Vice President for Finance and Administration
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Job summary
Millsaps College seeks a visionary Vice President for Finance and Administration to join its leadership team in Jackson, Mississippi. As chief operating officer, you will shape financial strategy, oversee operations, and steward resources to advance the college’s mission and strategic plan.
The VPFA will partner with the President and trustees to ensure long-term sustainability, strong internal controls, and a high-performing administrative ecosystem across finance, HR, IT, and facilities.
Qualifications
- A master's degree in business or related field is preferred.
- CPA designation is preferred.
- Higher education leadership experience is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Lead long-range financial planning, budgeting, and financial modeling.
- Oversee HR, IT, facilities operations, and enterprise risk management.
- Translate institutional priorities into sound financial decisions and reporting.
- Collaborate with the President and Board on strategy and sustainability.
Education
Job description
Vice President for Finance and Administration
Millsaps College
Jackson, Mississippi
Build on momentum. Shape institutional strategy. Help secure the future of a distinguished liberal arts college.
An Institution on the Move. An Opportunity to Make a Lasting Impact.
Millsaps College is entering an exciting new chapter. With a bold strategic plan, expanding academic partnerships, innovative educational pathways, and renewed investments in the student experience, the college is building on its distinguished history while positioning itself for the future.
Located on a beautiful, 100-acre campus in Jackson, Mississippi, Millsaps combines the personal attention and academic excellence of a nationally recognized liberal arts college with an entrepreneurial spirit and a commitment to institutional progress.
Reporting directly to President Frank Neville and serving as the college's chief operating officer, the VPFA will play a central role in shaping institutional strategy, strengthening financial sustainability, and ensuring that Millsaps has the people, systems, and resources necessary to achieve its ambitions.
For a financial and operational leader energized by meaningful challenges, collaborative leadership, and the opportunity to make a lasting institutional impact, Millsaps offers a compelling opportunity.
Millsaps has introduced Ad Excellentiam, its strategic plan for 2026–2031, establishing a roadmap built around three priorities:
- Vitality: Strengthening the college's financial and operational foundation to ensure long-term sustainability.
- Community: Fostering a vibrant campus culture and building meaningful partnerships.
- Impact: Expanding educational experiences, opportunities, and outcomes that prepare students for purposeful lives and successful careers.
The college is already advancing important initiatives that reflect these priorities.
New partnerships with the University of Mississippi School of Law and MC School of Law create accelerated pathways for eligible students to earn bachelor's and law degrees in six years, opening new possibilities for academic and professional success.
Through a new partnership with Jackson Public Schools, eligible students can receive renewable scholarships covering at least 50% of undergraduate tuition, strengthening connections between Millsaps and the community it serves.
Millsaps will return to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference beginning with the 2027–28 academic year, reinforcing its commitment to an enriching NCAA Division III student-athlete experience.
Home to Mississippi's first Phi Beta Kappa chapter and the AACSB-accredited Else School of Management, Millsaps continues to distinguish itself through rigorous academics, personalized education, and experiential learning.
Together, these initiatives reflect an institution actively pursuing new opportunities while remaining true to its mission.
The next Vice President for Finance and Administration will help turn this momentum into lasting institutional strength, ensuring that academic aspirations, operational priorities, and financial resources are aligned for the years ahead.
Under the leadership of President Frank Neville, Millsaps is advancing a vision that connects academic excellence, innovation, community engagement, and long-term institutional sustainability.
The VPFA will serve as a trusted strategic partner to the President and senior leadership team, translating institutional priorities into sound financial decisions, effective operations, and sustainable investments.
This is a highly visible leadership position with meaningful opportunities to influence the college's direction and directly contribute to the success of its students, faculty, and staff.
As chief operating officer and a member of the President's leadership team, the VPFA will provide institution-wide leadership across four essential areas.
The VPFA will help guide Millsaps toward lasting financial strength through thoughtful planning, disciplined stewardship, and forward-looking decision-making.
Responsibilities include:
- Leading long-range financial planning, forecasting, scenario analysis, and financial modeling.
- Directing operating and capital budgets, accounting, financial reporting, audits, and internal controls.
- Overseeing cash management, investments, endowment administration, debt, and banking relationships.
- Providing oversight for student accounts, purchasing, contracts, insurance, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management.
- Developing transparent financial reporting that supports informed decision-making by institutional leadership and trustees.
- Aligning financial strategy and resource allocation with enrollment, academic priorities, campus investment, and long-term sustainability.
Millsaps recognizes that institutional success begins with its people.
The VPFA will help strengthen the systems, policies, and culture that support employees and encourage professional excellence.
Responsibilities include:
- Overseeing recruitment, onboarding, compensation, benefits, workforce planning, and retention practices.
- Advancing effective performance management, employee development, and organizational accountability.
- Ensuring responsible management of employee relations, institutional policies, records, and regulatory compliance.
- Supporting a collaborative, inclusive, and service-oriented workplace.
- Helping institutional leaders align staffing priorities with organizational needs and financial resources.
Technology plays an increasingly important role in institutional effectiveness, student services, financial management, and academic operations.
The VPFA will:
- Provide strategic direction for institutional technology planning, governance, and investment.
- Oversee enterprise systems, administrative platforms, networks, and technology infrastructure.
- Strengthen cybersecurity, data protection, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
- Guide technology budgets, procurement, vendor relationships, and service delivery.
- Identify opportunities to improve organizational effectiveness, efficiency, and the experience of students, faculty, and staff through technology.
The beauty and character of the Millsaps campus are integral to the college's identity and student experience.
The VPFA will provide strategic oversight of its physical assets while helping prepare the campus for evolving academic and institutional needs.
Responsibilities include:
- Leading facilities operations, maintenance, capital planning, and infrastructure stewardship.
- Developing responsible approaches to deferred maintenance, facilities renewal, and long-term campus investment.
- Overseeing construction, renovation, and campus improvement projects.
- Managing facilities budgets, contracts, utilities, vendor relationships, and sustainability initiatives.
- Ensuring emergency preparedness, operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and responsible risk management.
- Aligning physical infrastructure with academic, residential, athletic, student life, and administrative priorities.
The Vice President will serve as the primary institutional liaison to the Board of Trustees' Finance and Facilities, Investment, and Audit committees.
This responsibility requires an executive who combines financial sophistication with exceptional communication skills, integrity, and sound judgment.
The successful candidate will bring transparency and clarity to complex financial discussions, help trustees assess opportunities and risks, and provide the strategic analysis necessary to support responsible institutional decision-making.
Millsaps seeks an accomplished leader who combines the discipline of a seasoned financial executive with the creativity, adaptability, and collaborative spirit necessary to help an institution evolve.
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
- Strategic financial expertise: Significant experience in financial planning, accounting, budgeting, investments, endowments, debt management, financial modeling, and organizational sustainability.
- Broad operational leadership: A successful record overseeing complex administrative functions, including human resources, technology, facilities, and business operations.
- A builder's mentality: The ability to develop talent, strengthen systems, improve processes, and guide organizations through meaningful change.
- Institutional perspective: An understanding of how financial strategy, enrollment, academic priorities, and resource allocation intersect to influence long-term success.
- Sound judgment and integrity: A demonstrated commitment to accountability, transparent decision-making, and responsible stewardship.
- Collaborative leadership: The ability to build trust and work productively with the President, trustees, faculty, staff, and external partners.
- Strategic and analytical thinking: Exceptional critical thinking, data analysis, problem-solving, communication, and organizational change leadership skills.
- A commitment to people and mission: An appreciation for residential liberal arts education and the ability to develop, mentor, and inspire high-performing teams.
A master's degree in business or a related field and/or CPA designation is preferred.
Accomplished executives from other complex organizations who bring relevant financial, administrative, and operational leadership experience are encouraged to apply.
Above all, Millsaps seeks a leader who can connect vision with execution, bringing financial discipline, intellectual curiosity, and a genuine enthusiasm for helping the college achieve its aspirations.
Founded in 1890, Millsaps College has long been recognized for its commitment to academic excellence, experiential learning, and close relationships between students and faculty.
With an approximately 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio, distinctive academic programs, and a strong tradition of preparing graduates for lives of professional achievement and civic engagement, Millsaps offers an educational experience in which personal relationships and individual opportunity remain central.
The campus, with its mature trees, green spaces, historic architecture, and welcoming atmosphere, offers an exceptional environment for learning, working, and living.
An exceptional career opportunity should also offer an appealing place to call home.
As Mississippi's capital city, Jackson combines Southern hospitality, distinctive neighborhoods, and a rich cultural heritage with an accessible cost of living compared with many larger metropolitan areas.
The nearby Fondren and Belhaven neighborhoods offer locally owned restaurants, galleries, coffee shops, and a vibrant arts and music community. The area also provides access to museums, outdoor recreation, and regional destinations throughout the Southeast.
For candidates considering relocation, Jackson offers the opportunity to enjoy an engaging community and an appealing quality of life while contributing to an institution with meaningful ambitions.
Millsaps College has a proud history, a clear strategic direction, and exciting opportunities ahead.
The next Vice President for Finance and Administration will be instrumental in building on this momentum, providing the financial leadership, operational expertise, and strategic partnership necessary to strengthen the college for generations to come.
Millsaps College is an equal opportunity employer committed to providing an inclusive environment for its students, faculty, and staff.
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