Assistant Superintendent for Business / CSBO

Iasaedu; Park Ridge (IL); On-site; USD 215,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

Illinois Education Job Bank seeks an Assistant Superintendent for Business/CSBO to lead district-wide financial and operational strategy in a large Illinois K-12 district. You will oversee budgeting, accounting, payroll, grants, and reporting, while driving long-range capital planning and risk management.

The role requires a Master’s in a related field, with CPA or IASBO SFO preferred, and at least five years in senior school business leadership. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in business administration, finance, accounting, educational administration, or a related field required.
• CPA license and/or IASBO SFO designation preferred.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in school business management or senior fiscal leadership, with K-12 experience preferred.
• Experience in budget development, long-range financial forecasting, debt issuance, and capital project planning.
• Managerial experience including team leadership, staff evaluation, collective bargaining support, contract administration.
• Extensive knowledge of Illinois school finance and operations, including GASB, PTELL, ISBE reporting.

Responsibilities

• Provides district-wide vision and leadership for financial and operational strategies aligned to goals.
• Participates on the Superintendent’s Cabinet to align financial decisions with priorities.
• Represents the Board in financial reporting, forecasts, and recommendations.
• Develops long-range financial forecasts and capital plans; coordinates audits.
• Directs budgeting, accounting, payroll, grants, and asset accounting per GASB standards.
• Oversees debt issuance, investments, and relationships with auditors and bond counsel.
• Directs facilities, operations, transportation, and food service programs.

Skills

Visionary leadership & strategic: long

Budgeting & financial management

Contract administration

Negotiation

Team leadership

Data & reporting

Education

Master’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, educational administration

CPA license or IASBO SFO designation preferred

Tools

Skyward

Job description

Assistant Superintendent for Business / CSBO

Duties

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Visionary Leadership & Strategic Planning

• Provides District-wide vision and leadership for the development and implementation of financial and operational strategies that support the District’s strategic goals
• Actively participates as a member of the Superintendent’s Cabinet to shape how business and financial decisions support the District’s strategic and operational priorities
• Serves as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Education’s Finance Committee and presents financial reports, forecasts, and recommendations to the full Board
• Serves as the primary staff liaison to the Board of Education’s Buildings & Grounds Committee. Develops and maintains a long-range financial and capital plan with specific goals, objectives, and action plans aligned to instruction, facilities, transportation, technology, and staffing
• Collaborates with other Cabinet members to identify operational needs and vendor identification, contract negotiation, and project implementation

Budgeting & Financial Management

• Directs the development, presentation, and administration of the District’s annual operating and capital budgets
• Oversees all accounting functions, including general ledger, accounts payable, payroll, grants management, and fixed asset accounting, ensuring accuracy and compliance with GASB standards
• Prepares and presents the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (ACFR CAFR), tax levy, Truth-in-Taxation notices, and other statutorily required financial filings to ISBE and the Board of Education
• Coordinates the annual independent audit and serves as the District’s primary contact with external auditors, bond counsel, and financial advisors
• Develops long-range financial forecasts and cash-flow projections to inform Board decision-making and support the District’s long-term fiscal sustainability
• Directs the investment of District funds in accordance with the Board-approved investment policy and Illinois Public Funds Investment Act
• Oversees debt issuance and management, including working capital and life-safety bonds, and maintains relationships with rating agencies and underwriters

Facilities, Operations & Capital Planning

• Directs long-range facilities and capital improvement planning, including life-safety surveys, deferred maintenance planning, and referendum/bond project development
• Oversees construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects, including architect and contractor selection, project budgeting, and progress monitoring
• Ensures the safe, efficient, and cost-effective operation of District facilities, custodial and maintenance services, and grounds
• Oversees the District’s transportation program, including contracted services, routing efficiency, and compliance with state transportation reimbursement requirements
• Oversees the District’s food service program, including compliance with federal and state nutrition program requirements and financial sustainability of food service operations

Risk Management, Insurance & Employee Benefits

• Develops and oversees the District’s risk management program, including property/casualty insurance, workers’ compensation, and liability coverage
• Directs the administration of employee health, dental, vision, life, and disability benefit plans, including plan design, vendor selection, and renewal negotiations
• Conducts periodic risk assessments and works with insurance carriers, brokers, and risk pools to identify and mitigate financial and operational risk
• Ensures compliance with applicable federal and state requirements, including COBRA, ACA, and other benefits-related regulations
• Oversees the District’s workers’ compensation and safety programs in coordination with Human Resources and building administration
• Directs the District’s purchasing function, ensuring compliance with the Illinois School Code, competitive bidding requirements, and Board purchasing policy
• Directs, manages, and negotiates contracts with vendors and business partners to ensure cost-effective, high-quality services
• Identifies alternative funding sources, including grants, cooperative purchasing agreements, and joint purchasing consortiums
• Communicates budgetary forecasts, purchasing needs, and contract recommendations to the District’s leadership team and Board of Education as appropriate

Team Building & Staffing

• Supervises business office, facilities, and food service staff, including determining workload and assignments.
• Mentors and empowers staff to assume leadership roles; sets clear objectives and measures and monitors progress and results
• Fosters a culture of accuracy, transparency, accountability, and customer service within the Business Office
• Supports the Superintendent and Board of Education in collective bargaining by providing financial analysis, cost modeling, and settlement-cost projections

Data & Reporting

• Develops, designs, and maintains dashboards, reports, and visualizations to support district-level decision-making in areas such as staffing costs and long-range financial planning
• Creates and manages financial models that integrate multiple data sources, including student enrollment, staffing, facilities, and capital planning data
• Manages systems and tools for gathering, integrating, and reporting financial and operational data to support an information-driven decision-making culture
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Superintendent

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s Degree in business administration, finance, accounting, educational administration, or a related field required
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license and/or Illinois Association of School Business Officials (IASBO) Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations (SFO) designation preferred
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in school business management, public sector finance, or a comparable senior fiscal leadership role, with K-12 education experience preferred
• Demonstrated experience in budget development and management, long-range financial forecasting, debt issuance, and capital project planning for an organization of comparable size and complexity
• Managerial experience including team leadership, staff evaluation, collective bargaining support, contract administration, and assessment of operational effectiveness
• Extensive knowledge of Illinois school finance and business operations, with preferred experience in the following systems and areas:
• Financial Systems: Skyward, or comparable long-range financial planning tools
• School Finance: Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) reporting, the Illinois School Code, GASB pronouncements, Public Act requirements, tax levy and Truth-in-Taxation procedures, and Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL)
• Risk & Benefits: property/casualty and workers’ compensation insurance, self-insurance and risk pools, health and welfare benefit plan administration
• Facilities & Operations: capital improvement planning, life-safety and referendum planning, energy management, and construction/bond project oversight
• Excellent human relations, negotiation, and management skills, with strong oral, written, and Board presentation communication skills
• Thorough knowledge of business operations, and the ability to align financial resources with the District’s educational mission
• Ability to conceptualize, launch, and manage multiple concurrent capital and financial projects in support of the District’s strategic goals
• Proven ability to manage multi-million dollar operating and capital budgets, guide purchasing decisions, evaluate return on investment, and foster strong relationships with auditors, rating agencies, and vendors

Salary/Benefits

EMPLOYMENT

This is a 12-month position with an annual base salary range of $215,000 - $235,000 (this amount does not include Board-paid TRS), based on qualifications, training, and experience. The fringe benefits package is comprehensive and highly competitive with those offered by high school districts in the suburban area.