Insero Talent Solutions is honored to be partnering with St. John Fisher University in their retained search for the Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer.
The Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer serves as the University’s senior financial officer, reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet. The Vice President is a strategic partner to the President, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership team, advancing the University’s mission through effective stewardship of financial, physical, technological, and organizational resources. The position manages an operating budget of $127 million, net investment in the physical plant of $193 million, and an endowment of $187 million.
The Vice President provides leadership for Financial Affairs and a broad portfolio of administrative functions that support the University’s operations and strategic priorities. The position oversees the Controller, Chief Information Officer, Director of Facilities Planning and Construction, and Director of Facilities Services. It also serves as a primary contact and is the principal liaison to external auditors, ratings agencies, insurance brokers, investment advisors, and the Board of Trustees’ Audit, Compliance, and Risk Committee and Finance as well as the Facilities Committee, including its Investment Subcommittee.
The successful candidate will be a collaborative and thoughtful leader who approaches their work with integrity and sound judgment. Joining a community guided by its mission and values, the Vice President will play a vital role in advancing Fisher’s commitment to developing purposeful leaders through an educational experience rooted in our Catholic heritage and guided by our Basilian tradition.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership and Planning:
- Advise the President and senior leadership on financial planning, budget modeling, enterprise risk management, administrative operations, and potential strategic partnerships that support the University’s mission and long-term sustainability.
- Develop and execute long-range financial strategies aligned with the University’s mission and strategic plan.
- Oversee and drive institution-wide planning for capital projects, campus master planning, the benefits program, and strategic resource allocation, ensuring alignment with long-term institutional goals and campus stakeholder needs.
- Develop, analyze, and implement effective and innovative budget, financial, and administrative strategies. Promote transparency, accountability, collegial and participatory leadership, inclusive decision-making, and team building across administrative units and all segments of the University community.
Financial Oversight and Treasury Management:
- Manage the University’s $127 million budget and provide strategic oversight of budget development and execution, financial planning, forecasting, reporting, debt management, and the collaborative development of the institution’s long-range financial needs.
- Continuously improve operating and capital budget systems and related reporting and forecasting practices; monitor expenditures and resolve budget-related issues.
- Oversee treasury operations, cash flow management, banking relationships, and liquidity planning to ensure sufficient funds for operational needs and strategic initiatives.
- Implement effective cash management practices and investment strategies intended to maximize returns while maintaining the liquidity and safety of University funds.
- Monitor internal controls over all areas of functional responsibility and maintain appropriate recordkeeping practices and accounting controls over assets, liabilities, and changes in fund balances.
- Maintain knowledge of and ensure compliance with applicable federal and state statutes, legal and regulatory requirements, nonprofit accounting standards, fund accounting, tax requirements, FASB standards, and audit requirements for the University’s financial and administrative functions.
- Regularly assess and communicate the University’s financial strength to leadership and other appropriate stakeholders.
Investment Subcommittee and Endowment Governance:
- Serve as the University’s primary liaison to the Board of Trustees Investment Subcommittee, supporting effective governance and stewardship of endowment assets.
- Oversee the Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) managing the endowment.
- Partner with the Investment Subcommittee and the University’s OCIO to ensure alignment with the Investment Policy Statement, spending policies, institutional objectives, and fiduciary standards.
- Coordinate endowment performance reporting, committee materials, policy reviews, and communications among the Investment Subcommittee, the University’s OCIO, custodians, auditors, and other external partners.
- Support the Investment Subcommittee’s oversight of endowment performance, asset allocation compliance, liquidity planning, and long-term spending sustainability.
- Maintain effective relationships with the University’s OCIO and other external financial service providers to promote accountability, transparency, and alignment with university priorities.
Administrative Operations and Capital Planning:
- Supervise the Controller’s Office, Facilities Services, and the Office of Information Technology. Ensure that cross-functional operations align with University priorities, comply with applicable standards, and operate efficiently.
- Coordinate the planning and implementation of all building construction, renovation, maintenance, and repair projects.
- Promote efficient campus operations, including maintenance, safety, and sustainability initiatives.
- Oversee contract negotiations and administration, purchasing, and inventory management in support of institutional goals.
- Serve as chair of the University’s Retirement Plan Fiduciary Committee and as a member of the Faculty Welfare Committee.
Risk Management, Compliance, and External Relationships:
- Implement and monitor internal controls and risk mitigation strategies to safeguard University assets.
- Ensure adherence to legal, regulatory, accreditation, and compliance requirements across financial and administrative functions.
- Coordinate external audits and financial reviews and ensure timely, accurate reporting.
- Collaborate with outside legal counsel on significant contracts to support alignment with financial strategy and risk tolerance.
- Chair the Institutional Risk Committee and lead the identification, assessment, and mitigation of operational, strategic, financial, and external risks.
- Serve as the key University interface and economic and technical buyer of services related to these functions, including external auditors, Standard & Poor’s and other credit rating agencies, insurance brokers and insurers, investment advisors and investment bankers, hardware and software and other equipment providers, leasing companies, and other service providers.
Technology and Digital Innovation:
- Identify opportunities to support the academic mission, financial sustainability, operational effectiveness, and student and employee experience through technology and digital innovation.
- Leverage data and advanced analytics to strengthen financial planning, forecasting, resource allocation, and operational performance, with a focus on measurable value and return on investment.
- Establish governance and risk management for responsible AI use, including standards related to privacy, security, ethics, transparency, academic integrity, and regulatory compliance.
- Evaluate investments, build organizational capability, and advance innovation to support sustainable, high-impact adoption of emerging technologies.
Stakeholder Engagement and Team Leadership:
- Serve as the primary liaison to the Board of Trustees’ Audit, Compliance, and Risk Committee, Finance and Facilities Committee, and Investment Subcommittee and support their fiduciary responsibilities.
- Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to align financial planning and administrative services with programmatic and institutional needs.
- Engage appropriately with government agencies, donors, community leaders, business leaders, and other external stakeholders to advance University interests.
- Lead and mentor finance and administrative staff, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
- Promote continuous improvement and innovation in financial systems and administrative processes.
- Promote a culture of belonging by embedding inclusive practices into hiring, onboarding, and professional development.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
CPA or master’s degree in business, accounting, management, or a closely related field required.
Eight + years of executive-level experience in higher education and/or private-industry administration, including significant responsibility for several areas within the position’s portfolio.
Demonstrated hands-on expertise in financial planning, budget development, audit management, strategic and master planning, construction planning, and special projects. Experience working with independent auditors, investment managers, and credit rating agencies. Knowledge of tax and FASB requirements and investment accounting is critical.
COMPETENCIES/SKILLS
Leadership and Interpersonal Competencies:
- Strategic and collaborative senior-level leadership, sound judgment, and a strong commitment to the University’s mission and long-term sustainability.
- Ability to manage change and lead through complexity while maintaining operational excellence in a diverse environment.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning and team building.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- High energy and a forward-thinking management style, with strong conceptual, analytical, creative- thinking, interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Commitment to collaborative professional relationships, accountability, continuous improvement, and customer service.
Financial/Technical Skills & Competencies:
- Appreciation for the academic environment and understanding of the role and mission of an independent institution of higher education.
- Knowledge of current issues in higher education and the role of administrative and support services in advancing the institution’s mission.
- Demonstrated commitment to students and campus stakeholder groups or other comparable constituents.
- Expertise in complex budgeting, financial management, financial reporting, internal controls, and long-range financial planning.
- Experience with capital planning, construction, facilities management, and university auxiliary services.
- Working knowledge and understanding of information systems technology and its application to financial and administrative operations.
- Experience presenting to and working effectively with trustees, community leaders, and business leaders.
- Proven ability to build trust and credibility with faculty, staff, students, trustees, and external partners.
- Understanding of employee insurance, benefits, and other risk management issues.
There are five direct reports, including Controller, Chief Information Officer, Director of Facilities Planning and Construction, Director of Facilities Services, and Executive Assistant. The division includes approximately 140 employees.
This is a full-time, in person position.
For more information about St. John Fisher University, this leadership opportunity, and how to apply, please review the full Executive Search Profile at the following link:
https://inserotalent.com/SJF-CFO-Search-Profile/