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Chief Financial Officer

California Indian Nations College • Full-time • Palm Desert, CA, US • 2w ago

Job Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in Higher Education

Division: Administration

FLSA Classification: Exempt (full time)

Schedule: Full-time; evenings/weekends as needed

Supervisory: Yes

SCOPE OF POSITION

California Indian Nations College (CINC) is seeking an experienced Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in higher education to lead and oversee the College’s financial operations in alignment with its mission and strategic goals. Reporting directly to the President, the CFO will provide financial leadership through strategic analysis, forecasting, and resource planning to ensure the College’s fiscal sustainability and growth. This position is responsible for administering short- and long-term financial planning, developing and managing annual operating and capital budgets, and ensuring compliance with federal, state, tribal, and accreditation requirements. The CFO will collaborate closely with the Financial Manager, Bursar, and Financial Aid Director to oversee institutional contracts and Foundation assets, providing guidance to leadership on responsible resource allocation that maximizes institutional impact.

Compliance, Tax, & Risk Management

· Administers the preparation and timely ﬁling of federal, state, and local tax returns and related compliance reports.

· Works directly with the Financial Manager and external auditors to prepare audited ﬁnancial statements and supporting documentation.

· Coordinates annual ﬁnancial audits and implements corrective action plans for President.

· Maintains systems of internal controls to safeguard assets and prevent fraud. Creates and provides policies and procedures for institution.

· Works with Financial Manager to monitor the ﬁnancial risk through procurement of eﬀective contracts, insurance, and investment practices and policies.

Grants & Contracts Administration

· Works with Financial Manager to administer ﬁscal management of federal, state, and private grants/contracts.

· Works with Financial Manager to collaborate with grant writers and program managers to prepare budgets and ﬁnancial reports.

· Oversees the management of restricted and unrestricted funds for accuracy and transparency.

Financial Aid & Student Accounts

· Provides ﬁnancial oversight of student ﬁnancial aid operations, including scholarships, grants, and loan programs.

· Supervises and supports the Director of Financial Aid to ensure compliance with U.S. Department of Education Title IV regulations, and all governmental funding. Creates, manages and implements policies and procedures.

· Oversees the Bursar’s Oﬃce to ensure accurate student billing, collections, and account management.

· Administers the ﬁnancial aid disbursement processes to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance.

· Responsible for campus-wide ﬁscal internal controls and coordination between ﬁnancial aid, bursar, and ﬁnance functions.

· Develop policies and reporting practices that promote transparency and accessibility in student ﬁnancial services.

Financial Management

· Manage institutional and departmental revenues, expenditures, and cash ﬂow to maintain ﬁscal health.

· Coordinates and develops new events and outreach and acts as backup for other initiatives in the absence of the Executive Manager.

· Manages tasks related to the development of community relations and upcoming sponsored events.

· Circulates internal and external community relational materials for faculty, staﬀ, and students.

· Perform other duties as assigned.

· Provide regular ﬁnancial reports to the President and may be requested to provide reports to the Board of Trustees.

· Supervises and works with Financial Manager to administer the cash ﬂow, banking relationships, investments, and ﬁnancing strategies.

· Supervises and works with Financial Manager to ensure proper management of college assets, including equipment and property.

· Supervises and works with Financial Manager to ensure eﬃcient management of accounts payable/receivable and student billing.

· Supervises and works with Financial Manager to manage auxiliary enterprises (e.g., bookstore, food services, housing if applicable).

Leadership, Training & Staﬀ Development

· Supervise, mentor, and evaluate ﬁnance and business oﬃce staﬀ to ensure high performance and accountability.

· Provide structured training in accounting practices, compliance requirements, ﬁnancial reporting, and system/software use.

· Develop staﬀ capacity to prepare accurate budgets, ﬁnancial statements, and grant/contract documentation.

· Foster cross-training within the department to ensure operational continuity.

· Encourage and support professional growth through certiﬁcations, workshops, and continuing education.

· Coach staﬀ in decision-making, problem-solving, and ethical ﬁnancial practices.

· Promote teamwork, transparency, and eﬀective communication across the department and institution.

· Serve as a role model and mentor, cultivating future ﬁnancial leaders within the organization.

Collaboration & Communication

· Present clear, accurate ﬁnancial information to boards, committees, and staﬀ.

· Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to support student success.

· Serve as a ﬁnancial liaison with external auditors, funding agencies, and business partners.

· Promote ﬁnancial literacy and transparency within the institution.

Strategic & Institutional Responsibilities

· Participate as a key member of the executive leadership team.

· Provide ﬁnancial leadership for long-term strategic planning, capital projects, and institutional development.

Support initiatives and partnerships that enhance institutional sustainability and community impact.

Qualiﬁcations & Competencies Education & Professional Credentials

· Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related ﬁeld required; plus minimum of 7 years of direct experience as CFO, higher education.

· Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Finance, or a related discipline strongly preferred; plus a minimum of 4 years experience as CFO, higher education.

· Certiﬁed Public Accountant (CPA) or Certiﬁed Management Accountant (CMA) designation preferred; plus a minimum of 2 years experience as CFO, higher education.