Vice President of Finance, CFO

The University of Findlay; Findlay (OH); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Findlay seeks a visionary VP Finance, Treasurer (VP CFO) to serve as the university's chief financial officer. This role oversees all financial management, funds, budgeting, investments, debt and endowment, while partnering with senior leadership to advance strategic priorities.

As a cabinet member, the VP CFO drives fiscal strategy, pricing, and technology-enabled innovations, ensuring prudent stewardship and alignment with the university's mission.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; CPA, MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• At least ten years of progressively increasing experience managing a large staff.
• At least ten years in higher education finance with portfolio knowledge.
• Experience in business, non-profits or other sectors.
• Demonstrate integrity and outstanding communication.
• Strong interpersonal skills and collaborative leadership.
• Analytical and administrative leadership with financial systems experience.
• Entrepreneurial in spirit; willing to explore new technology opportunities.
• Experience partnering with the region and with external partners.
• Ability to communicate difficult decisions with context and clarity.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to develop prudent fiscal strategies and financial strength.
• Lead short- and long-range planning, budgeting, risk management and investments.
• Serve as liaison to Board committees on business affairs, investments, and audit.
• Collaborate with senior officers to support fundraising, enrollment goals and program infrastructure.
• Develop pricing strategies for undergraduate, graduate and other programs to grow net tuition revenue.
• Oversee technology and process improvements across finance and facilities.
• Ensure policies enable efficient, paperless operations and timely project delivery.

Skills

Strategic Thinking

Problem Solving

Financial Management

Project Management

Communication Proficiency

Interpersonal / Credibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Master's degree preferred

Job description

The Vice President of Finance, Treasurer (VP CFO) serves as the University's chief financial officer and oversees all financial management for the University's business affairs. Reporting directly to the president, this role is the primary steward of the University of Findlay's financial resources. As a member of the president's cabinet, the VP CFO partners closely with the president and senior leadership on the institution's strategic priorities, including personnel management and oversight of revenue, expenses, budgeting, investments, debt, and the endowment. The Vice President also partners closely with Information Technology Services to align financial operations with the University's enterprise architecture, data governance, cybersecurity, and digital transformation strategy. This includes shared responsibility for enterprise systems, analytics, process automation, and technology-enabled innovation. In this role, the VP CFO aligns resources to support the University's mission, culture, and long-term operational success.

This position requires regular, predictable, reliable attendance in the office environment.

Essential Functions

University’s chief financial officer, overseeing all matters related to the financial management of the University.

1. Provide the leadership and vision necessary to develop and oversee prudent fiscal strategies that assure the continued financial strength of the University while moving the University forward.
2. The VP CFO will be responsible for short and long-range financial planning and analysis, budget modeling, risk management, and investment oversight.
3. Key liaison to the Board of Trustees' committees on business affairs, investments, and audit.
4. Partner actively and creatively with the college's other senior officers, to ensure funding and administrative solutions to support the academic mission of the college, to support overall fundraising goals and provide the infrastructure necessary to assure donors of the stewardship of their contributions, to develop enrollment and net tuition goals; and others to move the agenda of the University forward.
5. Assist and support the development of the appropriate pricing strategies for both undergraduate, graduate and other programs which the University offers which will support growth in net tuition revenue.
6. Provide the appropriate incentives and infrastructure for faculty and staff to develop new programs which can provide the University with additional revenue.
7. Review all operations and systems in his/her portfolio to ensure that they are efficient and effective and appropriately taking advantage of technological solutions.
8. Ensure that the college has the appropriate policies in place to operate efficiently and fairly and that the policies and processes are not more cumbersome than necessary and are as paperless as possible.
9. The VP CFO ensure that the appropriate financing is in order for new projects. In addition, the VP CFO, working with the Assistant Vice President of Facilities Services, will be responsible for making sure that the project comes in on-time and on-budget.
10. Develop a budget model that allows for scenario planning and will be able to provide both short and long-term financial outcomes.
11. Work with the division to increase and enhance its use of technology in all areas.
12. Gain the trust of the campus and communicate clearly and effectively with all constituencies about finance and facility issues.
13. Educate the campus about the implications of various alternative strategies in a clear and transparent manner which promotes understanding and support for the University's directions.
14. Perform all other duties deemed appropriate for the position.

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Competencies

1. Strategic Thinking.
2. Problem Solving/Analysis.
3. Financial Management.
4. Project Management.
5. Communication Proficiency.
6. Personal Effectiveness/Credibility.

Key responsibilities for the new vice president include the following:

Developing opportunities to increase revenue

1. Maintaining efficient, cost-effective operations.
2. Overseeing financing and construction of new facilities and renovations.
3. Sustaining an effective budget model.
4. Providing leadership to the business affairs division.
5. Establishing trust and communicating effectively with the campus on financial issues.
6. Collaborating with colleagues in decision-making.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position manages all employees of the department and is responsible for the performance management and hiring of the employees within that department.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.

Travel

Travel is primarily local during the business day, although some out-of-the-area and overnight travel may be expected.

Required Education and Experience

1. A bachelor's degree is required, and a CPA, MBA or other advanced degree is preferred;
2. At least ten years of progressively increasing experience managing a large staff with diverse responsibilities;
3. At least ten years in higher education finance and will be knowledgeable about the critical areas in the portfolio;
4. Experience in business, non-profits or other sectors;
5. Demonstrate unquestioned integrity, be an outstanding communicator;
6. Possess strong and effective interpersonal skills that engender trust and cultivate collaboration;
7. Exceptional financial and administrative leader with superior analytical and management skills as well as experience in the use of financial management systems and a willingness to explore new opportunities for using technology;
8. Entrepreneurial in spirit, willing to think outside the box and take prudent risks;
9. Have an appreciation for the University's close ties to its region coupled with experience creating partnerships with business and/or nonprofit organizations;
10. Appreciate the current higher education landscape, its challenges and potential, with particular facility for ensuring institutional thriving beyond financial sustainability and;
11. Fortitude to make difficult decisions when necessary and the proven ability to communicate those decisions with contextual clarity.

Preferred Education and Experience

Masters' degree.

Work Authorization/Security Clearance (if applicable)

None required for this position.

EEO Statement

The University of Findlay is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Male/Female/Disabled/Vet.

The University of Findlay is an affirmative action / equal opportunity educator and employer. It is the university's policy to prohibit discrimination and provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to their race, sex (including gender identity / expression), color, religion, ancestry, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, military or sexual orientation.

It is the policy of The University of Findlay to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. The University prohibits and will not tolerate any such discrimination or harassment.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.