Vice President, Financial Planning & Strategy
Confidential Higher Education Institution | New York City Area | Hybrid
A highly respected, independent higher education institution in New York City is seeking a Vice President of Financial Planning & Strategy to serve as a key member of the executive leadership team. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, this newly elevated role will lead enterprise-wide financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analytics, and strategic decision support initiatives.
Position Overview
This executive leadership role will oversee all aspects of financial planning, analysis, budgeting, forecasting, institutional modeling, financial reporting, and strategic finance. The Vice President will partner closely with the Controller, Human Resources, Admissions, Academic Leadership, and executive management to support institutional decision-making and financial sustainability.
The organization seeks a hands-on leader who can operate both strategically and tactically while driving financial excellence across the institution.
Key Responsibilities
Financial Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting

• Lead annual operating and capital budgeting processes.
• Develop and maintain multi-year financial plans and forecasts.
• Build sophisticated financial models related to tuition revenue, enrollment, staffing, capital investments, liquidity, and strategic initiatives.
• Analyze budget-to-actual performance, variances, trends, and key financial drivers.
• Develop financial scenarios and recommendations to support executive decision-making.

Financial Analysis & Strategic Decision Support

• Deliver financial insights and recommendations to executive leadership.
• Establish and enhance KPI reporting, dashboards, and performance metrics.
• Lead enterprise-wide financial analytics initiatives.
• Support strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.

Treasury, Cash Flow & Financial Operations

• Oversee cash forecasting and liquidity planning.
• Partner closely with the Controller to align budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting activities.
• Support institutional financial sustainability through proactive planning and analysis.

Board & Executive Reporting

• Prepare Board, Finance Committee, and executive leadership presentations.
• Develop executive-level financial reporting packages, analyses, and strategic summaries.
• Support governance, audit committee, and institutional reporting requirements.

Systems, Analytics & Process Improvement

• Lead enhancements to financial reporting tools, dashboards, and FP&A processes.
• Partner with IT and business leaders on financial systems improvements and analytics initiatives.
• Support ERP optimization and reporting modernization efforts.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop the FP&A and Student Accounts teams.
• Support hiring and onboarding of key finance personnel.
• Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture across departments.

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Significant experience in higher education finance, university finance, or academic institutions.
• Strong understanding of faculty partnerships, academic budgeting, enrollment-driven revenue models, and higher education financial operations.
• Extensive background in FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and strategic planning.
• Experience presenting financial information to executive leadership, Boards, and senior stakeholders.
• Strong knowledge of financial statements, GAAP, nonprofit finance, and accounting principles.
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities.
• Experience with ERP systems and business intelligence/reporting platforms preferred.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and executive presence.

Leadership Characteristics
The ideal candidate is a collaborative, intellectually curious, and highly analytical finance leader who thrives in a mission-driven environment. This individual must be comfortable operating at both the strategic and operational levels, building relationships across the institution, and partnering effectively with academic and administrative leaders to drive organizational success.
Compensation is highly competitive, with flexibility for exceptional candidates.
If you have a background in higher education finance and are interested in a strategic leadership opportunity with significant visibility and long-term growth potential, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss the position further.