We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. 

We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive.

Industry: Legal Services
Company Size: 51-200 employees

Community Economic Defense Project

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**About the Community Economic Defense Project (“CEDP”) & CED Law **

**Our Mission **

We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive.

**Our Organization **

The Community Economic Defense Project is a Colorado-based nonprofit. Launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, our organization was formed to keep our neighbors housed during the pandemic. Working with clients, we built a deeply integrative approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed.

Our team now serves more than 1,000 people per month, bringing together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy experts, organizers, and technologists to serve our clients. We have served more than 60,000 low-income Coloradans across 54 counties, distributing almost $300 million in emergency assistance. We have also contributed to the passage of major legislation to prevent eviction, stop economic abuse, and make credit and life-saving medication cheaper. CEDP’s model has been cited as a best practice by White House, HUD, the Urban Institute, and in the media.

Building on our work to stop evictions, CEDP has further expanded its integrated services model to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access & navigation, long-term rental assistance, and homelessness response. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.

**More about the Controller Role: **

CEDP operates large-scale public assistance and housing stability programs that distribute financial assistance to thousands of households each year through federal, state, and local funding sources. The Controller plays a critical role in ensuring strong financial stewardship, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency across these complex funding streams. In this role, you will report to the Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), and serve as a key leader in advancing the organization’s financial health and mission impact. The Controller oversees all finance, accounting, post-award grant management, and reporting activities. The Controller will partner closely with the CFO to prepare and present financial information to the Board of Directors, the Executive Team, funders, and other parties. The Controller will collaborate regularly with executive leadership and individual teams to drive financial health and compliance.

The Controller leads the day-to-day financial operations and supervises a team of 6 staff members responsible for grants administration, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and regulatory requirement compliance. This role also ensures strong financial management, effective internal controls, oversees the annual audit, single and 990 preparation, while ensuring smooth audit processes. As the Controller, you will work closely with program leaders and their teams to build an understanding of financial processes and identify ways the finance function can better support program success while ensuring required industry and financial compliance.

In addition, the Controller also collaborates with the CFO, senior leadership, and colleagues in human resources (“HR”) and information technology (“IT”) to strengthen and integrate finance, HR, and IT systems, helping to create efficient, transparent, and people-centered operations across the organization.

**In this role you will: **

- Oversee all accounts, ledgers, and reporting systems ensuring compliance with U.S. GAAP applicable to nonprofit organizations, including relevant guidance under ASC 958 and ASC 606, and with Uniform Guidance, and other applicable regulatory standards.

- Maintain and continuously improve internal control and safeguards over cash, revenue, expenses, payroll, grants, and program budgets-to-actual results, including appropriate segregation of duties, supervisory review controls, and well-documented policies and procedures that support compliance, accountability, and sound stewardship of nonprofit resources.

- Prepare, analyze, and deliver accurate and timely monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements and related reports; monitor financial results and significant variances; and provide clear, actionable analysis to the CFO and senior leadership.

- Assist CEDP’s leadership in annual and ongoing budgeting and forecasting by compiling and validating financial data, maintaining budget-to-actual reporting, analyzing and explaining variances, and working with the CFO and department leaders to improve financial performance and transparency. Support the CFO in engaging organization leadership around issues and trends in financial operating models and delivery.

- Monitor spending against grant and program budgets and support timely, accurate funder financial reporting and reporting requests.

- Manage cash flow forecasting and liquidity planning by maintaining accurate revenue and expenditure projections, and by continuously collaborating with Program Leadership to assess the financial efficacy of program operations and establish finance and administrative systems to support program operations.

- Manage and track the performance of invested assets in accordance with Board-approved policies and investment guidelines.

- Supervise, develop, and strengthen the finance and accounting team by clarifying roles and responsibilities, reinforcing accountability, cross-training staff, and implementing processes and professional development plans that support strong performance and continuity across accounting, grant management, AP, AR, and payroll functions.

- Partner closely with program leadership to translate operational program activities into sound financial structures, supporting program budgeting, contract spending projections, financial forecasting, and sustainability planning.

- Oversee financial controls and reconciliation processes related to high-volume financial assistance payments made on behalf of clients, ensuring accuracy, compliance with funder requirements, and strong fraud prevention safeguards.

- Provide leadership in strengthening cross-functional communications with staff at all levels throughout the organization; contributing to and promoting a positive and supportive work environment.

**Position Requirements: **

- 10+ years of experience in accounting, finance, or related field; active CPA strongly preferred and/or MBA or other advanced degree a plus.

- 4-5 years of experience coordinating financial statement audits, including Single Audits, managing reporting, closing, budget development and analysis, accounts payable and receivable, general ledger, payroll, and accounting for investments.

- A strong track record in non-profit grants management, including compliance, billing, reporting, and reimbursement process for government, corporate, and foundation grants, is essential.

- Technology savvy with experience working in, reviewing, and tailoring ERP Software and accounting modules as needed. Responsible for managing relationships with software vendors and using accounting and reporting software to strengthen controls, workflows, and decision support.

- Commitment to recruiting, mentoring, training, and retaining a high-performing diverse team, with the judgment and foresight to delegate effectively.

- Keen analytic, organization, and problem-solving skills, which allow for strategic data interpretation versus simple reporting.

- Strong interpersonal and communication skills; experience in effectively communicating key data, including experience presenting key financial information and recommendations to executive leadership, Boards of Directors, and/or external parties.

- Ability and desire to translate complex financial concepts to finance and non-finance stakeholders at all levels.

- Experience managing financial operations for organizations administering large government-funded programs, public assistance funds, housing programs, or other high-volume grant-funded initiatives is strongly preferred.

- Comfort with ambiguity in a fast-paced, all-hands-on-deck environment.

- Ability to work collaboratively with people of diverse personal and professional backgrounds with a focus on social and racial justice and equity.

- Demonstrate an ongoing commitment to CEDP’s Community Pledge and organizational values, and actively contribute to advancing the organization’s strategic goals through daily practice, decision-making, and collaboration.

**Additional Details: **

- Candidates must reside in Colorado, ideally within the greater Denver Metro area. The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, a benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401k.

- A competitive salary of $110,000 a year

- All employees are eligible for a technology stipend of $720 per year.

- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but must be received by Apr 17, 2026

- The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by Apr 30, 2026

- As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations.

- CEDP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Controller

**About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP): **

**Our Mission **

We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive.

**Our Organization **

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is a Colorado-based nonprofit. Launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, our organization was formed to keep our neighbors housed during the pandemic. Working with clients, we built a deeply integrative approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed.

Our team now serves more than 1,000 people per month, bringing together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to serve our clients. We have served more than 68,000 low-income Coloradans across 54 counties, distributing more than $280 million in emergency assistance. We have also contributed to the passage of major legislation to prevent eviction, stop economic abuse, and make credit and life-saving medication cheaper. CEDP’s model has been cited as a best practice by the White House and HUD in 2022-2023, think tanks like the Urban Institute, and in the media.

Building on our work to stop evictions, CEDP has further expanded its integrated services model to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access & navigation, long-term rental assistance, and homelessness response. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.

**More about the role: **

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will serve as a core member of CEDP’s executive team, responsible for securing the organization’s financial sustainability, instilling operational excellence, and informing program strategy. The CFO will play a central role in steering CEDP through a volatile funding and budget environment while still pursuing targeted opportunities for growth. The ideal candidate will be both a strategist and an operator—someone who can establish a long-term financial strategy, clearly communicate it and galvanize a team around it. This pivotal leadership role is ideal for a nonprofit executive who thrives in complex, fast-paced, mission-driven environments, and has experience navigating complex public funding, audits, and compliance landscapes.

**Responsibilities: **

Strategic Leadership

- Lead the development of a proactive long-term financial strategy to promote organizational sustainability and resilience

- Translate complex financial data into accessible and actionable insights for executives, funders, and board members

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

- Develop and manage annual budgets and multi-year financial plans aligned with programmatic goals and funding expectations

- Build and institutionalize financial forecasting, variance analysis, and cash flow management tools

- Proactively identify and mitigate financial risks, providing timely financial guidance to the management team

Accounting, Grants, and Compliance

- Oversee all grant accounting and reporting, maintaining strict compliance with specific government grant requirements

- Ensure timely and accurate billing across 20+ public and private grants in close collaboration with program leadership

- Lead comprehensive interim and year-end financial audits in conjunction with external auditors, ensuring clean audits with no findings and no concerns

Operational Execution

- Develop standardized, repeatable processes for operational activities across accounting, reporting, and forecasting

- Adhere to a timely and accurate month-end close process and management reporting cadence

- Pursue opportunities for continuous improvement, process streamlining, and operating cost reductions

Relationship Management

- Partner closely with the rest of CEDP’s executive team, including the Co-Founders and Chief Program Officer, to infuse financial guidance into strategic decision-making

- Communicate the organization’s financial status and insights to the rest of the organization, the Board of Directors, funders, and other stakeholders

- Own relationships with external audits, banks, and government agencies

People Leadership and Development

- Lead, manage, and develop a team of experienced financial professionals, ensuring clarity of roles and effective delegation of responsibilities

- Institute a culture of ownership, accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement within the Finance department

**Position Requirements: **

- 10+ years of progressive finance leadership and 3+ years in a CFO or executive role in a nonprofit or mission-oriented organization

- Proven ability to recruit strong talent, lead high-performing teams, develop capable leaders, and manage low performers

- Exceptional communication skills; demonstrated ability to distill complex financial information into actionable insights for diverse audiences

- Extensive experience managing publicly funded programs, multi-grant billing, and complex reporting requirements

- Experience with external auditors, compliance management, and regulatory oversight; knowledge of federal audit standards and GAAP accounting is required

- Expertise in strategic planning, budgeting & forecasting, financial analysis, and risk management

- Advanced proficiency with Excel / Google Sheets, QuickBooks, and other analytics and reporting softwares

**Preferred Qualifications: **

- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university or equivalent professional experience

- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation

- Knowledge of the affordable housing landscape including regulatory environment, compliance, leading organizations, and major funders

- Experience raising loan capital and/or writing grants and proposals is a strong plus

**Why Us? **

- We are a social enterprise with a sustainable business model focused on one of the most important issues in society – keeping people in their homes and maintaining access to affordable housing

- Opportunity for local involvement while making a statewide and even a national impact

- Our co-founders have collaborated for 5+ years and are committed to building a company where everyone loves to work

- Unlimited growth potential within the organization

- The opportunity to step into a new organization five years after its founding and play a substantial role in its growth

**Additional Details: **

- The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, a benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401k.

- A competitive salary of $192,000 a year

- Employees who utilize two languages or more at work are eligible for a $2,000 salary differential per year added to the salary grade listed above. For qualified roles, language assessment will be conducted by the organization as a requirement to receive the differential

- All employees are eligible for a technology stipend of $720 per year. Alternatively, they may opt out of the stipend and receive an organization-issued cell phone instead.

- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but must be received by March 28, 2026

- The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by April 15, 2026

- As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations.

- CEDP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

Chief Financial Officer

**About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP): **

**Our Mission **

We partner with low-income and working people to build economic and racial equity. We do this by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use an ever-evolving set of legal, economic and advocacy tools to challenge and dismantle unjust systems, building quickly towards a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive.

** **

**Our Organization **

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is a Colorado-based nonprofit. Launched in 2020 as the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project, our organization was formed to keep our neighbors housed during the pandemic. Working with clients, we built a deeply integrative approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed.

Our team now serves more than 1,000 people per month, bringing together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to serve our clients. We have served more than 60,000 low-income Coloradans across 58 counties, distributing over $230 million in emergency assistance. We have also contributed to the passage of major legislation to prevent eviction, stop economic abuse, and make credit and life-saving medication cheaper. CEDP’s model has been cited as a best practice by The White House, HUD, the Urban Institute, and in the media.

Building on our work to stop evictions, CEDP has further expanded its integrated services model to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access & navigation, long-term rental assistance, and homelessness response. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.

**More about the role: **

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will serve as a core member of CEDP’s executive team, responsible for securing the organization’s financial sustainability, instilling operational excellence, and informing program strategy. The CFO will play a central role in steering CEDP through a volatile funding and budget environment while still pursuing targeted opportunities for growth. The ideal candidate will be both a strategist and an operator—someone who can establish a long-term financial strategy, clearly communicate it and galvanize a team around it. This pivotal leadership role is ideal for a nonprofit executive who thrives in complex, fast-paced, mission-driven environments, and has experience navigating complex public funding, audits, and compliance landscapes.

**Responsibilities: **

- Strategic Leadership

- Lead the development of a proactive long-term financial strategy to promote organizational sustainability and resilience

- Translate complex financial data into accessible and actionable insights for executives, funders, and board members

- Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A)

- Develop and manage  annual budgets and multi-year financial plans aligned with programmatic goals and funding expectations

- Build and institutionalize financial forecasting, variance analysis, and cash flow management tools

- Proactively identify and mitigate financial risks, providing timely financial guidance to the management team

- Accounting, Grants, and Compliance

- Oversee all grant accounting and reporting, maintaining strict compliance with specific government grant requirements

- Ensure timely and accurate billing across 20+ public and private grants in close collaboration with program leadership

- Lead comprehensive interim and year-end financial audits in conjunction with external auditors, ensuring clean audits with no findings and no concerns

- Operational Execution

- Develop standardized, repeatable processes for operational activities across accounting, reporting, and forecasting

- Adhere to a timely and accurate month-end close process and management reporting cadence

- Pursue opportunities for continuous improvement, process streamlining, and operating cost reductions

- Relationship Management

- Partner closely with the rest of CEDP’s executive team, including the Co-Founders and Chief Program Officer, to infuse financial guidance into strategic decision-making

- Communicate the organization’s financial status and insights to the rest of the organization, the Board of Directors, funders, and other stakeholders

- Own relationships with external audits, banks, and government agencies

- People Leadership and Development

- Lead, manage, and develop a team of experienced financial professionals, ensuring clarity of roles and effective delegation of responsibilities

- Institute a culture of ownership, accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement within the Finance department

**Position Requirements: **

- 10+ years of progressive finance leadership and 3+ years in a CFO or executive role in a nonprofit or mission-oriented organization

- Proven ability to recruit strong talent, lead high-performing teams, develop capable leaders, and manage low performers

- Exceptional communication skills; demonstrated ability to distill complex financial information into actionable insights for diverse audiences

- Extensive experience managing publicly funded programs, multi-grant billing, and complex reporting requirements

- Experience with external auditors, compliance management, and regulatory oversight; knowledge of federal audit standards and GAAP accounting is required

- Expertise in strategic planning, budgeting & forecasting, financial analysis, and risk management

- Advanced proficiency with Excel / Google Sheets, QuickBooks, and other analytics and reporting softwares

**Preferred Qualifications: **

- A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university or equivalent professional experience

- Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation

- Knowledge of the affordable housing landscape including regulatory environment, compliance, leading organizations, and major funders

- Experience raising loan capital and/or writing grants and proposals is a strong plus

**Why Us? **

- We are a social enterprise with a sustainable business model focused on one of the most important issues in society – keeping people in their homes and maintaining access to affordable housing

- Opportunity for local involvement while making a statewide and even a national impact

- Our co-founders have collaborated for 5+ years and are committed to building a company where everyone loves to work

- Unlimited growth potential within the organization

- The opportunity to step into a new organization five years after its founding and play a substantial role in its growth

**Additional Details: **

- The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401k

- A base salary of $150,000-$192,000  a year if hybrid or in-person, plus a $1,000 per year hybrid employee salary adjustment

- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but must be received by April 15, 2026

- The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by April 30, 2026

- All employees receive a technology stipend of $720 per year

- As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations

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