CTO position at a 130k nonprofit $120m revenue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Wait you're telling me the executive team can't overrule HR? That's pretty funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Wait you're telling me the executive team can't overrule HR? That's pretty funny.

Depends a bit where. I’m c-suite and can’t. It’s a formal company policy on bands to ensure equitable pay, etc. Changing it would require the boards action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Where I am, new executive level employees come in higher than their predecessor because the old-timer was underpaid compared to market. The CTO isn't going to get more than the CFO or COO though.

[Anonymous]

I’d be surprise if you make more than the CFO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’d be surprise if you make more than the CFO.

At my nonprofit of 5500 employees:

CEO: 4M/yr
COO: 1.3M/yr
CFO: 1.3M/yr
CTO: 1.5M/yr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Exec PP. I’ve always found this rationale so curious. The new hire may not have the internal years of experience, but they often are bringing a wealth of external experience to the position. Plus, they are still doing the job. I highly doubt expectations are materially lower for a new CFO - they have to do the job, period. I also think this sort of approach encourages a bit of complacency in the old guard - even if they aren’t good, they rely on having been around forever as their major credential. They may have been a great fit for a small, growing organization when they started but not for a more mature, complex place with different demands.

Not directed at you personally, but just wanted to share my observation as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you ask for anything? That's stupid.
They make an offer and you apologize if you can't possibly afford that much drop in income.

+1

If they're asking you for numbers as part of the interview process, you need to be vague. Now is not the time to negotiate! If you have received an offer, then you've gotta start there.

If they're asking you for a range, I would probably say something like "I've looked at the pay of your C-suite, and it looks in range for my needs" or something. Do everything to avoid saying a number, and if you have to, put in a big range ($300+? $275-$400k? Something like that)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be surprise if you make more than the CFO.

At my nonprofit of 5500 employees:

CEO: 4M/yr
COO: 1.3M/yr
CFO: 1.3M/yr
CTO: 1.5M/yr

Exactly especially with the hot tech market, a technical leader has a LOT of lucrative options, I think probably more than accountant in current labor market.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry 130k employees.

How can a 120m org have that many employees?

Offshoring

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Wait you're telling me the executive team can't overrule HR? That's pretty funny.

At the nonprofit I worked at, c-level compensation is set and approved by the Board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d ask for less than the CFO and COO unless you have strong evidence in the form of competing offers that the position should pay $350.

It runs a huge publishing division, which is my expertise - technical implementation for news and media.

I’m an exec at a larger nonprofit. Benchmark to the CTO/CPO and GC. CFO and COO are a tier of their own.

Also an exec at a nonprofit.

New c-suite folks come in with lower salaries than existing c-suite at our nonprofit ($160M and about 200 employees) because CEO, CFO, COO, and GC have all been there over 15 years so have many years experience. When someone new will be hired they will be new to the role (won’t have the years of experience ) so the salary will be lower - at the low end of the pay band. HR still sets those for us, so there isn’t room for much negotiation.

So don’t look at 990 without some context on the folks there.

Wait you're telling me the executive team can't overrule HR? That's pretty funny.

At the nonprofit I worked at, c-level compensation is set and approved by the Board.

Sure and that makes sense and is similar to public companies and maybe that's what PP meant is that the board sets the comp and HR enforces it. It just seemed weird that HR would be making the comp policies for the exec team rather than the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be surprise if you make more than the CFO.

At my nonprofit of 5500 employees:

CEO: 4M/yr
COO: 1.3M/yr
CFO: 1.3M/yr
CTO: 1.5M/yr

Let me guess, a hospital?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d be surprise if you make more than the CFO.

At my nonprofit of 5500 employees:

CEO: 4M/yr
COO: 1.3M/yr
CFO: 1.3M/yr
CTO: 1.5M/yr

Let me guess, a hospital?

No. Financial nonprofit sector

[Anonymous]

Also, remember that a 501(c)3 non-profit can have 401(a), 403(b), and 457 retirement plans active all at the same time, with a given employee able to use 2 or 3 of those at the same time. So a lower nonprofit salary might be worth more (after tax) than a somewhat higher commercial salary.