Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (VPFA/CFO)

Title: Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (VPFA/CFO)

STATUS: Full-time, exempt

Reports to: President

Primary Purpose and Position Summary

Working in close partnership with the President, Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees the VPFA/CFO will play a central role in shaping the University's future. The VPFA/CFO will provide strategic leadership and long-range planning to advance the financial health, strategic priorities and mission of the University. The successful candidate will bring a demonstrated ability to lead within a complex, mission-driven, tuition (revenue)-dependent environment, while advancing innovation, organizational effectiveness, and service excellence. In addition, the VPFA/CFO will lead a talented team in the Business Office and Operations, as well as work collaboratively through shared governance and professional relationships across campus.

VPF/CFO will develop, regularly update and communicate a forward plan with multi-year projections, in a complex, changing higher education environment. In collaboration with senior leaders, the VPFA/CFO will play a leadership role in the revenue generation strategy as well the strategic allocation of resources to achieve our goals. In addition, the VPFA/CFO will need to balance fiscal stewardship with operational effectiveness, compensation/benefits strategy, facilities and infrastructure management, and new strategic investments. The successful candidate will be skilled in the use of benchmarks to assess progress, assessment of existing and potential initiatives, and reallocation of resources to respond to changing trends.

While the VPF/CFO provides leadership for financial management, financial health is a shared responsibility requiring stewardship across the University. The successful candidate will be a valued colleague to other senior leaders and a trusted advisor to the President and Board, particularly in matters of financial management. In addition, this leader will communicate clearly and transparently to campus constituents about university finances and will appropriately engage stakeholder groups through shared governance (such as faculty and staff) and Trustees to inform decision-making.

The VPFA/CFO will work closely with their leadership team to oversee key functions in the VPFA/CFO Portfolio which include:

• Budget and Financial Planning
• Facilities and Capital Planning
• Purchasing and Contracts
• Student Accounts
• Accounting and Cash Management
• Campus Safety
• Environmental Health and Sustainability/Efficiency
• University Services (Mail Services, Printing and Vehicle Fleet)
• Auxiliary Services

Key Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President will:

1. Advance Dominican's mission, vision, and values through leadership that promotes assessment, continuous improvement, accountability, excellence, and celebration of accomplishments.
2. Provide strategic vision and leadership for the division, identifying innovative and practical solutions within private, tuition-driven higher education environment.
3. Establish and communicate both short-term financial and capital priorities and long-range goals aligned with the University's strategic plan.
4. Serve as the University's Chief Financial Officer, overseeing budget development, financial planning, accounting, revenue management, and fiscal forecasting. Advise the President, Cabinet and Board on financial strategy, resource allocation, and budget performance.
5. Provide leadership and oversight of campus operations, facilities planning, maintenance, and infrastructure initiatives that support teaching, learning, student success, and institutional vitality.
6. Lead the planning and implementation of infrastructure modernization efforts that promote wellness, sustainability, operational efficiency, and the successful recruitment and retention of students.
7. Recruit, supervise, mentor, and develop staff in the unit while fostering a culture of accountability, engagement, succession planning, and continuous professional growth.
8. Within the unit, promote high-quality customer service, collaboration, and strong partnerships both within the division and across the University.
9. Champion a culture of data-informed decision-making, assessment, and continuous evaluation of divisional programs and services.
10. Collaborate with the Vice President of People and Culture to analyze and implement our comprehensive compensation and benefits strategy for employees.
11. Oversee the University's Capital Master Plan including project prioritization, execution and regular review and updates.
12. Partner with University Advancement to support fundraising initiatives, capital campaigns, and state and federal funding to drive strategic priorities.
13. Serve as the Cabinet liaison to Board of Trustee committees and working groups.
14. Build and maintain productive working relationships with key external constituent groups, including village and city leadership, campus neighbors, and institutional partners
15. Stay current on emerging trends, best practices, and innovations in finance, administration, facilities management, infrastructure planning, and private higher education.
16. Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and University policies, regulations, and requirements.
17. Maintain appropriate confidentiality and exercise sound judgment regarding sensitive institutional information.
18. Work collaboratively within a shared-governance environment to promote careful stewardship of resources and drive the strategic plan.
19. Perform other duties as assigned by the President.

Required Qualifications and Experiences:

1. Bachelor's Degree
2. 7+ years of progressively responsibility experience related to the position description
3. Demonstrated success of managing and developing a team
4. Demonstrated knowledge of planning, budgeting, audits and financial controls
5. Excellent personal integrity and demonstrated experience with discretion and confidentiality
6. Strong communication skills, including experience communicating financial models to a diverse audience

Desired Qualifications and Experiences:

1. Masters degree and/or specialized certifications such as CPA, CMA
2. Experience in leading a group or organization through change with transparency, collaboration, empathy, and problem solving skills
3. Experience in capital planning and/or incident response management
4. Experience leading multiple, diverse units

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• Ability to spend long durations of the workday sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times

Note: accommodations will be made for candidates who do not meet these physical demands

SALARY AND FLSA STATUS

• Salary: $220,000 to 250,000 annually.

For an experienced candidate, with prior CFO (or comparable) experiences, a senior vice president title (and commensurate salary) may be considered.

FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-time (37.5 hours).

This is an in-person position, located in River Forest with occasional travel to our Chicago campus and other meetings with partners and relevant organizations. Current HR policies allow one remote day per week (when possible).

Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the position is filled. The goal is for the appointment to start on or before April 1, 2027, to allow for a short overlap with our retiring CFO.

KEY BENEFITS

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement plan with employer matching contributions
• Professional development opportunities
• Tuition remission for employees and their dependents
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
• Generous paid time off (PTO)

Employment at Dominican University is contingent upon the successful completion of a background investigation.