Chief Business Officer/ Chief Financial Officer (CBO/CFO)

About this job

• Serve as the principal financial advisor to the President, Cabinet, and Board of Trustees.
• Lead long-term financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and institutional resource allocation.
• Develop financial strategies supporting the University's strategic plan and growth objectives.
• Provide analysis and recommendations regarding major institutional investments and initiatives.
• Monitor financial performance and ensure responsible stewardship of institutional resources.
• Communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences.

• Partner with institutional leaders to develop and execute strategies that strengthen long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead efforts to identify, assess, and develop diversified revenue opportunities that complement the University's educational mission.
• Evaluate emerging business opportunities, market trends, partnerships, and innovative delivery models.
• Support the development of workforce partnerships, continuing education programs, corporate training, online initiatives, auxiliary enterprises, and other mission-aligned revenue opportunities.
• Create financial models and business cases that support institutional decision-making and strategic investments.
• Advance initiatives that reduce dependency on traditional revenue sources while maintaining alignment with institutional values.

• Oversee accounting, budgeting, payroll, treasury management, purchasing, financial reporting, and audit functions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain strong internal controls, risk management practices, and financial policies.
• Lead debt management, financing strategies, and investment oversight.
• Ensure timely and accurate financial reporting and analysis.

• Provide executive oversight for facilities, maintenance, capital planning, construction projects, and campus infrastructure.
• Support implementation of the University's master planning initiatives.
• Evaluate opportunities to enhance operational efficiency and optimize auxiliary operations.
• Ensure physical assets are managed in a manner that supports student success and institutional goals.

• Foster a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and continuous improvement.
• Lead financial analysis and business planning for new institutional initiatives.
• Partner with Cabinet colleagues to evaluate growth opportunities and operational efficiencies.
• Support strategic planning efforts and enterprise transformation initiatives.
• Utilize analytics, technology, and emerging tools, including AI-enabled decision support, to improve effectiveness and performance.
• Participate in mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, or institutional integration opportunities as appropriate.

• Lead and mentor teams across finance, accounting, payroll, facilities, business operations, and related functions.
• Develop a culture focused on service, accountability, collaboration, and results.
• Establish performance metrics and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Build strong relationships across academic and administrative divisions.

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience, with a minimum of 5 years serving in higher education.
• Demonstrated success leading complex financial and business operations.
• Significant experience with budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic financial planning.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with boards, senior leadership, and diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated record of organizational leadership, change management, and operational excellence.

• MBA, MPA, CPA, CFA, or other relevant advanced credentials.
• Experience serving as a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Business Officer, Vice President for Finance, or comparable executive role.
• Experience in higher education and similarly complex mission-driven organizations.
• Background in debt management, capital financing, and large-scale capital projects.
• Experience leading enterprise-wide strategic initiatives and transformation efforts

• Building meaningful non-tuition or non-traditional revenue streams.
• Creating sustainable revenue models that reduce dependency on a single source of income.
• Leading workforce development, continuing education, corporate partnerships, online growth, auxiliary enterprises, licensing, sponsored programs, conferences, or other diversified revenue initiatives.
• Developing and scaling entrepreneurial ventures within mission-driven organizations.
• Identifying emerging market opportunities and converting them into measurable financial results.
• Managing both growth and financial sustainability simultaneously.

• Evaluating new business opportunities through financial and strategic analysis.
• Leading innovation initiatives that resulted in measurable organizational value.
• Developing partnerships that generate revenue, strengthen market position, or expand organizational reach.
• Managing complex organizational transformation efforts.

• Able to see the full enterprise and anticipate future challenges and opportunities.

• Demonstrates exceptional business judgment and analytical rigor.

• Comfortable pursuing innovative solutions and new revenue opportunities.

• Builds trust and partnerships across diverse constituencies.

• Makes informed decisions and drives execution.

• Balances financial strength with the University's educational mission.

• Focuses on outcomes while maintaining institutional values.

• Long-term financial sustainability
• Budget performance and operating results
• Growth in diversified revenue streams
• Financial health indicators and reserves
• Success of strategic business initiatives
• Capital project performance
• Operational efficiency improvements
• Institutional partnership development
• Board and stakeholder confidence
• Team effectiveness and talent development