lush Jones Family Gorilla Preserve. Farm animals for feeding and petting can be found in the popular Fisher Family Children's Zoo. The historic 1921 Dentzel Carousel and the 1904 miniature Little Puffer steam train are treasured by generations of visitors. And the reimagined Elinor Friend Playground offers accessible playtime for all ages. The SF Zoo offers an engaging experience for its guests, including fun rides, educational programs, and exciting events throughout the year. The SF Zoo is proud to be accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The San Francisco Zoological Society, a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has managed the Zoo in partnership with the City and County of San Francisco since 1993.
Learn more about San Francisco Zoo at https://www.sfzoo.org/.
The Opportunity
The San Francisco Zoo & Gardens seeks a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to serve as a strategic financial partner to CEO Cassandra Costello and a key member of the senior leadership team during a pivotal period of stabilization and growth. The CFO will be responsible for transforming the Zoo's financial operations — building real-time visibility, strengthening internal controls, and positioning the organization to achieve long-term financial sustainability. The incoming CFO will join at an exciting moment as the Zoo is undergoing a renewed commitment to institutional excellence under new leadership. This is an opportunity for a solutions-oriented finance leader who is energized by complexity and committed to the mission of connecting people with wildlife.
Reporting to the CEO, the CFO provides leadership across all financial functions and serves as the primary financial advisor to the board. The CFO will manage a finance team of four, including a Controller and Finance Manager. The organization operates with an annual budget of approximately $31 million.
Key responsibilities include:
• Provide strategic financial leadership across budgeting, forecasting, audit, tax, compliance, and risk management; deliver timely, actionable information to the CEO and board
• Assess and strengthen financial systems, internal controls, and reporting infrastructure to enable real-time visibility and sound decision-making
• Serve as the Zoo's primary financial liaison with the City and County of San Francisco, navigating the management fee structure, city loan, and audit requirements
• Partner with senior leadership to support revenue growth across earned income, admissions, membership, philanthropy, and public-private partnerships
• Support contributed revenue goals in partnership with the development team, including financial planning for major institutional initiatives
• Lead and develop the finance team, fostering a culture of transparency and continuous improvement
• Oversee cash flow management, insurance, and risk management; ensure financial compliance with AZA accreditation standards
Candidate Profile
We recognize that there is a spectrum of lived and professional experience that will set candidates up for success in this role. While no one candidate will have every experience outlined in the position description, ideal candidates will display the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
A Strategic Finance Leader
The CFO will bring deep financial expertise and the operational mindset to put that expertise to work immediately. They will have a strong command of nonprofit accounting, budgeting, and forecasting, with the ability to move fluidly between strategic analysis and day-to-day financial management. The ideal candidate will have a track record of building and improving financial systems in complex organizations — including experience with cash flow management, internal controls, and multi-source revenue environments. Experience in a nonprofit or mission-driven organization is strongly preferred, as is familiarity with public-private partnerships or quasi-governmental financial structures. A CPA or MBA is preferred.
An Organizational Leader & Manager
The CFO will be a low-ego, collaborative leader who earns trust through competence and consistency. They will be an effective people manager with the ability to assess, develop, and elevate a team. The CFO will be skilled at working across a complex organizational environment, including with unionized staff and a strong board. They will bring the interpersonal confidence to navigate these dynamics with care and directness, and the presence to inspire confidence across the organization.
A Skilled Communicator
The CFO will be a confident, credible communicator who can present financial information accessibly to a range of audiences — from department heads and the board to city officials and external funders. They will be quick on their feet, able to draw forward-looking implications from financial data in real time, and skilled at translating complex numbers into clear narratives that drive strategies. The CFO will bring the external presence to represent the Zoo at City Hall and in funder relationships, inspiring confidence in the Zoo's trajectory. Critically, they will model and reinforce a culture of transparency.
A Problem Solver
The CFO will bring a bias toward action and a high tolerance for ambiguity. They will be energized by complexity and will thrive in an environment that requires building and improving systems. The Zoo needs a CFO who identifies problems and immediately begins working toward solutions. This leader will have demonstrated experience improving financial operations in a resource-constrained environment and will see this role as an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. They will bring sound judgment, unquestioned integrity, and the resilience to advocate effectively on behalf of the organization.
A Passion for the Mission
The CFO will bring a deep appreciation for the Zoo's mission to connect people with wildlife and advance conservation action. They will understand the Zoo's unique role as an urban institution — one that serves the City of San Francisco and has been a touchstone for generations of Bay Area families. Above all, they will see the work of financial stabilization not as an end, but as the foundation that makes everything else possible.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $225,000 with a generous benefits package
Zoo employees enjoy healthcare benefits, vacation and sick leave, and a retirement program. In addition, all Zoo employees enjoy a complimentary Zoo Membership and a 30% discount in the Zoo's gift shops and cafés.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Alexandra Corvin and Maleka Pensky. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile or emailing the search team directly at [email protected]. All inquiries and discussions are strictly confidential.
DSG | Koya is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants.
About DSG | Koya
DSG | Koya, a DSG Global company, is the nation's premier search firm dedicated to mission-driven leadership. Since its founding in 2004, DSG | Koya has had an exclusive focus on mission-driven clients and was founded on the belief that the right leader can transform an organization and have a deep and measurable impact on our world. DSG | Koya works with nonprofits & NGOs, responsible businesses, and social enterprises in local communities and around the world.
DSG Global is consistently recognized by Forbes on its top 10 list of "America's Best Executive Recruiting Firms" and is an industry leader in recruiting transformational leaders for a changing world. The firm is deliberately different in its approach, with best-in-class teams who have decades of experience in cultivating inclusive leaders, understanding the dimensions of diversity, and building equitable teams.
Learn more about DSG | Koya via the firm's website.
To apply, visit: https://www.dsgco.com/search/23291-sf-zoo-chief-financial-officer/
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