Position Summary: With broad latitude to exercise independent judgment, the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (Deputy CFO) serves as the Chief Financial Officer's principal strategic partner and senior advisor on financial strategy, fiscal stewardship, long range financial planning, sustainability, and organizational performance.
Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Deputy CFO provides executive leadership in financial planning, forecasting, fiscal analysis, revenue strategy, resource allocation, financial governance, and long range fiscal sustainability. The Deputy CFO ensures that financial resources are aligned with organizational priorities through rigorous analysis, sound stewardship of public funds, and data informed decision making.
The Deputy CFO evaluates the long term financial impact of policy decisions, organizational investments, funding changes, labor agreements, enrollment trends, legislative actions, and emerging fiscal risks. The position develops recommendations that strengthen fiscal stability, improve resource utilization, and support strategic decision making across New York City Public Schools (NYCPS).
The Deputy CFO serves as the organization's senior leader for financial stewardship and long range fiscal planning while advancing the strategic financial vision established by the Chief Financial Officer. The Deputy CFO is intentionally distinct from positions responsible for accounting, payroll, grants administration, budget operations, financial operations, or executive office management. The primary responsibility of this position is to provide strategic financial leadership, fiscal sustainability planning, forecasting, governance, and executive financial advisory services. Performs related work.
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
Direct Reports: Senior Executive Directors, Executive Directors, and other leadership staff responsible for financial planning, forecasting, fiscal analysis, revenue strategy, financial performance management, and related strategic finance functions.
Key Relationships: Deputy Chancellors' teams, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Division of Financial Operations, Division of Budget Operations and Review, Division of School Budget Planning and Operations, Division of Human Resources, Office of Legal Services, Office of Special Education, Intergovernmental Affairs, NYC Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NYC Comptroller's Office, City Hall, City Council, State Education Department, State and Federal funding agencies, the Panel for Educational Policy, and various public and private stakeholders.
Responsibilities
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Serve as the principal strategic financial advisor to the Chief Financial Officer.
- Advise the Chief Financial Officer on matters affecting the financial health, sustainability, and stewardship of NYCPS resources.
- Lead the development of long range financial strategies that align organizational priorities with available resources.
- Evaluate the financial implications of major organizational initiatives, policy proposals, investments, and resource decisions.
- Assess emerging fiscal risks, funding opportunities, and long term financial trends and recommend appropriate strategies.
- Lead the development of multi-year financial plans, forecasts, scenario analyses, and sustainability models.
- Develop recommendations regarding resource allocation, financial priorities, fiscal policy, and organizational investments.
- Promote financial stewardship, accountability, transparency, and responsible management of public resources.
- Develop financial frameworks, performance measures, and analytical tools that strengthen strategic decision making.
- Provide leadership in evaluating structural budget challenges and strategies that support long term fiscal balance.
- Develop executive dashboards, financial reports, and decision support materials for senior leadership.
- Identify opportunities to improve forecasting accuracy, financial planning processes, and organizational performance.
- Advise executive leadership on the financial impact of legislative, regulatory, economic, demographic, and operational developments.
- Promote best practices related to public finance, financial governance, accountability, and fiscal sustainability.
- Perform other related work at the discretion of the Chief Financial Officer.
Financial Management
- Partner with the Chief Financial Officer in developing long term budget and resource allocation strategies.
- Analyze expenditure and revenue trends to support fiscal planning and organizational priorities.
- Assess the sustainability and financial feasibility of proposed investments, savings initiatives, and funding requests.
- Evaluate the long term sustainability of state, federal, local, and grant funding sources.
- Develop recommendations to strengthen, diversify, and maximize available funding opportunities.
- Lead fiscal risk assessments and develop recommendations to mitigate financial vulnerabilities.
- Establish frameworks for evaluating financial effectiveness, stewardship, and return on investment.
- Support the development of strategies that maintain fiscal stability while advancing educational priorities.
- Provide ongoing analysis regarding the financial condition and long term sustainability of NYCPS.
- Assist the Chief Financial Officer in developing financial policies and strategic fiscal guidance for organizational leadership.
Inter-Agency Relations
- Provide financial analysis and technical assistance regarding city, state, and federal budget matters to senior leadership.
- Develop fiscal analyses and briefing materials related to legislative proposals, policy initiatives, and funding actions.
- Support the Chief Financial Officer's engagement with governmental agencies, oversight organizations, and funding entities.
- Represent the Chief Financial Officer, when designated, at meetings, briefings, and strategic discussions involving financial planning, funding, and fiscal policy matters.
- Collaborate with Intergovernmental Affairs and other stakeholders to assess financial implications of legislative and regulatory actions.
- Develop presentations, reports, and financial narratives that communicate fiscal priorities, risks, and strategic recommendations.
Leadership & Organizational Influence
- Provide executive leadership across Finance to advance strategic priorities and organizational effectiveness.
- Lead through influence, collaboration, and consensus building across multiple Finance divisions and stakeholder groups.
- Build alignment among senior leaders to support enterprise wide financial decision making and fiscal stewardship.
- Lead cross-functional financial initiatives that impact schools, central offices, and citywide operations.
- Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Support leadership development, succession planning, and organizational resiliency across Finance.
Qualification Requirements:
Minimum
- A Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, business administration, education administration, personnel administration, management or a related field and four years of satisfactory, responsible, full-time experience in any of the above areas or in another area of
specialization applicable to the position, at least 18 months of which must have been in an administrative, consultative, managerial or executive capacity; or
- Education and/or experience equivalent to "1"above. However, all candidates must possess the 18 months of administrative, consultative, managerial or executive experience as described above.
Preferred
- Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in financial management, strategic financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, public finance, fiscal policy, or related disciplines, including at least four years in a senior executive, managerial, consultative, or leadership capacity.
- Experience developing succession plans and strengthening organizational capacity.
- Demonstrated experience developing, mentoring, and coaching future finance leaders.
- Demonstrated success leading large scale cross-functional initiatives and organizational change efforts.
- Experience building high performing teams and fostering collaborative leadership cultures.
- Master’s degree in finance, Accounting, Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field.
- Experience working in a large public sector, governmental, educational, or nonprofit organization.
- Strong understanding of governmental accounting principles and public finance.
- Experience working with oversight agencies, legislative bodies, elected officials, and executive leadership teams.
- Knowledge of New York City budget processes, financial systems, and funding structures.
- Demonstrated success leading strategic planning, organizational transformation, and change management initiatives.
- Experience developing executive leaders and succession pipelines.
Salary: $200,000 - $224,000
(Internal candidates who are selected for this position and who currently hold comparable or less senior positions within the DOE will not earn less than their current salary.)
Please include a resume and cover letter with your application.
NOTE: The filling of all positions is subject to budget availability and/or grant funding.
* New York City Residency is NOT Required *
We encourage all applicants from the New York City tri-state area to apply.
