Skip to main content

Help Wanted: Director of Finance

By WTOP Staff

Editor’s Note: Help Wanted Highlight is an occasional, sponsored feature that highlights job openings at local companies.

logos

Position Summary:

Exciting and rare opportunity for a senior finance professional looking for a challenging but part-time executive role. Perfect for the right person who wants a rewarding position but has only so many hours in the day. Join this private, fast-growing entrepreneurial group with operations in the US and Mexico and become part of the team that takes them to the next level. Compensation, including a track toward equity, commensurate with experience.

The Companies:

We run two closely-held separate businesses out of the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington, VA. Although the companies are separate, the office space, principals, ownership and entrepreneurial environment are shared. Our atmosphere is casual but focused, fun but sometimes intense.
Global Telesourcing’s small corporate office is based in Arlington with its actual operation located in Monterrey, Mexico. We are a premium provider of native-level English inbound and outbound call center services for Fortune 1000 US companies. Most of our employees – although living in Mexico – spent the formative years of their life in the US. This gives them unaccented language skills and total cultural comfort working on behalf of American companies. We are the only non-US sales call center authorized to handle English-language work for two Fortune 200 companies. Global Telesourcing was named to the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing privately-held companies in America.

NextWave Advocacy is a boutique public affairs firm that helps its clients identify and mobilize people personally impacted by legislative and regulatory issues. Unlike most grassroots techniques that result in large volumes of form letters, our process leads to impactful, high-textured personal communications to legislators and agencies. By combining leading technology with world-class execution, NextWave delivers meaningful and scalable solutions for corporations, trade associations, membership organizations and advocacy groups.

Job responsibilities:

  • Oversee the day-to-day financial operations of the two companies
  • Supervise, develop and mentor our outstanding finance team: the Controller (US) and Finance Manager (Mexico)
  • Prepare monthly financial reports for the management team and Board of Directors
  • Manage cash flow to ensure proper funding of bank accounts in the US and Mexico
  • Work with outside tax accountants for filing of tax returns
  • Implement best practices, processes and systems to support continued growth and a likely funding round or company sale
  • Advise and support the President and the CEO in all business matters

Background and experience:

  • CPA designation preferred
  • Hands-on financial experience in a small, fast-paced, dynamic business
  • Minimum eight to ten years of experience in financial management with increasing responsibilities
  • Strong Excel and financial software skills. Quickbooks preferred

Qualities:

  • Excellent communication skills and ability to work remotely
  • Strong team player
  • Takes ownership for work with a focus on results
  • Thinks strategically but is very involved with the details
  • Enthusiastic, energetic and positive personality
  • Sense of humor is critical.

Interested candidates should send resumes to finance@globaltelesourcing.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote