Director of Business Services

Location: District-wide responsibilities

Reports to: Deputy Superintendent

Supervises: Business Office Assistants, Comptroller, Payroll Manager, Assistant Payroll Manager, and Transportation and Purchasing Manager

The Director of Business Services provides leadership and oversight for the District's financial and business operations, including accounting, budgeting, financial planning and analysis, payroll, purchasing, grants, transportation, and related functions. The Director ensures sound fiscal stewardship, effective internal controls, regulatory compliance, reliable financial reporting, and responsible use of District resources.

The Director serves as a key financial advisor to District leadership, providing analysis, forecasts, and recommendations to support strategic planning, collective bargaining, and decision-making. The Director also leads continuous improvement of business processes and systems and develops a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented Business Office team.

Leaders at New Trier possess the skills and dispositions described in the New Trier Candidate Profile.

• Master's or advanced degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, School Business Management, or a related field
• Illinois Professional Educator License with Chief School Business Official (CSBO) endorsement or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) required.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in business, finance, accounting, or related operations, including supervisory experience; public school district experience preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of school or governmental finance, accounting, budgeting, payroll, internal controls, and financial reporting.

• Strong analytical, financial modeling, problem-solving, and decision-support skills.
• Ability to interpret complex financial information and communicate it clearly to financial and non-financial audiences.
• Collaborative leadership and strong interpersonal, written, presentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to design and improve financial processes, controls, systems, and workflows.
• Strong understanding of school finance, fund accounting, budgeting, payroll, purchasing, grants, and cash management.
• Ability to lead and develop staff, manage priorities, and establish accountability.
• Proficiency with financial, payroll, timekeeping, payment, and related information systems.
• Ability to evaluate emerging technologies, learn new systems, lead implementation and adoption, and help staff use technology effectively to improve efficiency, service, and organizational capacity.
• Commitment to ethical conduct, fiscal responsibility, continuous improvement, high-quality service, and adherence to schedules and deadlines.

• Leads development, administration, and analysis of the District's annual budget, including revenue, expenditures, salaries, benefits, and staffing assumptions.
• Develops short- and long-range financial forecasts and scenario analyses to support strategic planning, staffing, capital planning, contractual commitments, and other District initiatives.
• Monitors financial performance, including budget-to-actual results, revenue and expenditure trends, fund balances, cash requirements, and other key indicators; identifies significant variances, risks, and opportunities.
• Evaluates the financial impact of changes in enrollment, staffing, legislation, funding, property values, tax collections, grants, and other factors affecting District finances.
• Prepares financial reports and analyses for collective bargaining, including salary schedule modeling, wage and benefit projections, staffing assumptions, multi-year contract costing,…