Chief Financial Officer

Cleary University; Howell (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Cleary University in Howell, Michigan, seeks a strategic Chief Financial Officer to guide the financial strategy of a growing private university. The CFO will partner with the President and executive leadership to strengthen institutional planning, investments in financial systems, and support for program expansion while ensuring financial strategy remains aligned with Cleary’s mission.

The role will oversee budgeting, financial reporting, and capital allocation, while building a sophisticated

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, accounting, or related field.
• Minimum five years of accounting/financial management in higher education or five years of leadership in financial planning, budgeting, and operations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as strategic partner to the President and leadership in aligning financial planning with institutional priorities.
• Develop and monitor financial models and analyses to interpret accounting information and assess operating results.
• Oversee the University’s accounts and records for all transactions and assets.
• Coordinate and direct the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts.
• Establish major financial objectives and policies and prepare reports on income, expenses and earnings.
• Collaborate with advancement leadership to support fundraising and ensure strong financial infrastructure.

Skills

Financial management

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication skills

Confidentiality

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance or related field

Five years in higher education finance

Master’s degree in finance or related field

CPA certification

Job description

Chief Financial Officer

Howell, Michigan | Full-Time | Exempt

Cleary University seeks a strategic and entrepreneurial Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to guide the financial strategy of a growing and rapidly evolving private university based in Howell, Michigan. In recent years, Cleary has strengthened its financial foundation, doubled enrollment, and developed a distinctive reputation for accelerated degree pathways serving working adults. These offerings have generated thousands of incremental enrollments with a 78% retention rate and a strong job placement rate, reflecting the strength of Cleary’s workforce‑aligned model and its growing regional reputation.

Reporting directly to President Alan Drimmer and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CFO will work closely with the President to guide financial strategy, strengthen institutional planning and investments in financial systems, and support the university’s continued growth and innovation. The successful candidate will join a nimble leadership team and help build the financial frameworks needed to support program expansion, national initiatives, and new strategic ventures, while ensuring that financial strategy remains closely aligned with Cleary’s mission of preparing career‑ready graduates.

Cleary enters this search during a period of continued strategic investment and institutional progress. The University generates approximately $35 million in tuition revenue and is advancing a set of mission‑aligned initiatives designed to expand access, improve outcomes, and strengthen its financial position, including:

• National expansion of Cleary’s accelerated programs in several major metropolitan cities and consideration of a for‑profit entity to support growth
• Development of new schools and academic programs aligned with labor market trends
• Rollout of an innovative career development pathway model
• New philanthropy initiatives, including the development of a capital campaign
• Expansion of campus footprint

These initiatives reflect the university’s commitment to disciplined growth and long‑term financial strength.

As the institution scales its nationally expanding adult and online programs—already demonstrating strong revenue generation and retention—while reinvesting in a vibrant residential campus, the CFO will shape a dynamic financial architecture that balances growth, margin, and mission. This role offers the chance to build sophisticated segment‑level economics, optimize pricing and discount strategies across diverse student populations, and deploy capital in ways that directly fuel enrollment growth, program innovation, and long‑term financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic partner to the President and executive leadership team in aligning financial planning with institutional priorities, program innovation, and long‑term growth initiatives.
• Develop and monitor financial models, analyses, and interpretation of statistical and accounting information to assess operating results.
• Oversee the University’s system of accounts and records on all University transactions and assets.
• Coordinate and direct the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts.
• Establish major financial objectives and policies for the institution and prepare reports that outline the University’s financial position in the areas of income, expenses, and earnings based on past, present and future operations.
• Collaborate with advancement leadership to support evolving philanthropic efforts and ensure strong financial infrastructure for future fundraising initiatives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of university administration and the principles and practices of financial management.
• Strong analytical, problem‑solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex tasks simultaneously.
• Experience with automated accounting systems and financial reporting tools.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders across the university.
• Demonstrated leadership ability, including supervising staff, delegating responsibilities, and fostering a collaborative team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain a high level of confidentiality, and uphold institutional policies and priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to connect financial strategy with institutional mission and student outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, business, accounting, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in accounting or financial management in progressively responsible positions within a higher education institution, or five (5) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in financial planning, budgeting, and financial operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in finance, business, accounting, or a related field.
• CPA certification.

About the Institution

Cleary University is a private institution founded in 1883 with a long‑standing commitment to innovation, applied learning, and entrepreneurship in business education. Located in Howell, Michigan, the University offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs designed to prepare students for immediate and sustained success in a rapidly evolving workforce. Cleary’s main campus is in Livingston County, with an additional education center in Detroit that extends its reach into one of the region’s major economic hubs.

At the core of the academic experience is The Cleary Mind™, a distinctive, data‑informed curricular framework focused on developing eight attributes most valued by employers: critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, creative thinking, communication, persuasion, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Fully integrated across the curriculum and co‑curricular experience, The Cleary Mind™ reflects Cleary’s commitment to aligning academic programs with workforce needs and ensuring graduates are prepared to succeed and lead in dynamic organizational environments.

Cleary serves a vibrant, career‑focused student population, including traditional undergraduates as well as working professionals pursuing hybrid and fully online programs. Traditional undergraduate students may live in university residence halls, off‑campus housing, or commute from home. The University’s emphasis on small class sizes, personalized support, and strong industry alignment fosters meaningful student engagement and career readiness.

Cleary’s athletic teams, known as the Cougars, are an integral part of campus life, competing at the NAIA level as a member of the Wolverine‑Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Institutional Information

Cleary University is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Cleary strongly believes that workforce diversity creates an environment in which its employees can thrive. Cleary understands and embraces the variety through which people gain experiences whether through professional, personal, educational, or volunteer opportunities. Cleary University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.