Carney, Sandoe & Associates, an education recruitment firm, has been retained by an independent Jewish school in Houston, TX to find their next Chief Finance Officer.
Summary:
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic member of the senior leadership team and serves as the institution’s principal financial and business advisor. The CFO is responsible for ensuring the school’s long-term financial strength, operational effectiveness, and responsible stewardship of its resources in support of its mission and strategic priorities.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as the school’s principal financial strategist and trusted advisor to the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and senior leadership team.
- Develop and execute a comprehensive financial strategy that supports the school’s mission, strategic plan, enrollment objectives, and long-term sustainability.
- Provide leadership in assessing the financial implications of strategic opportunities and challenges, including enrollment trends, tuition strategy, compensation, staffing, facilities, capital investments, technology, and program development.
- Lead the annual operating budget process and develop multi-year financial forecasts, scenarios, and models to support informed institutional decision-making.
- Establish and monitor financial performance indicators and provide regular analysis and recommendations to the Head of School and Board leadership.
- Maintain a clear understanding of the school’s financial position, liquidity, reserves, investments, debt, cash flow, and long-term financial obligations.
- Ensure that the school’s financial resources are managed prudently and strategically, balancing current operational needs with long-term institutional sustainability.
- Identify opportunities to improve revenue, manage costs, increase efficiency, and strengthen the school’s overall financial position.
- Oversee the annual audit, tax filings, regulatory requirements, and other financial compliance obligations.
- Manage relationships with external auditors, accountants, attorneys, investment advisors, banks, insurance providers, and other professional partners.
- Review and oversee major contracts, vendor relationships, financial commitments, and capital expenditures.
- Partner with school leadership and external service providers to evaluate operational effectiveness, manage costs, negotiate contracts, and identify opportunities to improve the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of technology, dining, and other business services.
- Develop and maintain an enterprise-wide approach to financial and operational risk management, identifying emerging risks and recommending appropriate mitigation strategies.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field required; MBA, CPA, or other advanced professional credential strongly preferred.
- Significant progressive leadership experience in finance, accounting, business operations, or a related field, including experience at the executive or senior leadership level.
- Demonstrated success leading financial strategy and operations within a complex organization; experience in an independent school, nonprofit, educational institution, or mission-driven organization is strongly preferred.
- Sophisticated understanding of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, accounting, cash management, internal controls, risk management, and organizational finance.
- Experience working effectively with a Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, or comparable governing body.
- Demonstrated experience managing significant vendor relationships and negotiating contracts and service agreements.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic-thinking abilities.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility with a broad range of stakeholders, including trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, vendors, and community members..
- Demonstrated commitment to organizational excellence, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
- Familiarity with independent-school financial models, tuition and enrollment economics, endowment management, nonprofit accounting, or related practices is preferred.
- Commitment to the mission and values of the school and an appreciation for the role of pluralistic Jewish education in developing students and strengthening community.
About CS&A
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