Central State University (Central State), a public historically black land-grant university in Wilberforce, Ohio with a tradition of excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, and commitment to innovative educational opportunities, invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
POSITION SUMMARY
Reporting to the president, and a member of the president's cabinet, Central State seeks a visionary, strategic financial leader to serve as the chief financial officer of the university. The CFO serves as chief advisor to the president on financial and administrative matters and will be an important resource and fiscal counselor to the board of trustees.
The CFO is responsible for the financial and administrative operations of the university, ensuring fiscal sustainability, operational excellence, and compliance with financial regulations. The CFO provides leadership in financial planning, budgeting, risk management, and institutional resource allocation, and provides strategic direction of division responsibilities and ensures the financial health of the institution as well as oversight of the fiscal planning and fiduciary operation of the University through proper management, direction, control and coordination for all administrative and financial activities of the Division of Administration and Finance.
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience managing financial operations of large, similarly complex organizations, institutions of higher education, government, health care or similar not-for-profit organizations, and work collaboratively and transparently to achieve the University's financial and strategic goals. In concert with fellow university leaders, deans, faculty, staff, and students, the CFO will support and inspire a culture of innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, calculated investment and risk tolerance; strengthen and lead a team in administration and finance to support a complex, multi-faceted institution; cultivate a strategic vision and priorities for finance and administration; and foster a campus culture of shared governance, communication, transparency, and respect.
The next CFO will be an effective and innovative leader and communicator, relationship builder and an accomplished manager of people, processes, projects, and systems. The ideal candidate will be well versed in higher education trends, best practices in budget models, governance, risk management, internal controls, debt management/issuance, cash management, and associated operational areas. The CFO will have strategic and long-term financial planning skills, excellent staff and project management skills, an understanding of accreditation for academic programs and associated resources, and a collegial working style.