Strategic Finance & Operations Leader

Buffalo State University; Buffalo (NY); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Buffalo State University benefits

Job summary

Buffalo State University seeks a collaborative leader to serve as Vice President for Finance and Management (VPFM), the Chief Financial Officer for the campus. The VPFM will oversee financial sustainability, workforce management, technology, facilities, and campus safety, reporting to the President and serving on the Cabinet.

The role emphasizes transparency, data-driven finance, and cross–campus partnerships to advance enrollment, retention, and student success while guiding multi-year planning

Qualifications

• Leadership through financial contraction in a large organization.
• Strategic financial thinker with multi-year planning and scenario analysis.
• Resource alignment in a constrained, public, unionized setting.
• Capital, facilities, and space leadership with campus master planning.
• Technology oversight including cybersecurity risk and enterprise systems.
• Campus safety, emergency management, and compliance leadership.
• Experience with SUNY systems and state regulatory processes.
• Clear, transparent communication to diverse governance bodies.
• Building a data-informed, service-oriented culture in a large division.
• Investing in people and leadership development within a public university.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership through financial contraction and structural problem-solving.
• Advise the President on budget matters and multi-year planning.
• Lead resource alignment and innovative funding approaches in a unionized setting.
• Oversee capital funding, facilities, and deferred maintenance planning.
• Ensure enterprise IT strategy, cybersecurity risk management, and incident response.
• Oversee campus safety, emergency management, and compliance activities.
• Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Enrollment, Student Affairs, and Advancement.
• Promote transparency in financial decision-making across the campus.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Budget management

Forecasting

Multi-year planning

Public higher education

Unionized environment

Financial governance

Communication

Data-informed decision making

Education

Advanced degree in business/public administration

CPA (preferred)

Job description

Buffalo State University seeks a collaborative leader to serve as Vice President for Finance and Management (VPFM), the Chief Financial Officer for the campus. The VPFM will oversee financial sustainability, workforce management, technology, facilities, and campus safety, reporting to the President and serving on the Cabinet.

The role emphasizes transparency, data-driven finance, and cross–campus partnerships to advance enrollment, retention, and student success while guiding multi-year planning