Chief Financial Officer & Senior Associate Athletics Director, Intercollegiate Athletics; U

Chief Financial Officer & Senior Associate Athletics Director, Intercollegiate Athletics

At the University of California, Berkeley, the Athletics Chief Financial Officer (Athletics CFO) plays a dual reporting role, advising both the Campus/Central Finance and Athletics executives. This senior leadership position is responsible for strategic financial leadership of Intercollegiate Athletics and serves as a C‑suite liaison to multiple campus partners, including the Chancellor’s Office and the Provost. The Athletics CFO will also lead the development of a multi‑year financial sustainability plan, oversee the Athletics budget, and manage a finance team across all programs.

The Intercollegiate Athletics department sponsors 30 varsity sports programs and oversees a budget of approximately $200 million annually. It employs more than 300 staff members and coaches, supports over 850 student‑athletes, and maintains a legacy of 105 national championships, 246 Olympic medals, and high graduation rates. The Athletics CFO will work alongside the Vice Chancellor for Finance & Chief Financial Officer (VC Finance) and the Co‑Athletic Directors to manage the Athletics budget within the broader campus budget context.

The Athletics CFO will provide strategic financial leadership, serve on the Athletics Director’s Cabinet, and oversee all financial departmental functions. The role requires a dynamic leader with the ability to adapt to rapidly changing higher‑education and collegiate‑athletics environments, create financial models to maximize long‑term revenue, and balance expense control. The CFO will also develop and implement financial concepts for planning, resource allocation, and budgeting, and maintain financial controls across core, endowed, and capital funds.

Application review will begin on April 21, 2026. The position will remain open until filled.

• Lead the development and oversight of a multi‑year financial sustainability plan and strategic financial outlook for Athletics.
• Maintain the integrity of the organization's budget, forecasting, and reporting systems; act as chief budget liaison for resource allocations and oversee in‑year budget management of all funds.
• Analyze funding issues, resource allocations, and funding models; oversee gifts, capital projects, and endowment analysis.
• Identify strategic goals, recommend financial milestones, and manage the financial plan to gain buy‑in from the Chancellor and Provost.
• Serve as a senior‑level thought partner to VC Finance, Co‑Athletic Directors, and the Football General Manager; engage senior management on functional‑area initiatives.
• Communicate the financial narrative for Athletics, presenting clear financial pictures to audiences at varying levels of expertise.
• Manage the Business and Finance unit within Athletics, including accounts payable, receivable, data analytics, procurement, and budgeting; develop internal controls to protect university resources.

• Proven financial leadership, creative storytelling, and advisory skills with executive‑level stakeholders.
• Expertise in financial modeling, accounting principles, and public finance.
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and collaboration skills across the organization.
• Proven track record of staff management and achievement of measurable goals.
• Advanced skills in office and accounting software; undergraduate degree or equivalent experience.
• Current knowledge of NCAA rules and regulations; avoid violations at all times.

• Public finance experience in professional sports, media, or higher education.
• Experience with non‑traditional funding sources (e.g., VC, P3, revenue share).
• Advanced degree or equivalent training.
• Expertise in complex decentralized organizations and intercollegiate athletics functions.
• Knowledge of sports media and revenue streams.

The expected salary range for this position is $215,000 to $265,000. The full salary range for the job classification is $138,200 to $271,200. For information on the…