Vice President of Administration and Finance

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts; Clarksburg (MA); On-site; USD 235,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Retirement benefits

Tuition Waivers & Discounts

Paid time off & holidays

Job summary

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, seeks a strategic Vice President of Administration and Finance to lead financial and administrative operations. The role reports to the President and drives budgeting, reporting, capital planning, HR and procurement.

The successful candidate will hold a relevant degree, preferably CPA/CMA, with seven years’ senior management experience in public higher education and a strong, data-driven approach to decision making.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance or related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• CPA or CMA preferred.
• Seven years of progressive senior management in fiscal/administrative affairs.
• Diversity and collaboration experience with a diverse faculty and staff.
• Experience with budget development, contracts, procurement, and risk management.
• Strong communication and analytical abilities; data-driven decision maker.
• Experience in collective bargaining environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement and enforce financial and administrative policies and procedures.
• Plan, develop, organize, implement, direct, and evaluate the organization's fiscal functions.
• Present the college's annual budget to the President and Board of Trustees.
• Disseminate budget information and coordinate capital expenditures.
• Advise on long-range financial planning and strategic investments.
• Lead capital planning and facilities management, including HR/payroll oversight.
• Ensure campus technology strategy meets college needs and compliance.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to improve cost efficiency.

Skills

Public higher ed fiscal management

Leadership

Budgeting

Accounting

Risk management

Procurement

Strategic thinking

Data-driven decisions

Communication

Collective bargaining experience

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance or related field

Master's degree preferred

CPA or CMA preferred

Job description

About Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts:

At MCLA, we're here for all, and focused on each of our students.Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, andabout seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives.In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed toelevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators,fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In additionto our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortifiedour dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appearedon U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Collegesfor 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of TopPublic Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College'sfocus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflectedin additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer onSocial Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal artscolleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schoolsgraduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu

Job Description:

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

The Vice President of Administration and Finance provides executive leadership offinancial and administrative operations of the college. Primaryresponsibilities include providing leadership to administrativeservices at the college, leading development and management of thebudget, allocation of fiscal resources, and implementation ofelements of fiscal accountability to accomplish the college'smission. Develop and provide innovative solutions to institutionalchallenges through continuous assessment and improvement ofoperations. Serves as the chief financial officer for the collegeand is a member of the President's Executive Staff. The VicePresident spearheads alignment of financial operations, businesssupport functions, physical plant management and auxiliary serviceswith strategic planning objectives.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Reports directly to the President.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Exercises supervision over professional and classified staff assigned to the Administration & Finance Division.

DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Develop, implement and enforce policies and procedures throughfinancial and administrative systems that will improve the overalloperation and effectiveness of the college. Partners with publicsafety leadership and other campus stakeholders to ensure effectiveemergency management planning, compliance, training and responsecoordination.
2. Plan, develop, organize, implement, direct, and evaluate theorganization's fiscal functions. Ensure timely and accurate budgetanalysis and financial reporting for the management team,President, and Board of Trustees. Ensure continual review andimprovement of the budgeting process through education ofmanagement on financial issues impacting their budgets.
3. Responsible for the planning, preparation, supervision, andpresentation of the college's annual budget to the President andBoard of Trustees, and the constituents of the college.
4. Responsible for disseminating information within the college onbudgetary processes and procedures related to operating and capitalexpenditures.
5. Advise the President and management team on the impact of longrange financial and organizational planning. Provide strategicfinancial leadership and support on potential alliances,investments and other issues affecting the college's business.
6. Participate in the negotiation of union contracts.
7. Provide leadership and guidance regarding the development andimplementation of capital planning and operations projects as wellas the safe maintenance of physical plant and grounds.
8. Provide leadership and guidance to ensure the campus-widetechnology strategy is responsive to the needs of the collegecommunity.
9. Provide leadership and guidance to ensure effective andefficient function of the Human Resources and Payroll Department isbeing followed in accordance with state and federalguidelines.
10. Establishes credibility throughout the organization and withthe Board as an effective problem solver.
11. Evaluates the finance/administrative services structure andteam plan for continual improvement of the efficiency andeffectiveness of the department as well as providing professionaldevelopment opportunities.
12. Collaborate with internal departments and external agents andconstituencies to provide financial information/reports and to worktoward the realization of cost efficiencies in line with thecollege's goals and strategic plan. Assist the President inaligning strategic priorities with Massachusetts Department ofHigher Education strategic initiatives.
13. Responsible for the accounting of all funds collected from allsources of the college and the dispersal of such funds under theapplicable laws and regulation of the Commonwealth ofMassachusetts.
14. Provides leadership and guidance to ensure effective andefficient function of Student Financial Services, includingfinancial aid administration, student accounts, billing,collections, and customer service operations following all federal,state, and institutional regulations governing student financialassistance programs, including Title IV financial aidrequirements.
15. Oversee the management and monitoring of the College'sinvestments and reserve funds in accordance with the InvestmentPolicy approved by the Board of Trustees.
16. Develop policies, procedures and engages in the procurement ofgoods and non-personnel services.
17. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by thePresident.

Requirements:

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in finance or related field required.Master's degree preferred
• Certified Public Accountant or Certified Management Accountantpreferred
• Experience in public higher education fiscal management
• An experienced leader and financial executive with at leastseven years of full-time progressively responsible managementexperience related to administrative and fiscal affairs in acomplex organization
• Demonstrated understanding of the importance of diversity ofstaff and ability to work collaboratively with a diverse faculty,staff, and student body
• Extensive experience with budget development and management,business accounting, risk management, contract/procurement
• A strategic thinker with sound technical skills, analyticalability, and strong operations and systems focus
• Demonstrated ability to utilize data and identify risks toanalyze strategic issues and inform decisions
• Outstanding communication skills; a team player who can relateto a variety of constituencies. Able to explain complex financialinformation in understandable terms
• Prior administrative experience in a collective bargainingenvironment preferred

Additional Information:

This is a full-time, permanent, benefited position starting on1/01/2027. Salary for this position is between $235,000 and $250,000 per year. Applications received by 10/28/2026 will receive preferential treatment.

Employee Benefits:

Health Insurance: MCLA offers a variety of HMO, POS, and PPO-typehealth insurance plans for eligible employees. Coverage iseffective on the 1st of the month following the date of hire.Exceptions to employees hired on the 1st of the month, coverage iseffective immediately.

Retirement: The MA State Employee Retirement System provideseligible employees with a retirement pension following a 10-yearvesting period. In lieu of the retirement pension, eligibleemployees may select the Optional Retirement Plan with a maximum 5%employer matching contribution.

Tuition Waivers & Discounts: eligible employees, includingspouses and dependent children, receive reduced tuition at MA statecolleges, community colleges, and universities.

Paid Time Off: employees receive 12 paid holidays and generousvacation, personal, and sick leave benefits.

Until further notice, in response to the Presidential proclamation,issued on September 19, 2025, imposing a significant fee on theentry of individuals with new H-1B visas, this position is noteligible for visa sponsorship.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts complies with the Americanswith Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations toqualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Should youneed to request a reasonable accommodation for the applicationprocess, please email Brenda Stokes, Executive Director of HumanResources.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is deeply committed tofostering a community of excellence, equity, diversity, andinclusion. We provide equal access to educational, co-curricularand employment opportunities for all applicants, students, andemployees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin,age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity,gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status,veteran status, or membership in any other legally protected class.Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on thebasis of sex in any educational program or activity that theyoperate, which extends to admission and employment.

Inquiries about Title IX, Equal Opportunity, or ADA/504 and othernon-discrimination policies may be directed to MCLA's Interim TitleIX and Equal Opportunity Coordinator, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both.

Lucas Morrill

Interim Title IX and EO Coordinator

375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247

Telephone: [phone]

[e-mail]

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights

33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424

Telephone: [phone]; FAX: [phone]; TDD [phone]

[e-mail]