Company Description
TriMerge Consulting Group, P.A. is a full-service professional firm committed to delivering innovative solutions and fostering integrity in every engagement. By offering forward-thinking and fresh ideas, TriMerge serves as a reliable partner for its clients. The organization is dedicated to driving success through customized strategies and exceptional service to meet diverse financial and business needs. At TriMerge, collaboration and excellence are at the forefront of every endeavor.
Chief Financial Officer, Position Summary
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) serves as the senior-most financial executive of the University and reports directly to the President. The CFO is accountable for the integrity of the University's financial records, the design and operation of internal controls, the stewardship of University assets, and the financial sustainability of all operating, auxiliary, and capital activities.
This is a rebuild role. The successful candidate will inherit a finance function that has relied on external consultants for year-end close, carries repeat audit findings tied to investment accounting and general ledger reconciliation, and is preparing for a concurrent ERP conversion. Priorities in the first 18 months include stabilizing the control environment, reducing consultant dependency, leading the Workday implementation from the finance side, and rebuilding institutional knowledge on the team.
Reporting Relationships
Reports to: President of the University
Serves as staff liaison to: Board of Trustees Finance, Audit, and Compliance Committee; Board of Governors financial reporting function
Direct reports (see full structure below): Controller; Associate Vice President for Budget and Financial Planning; Treasurer / Director of Treasury and Investments; Chief Procurement Officer; Director of Risk Management and Insurance; Director of Capital Planning and Construction Finance; Director of Auxiliary Services Finance; Director of Business Services (Bursar / Student Accounts)
Principal Responsibilities
1. Financial Reporting Integrity and Audit Remediation
• Own the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the Annual Financial Report (AFR) submitted to the Board of Governors.
• Eliminate repeat audit findings and resolve any outstanding significant deficiency identified by the State Auditor General, including findings related to Special Purpose Investment Account (SPIA) fund-level accounting, bank account reconciliations, prompt payment compliance, and year-end closing entries.
• Transition year-end closing entries from external consultants to internal staff within a defined and communicated timeline; maintain documented, independent verification of all material journal entries.
• Establish and enforce monthly close procedures, including reconciliation of all bank and investment accounts to the general ledger by fund, with documented supervisory review.
2. Internal Controls and Compliance
• Design, implement, and maintain a system of internal controls consistent with Section 1010.01(5), Florida Statutes, and analogous state law; and with the Interinstitutional Committee on Finance and Accounting (ICOFA) Financial Statement Guide.
• Ensure compliance with applicable state statutes governing public investments, procurement, prompt payment, carryforward balances, and fee assessment.
• Coordinate with Internal Audit and the External Auditor; respond to management letters and operational audit findings with corrective action plans tracked to completion.
3. ERP Implementation Leadership (PeopleSoft to Workday)
• Serve as the executive sponsor or co-sponsor for the Workday Financials implementation, accountable for chart-of-accounts redesign, fund structure, reconciliation mapping, and reporting continuity.
• Protect the integrity of the close cycle through parallel run, cutover, and stabilization phases; approve go/no-go criteria.
• Ensure Workday configuration supports fund-level reconciliation, ICOFA compliance, and audit trail requirements — not just transactional processing.
4. Treasury, Investments, and Debt
• Oversee cash management, investment of operating and restricted funds (including SPIA and Capital Financing Program debt service accounts), and long-term debt administration.
• Ensure SPIA balances and income are recorded, allocated, and reconciled by fund in accordance with applicable funding restrictions.
• Adopt and maintain a Board-approved written investment policy consistent with Section 218.415, Florida Statutes (or state equivalent).
5. Budget, Planning, and Resource Allocation
• Partner with the President, Provost, and Board on multi-year financial planning aligned to the University's strategic plan.
• Coordinate the annual Legislative Budget Request and the operating, auxiliary, and capital budgets.
• Monitor carryforward balances against statutory minimums and prepare spending plans for amounts in excess of those minimums.
6. Procurement, Accounts Payable, and Vendor Management
• Enforce prompt payment standards; implement aging-based monitoring of vendor invoices to eliminate chronic late payments.
• Oversee contract administration, purchasing card program, and vendor master file controls, including verification of vendor information changes.
7. Component Units and Direct-Support Organization Oversight
• Coordinate financial reporting, audit, and payment relationships with the University's direct-support organizations (foundation, alumni association, athletic boosters) under Section 1004.28, Florida Statutes (or state equivalent).
• Ensure payments from the University to its DSOs are supported by documented scope and allowable purpose.
8. Team, Talent, and Culture
• Rebuild the finance bench: recruit, retain, and develop professional staff across Controllership, Budget, Treasury, Procurement, and Business Services.
• Reduce reliance on external consultants for core close, reconciliation, and reporting activities over a defined transition period.
• Establish a culture of documentation, independent review, and accountability; ensure annual performance evaluations are completed for all finance staff as required by University regulation.
9. Board, Regulatory, and External Relationships
• Present financial results and forecasts to the Board of Trustees, its Finance and Audit committees, and the state Board of Governors.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the State Auditor General, bond counsel, rating agencies, and federal capital financing programs (including Capital Financing Program).
Required Qualifications
• Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or closely related field; Master's degree (MBA, MAcc, or MPA) strongly preferred.
• Minimum twelve (12) years of progressively responsible finance leadership experience, with at least five (5) years at a Controller, CFO, or VP-Finance level.
• Minimum five (5) years of senior finance experience in a public college or university, state agency, or comparable governmental entity reporting under GASB.
• Demonstrated track record of remediating repeat audit findings and significant deficiencies in a public-sector environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading or co-leading a major ERP implementation or migration — Workday Financials experience strongly preferred; PeopleSoft-to-Workday conversion experience is a distinguishing qualification.
• Working knowledge of GASB pronouncements (including GASB 68, 75, 87, and 96), Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), NACUBO guidance, and state statutes governing public university finance.
• Experience preparing or reviewing financial statements audited under Government Auditing Standards.
Preferred Qualifications
• Prior CFO or senior finance experience at a College or University or at an institution with a comparable mission and scale.
• Experience with state university system reporting, performance-based funding metrics, and legislative budget processes.
• Prior experience with state treasury pooled investment accounts (e.g., SPIA) and Capital Financing Program debt.
• Prior professional experience at a Big Four or other national public accounting firm.
• Law degree or demonstrated fluency with contracting, procurement law, and regulatory compliance.
Core Competencies
• Control environment design — able to diagnose why a control is failing, not only that it is failing.
• Change leadership — can hold the line on timeline, quality, and scope during an ERP conversion while managing political and stakeholder pressure.
• Talent development — builds internal capability rather than perpetuating consultant dependence.
• Financial communication — translates complex governmental accounting into clear narratives for non-financial trustees, legislators, and media.
• Ethical leadership — models documentation, independent review, and transparent escalation of issues.
