Associate Vice President, Financial Services

Position Title: Associate Vice President, Financial Services

Position Type: Regular

The Associate Vice President for Financial Services (AVP) is a senior financial executive and the University’s lead leader for accounting and financial operations. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Administration and Finance/Chief Financial Officer (VP/CFO), the AVP provides strategic and operational leadership across a broad portfolio of financial functions and serves as a key advisor and partner to the CFO.

Because the VP/CFO’s portfolio extends beyond finance to include Facilities, Human Resources, Information Technology, University Police, and Business and Auxiliary Services, the AVP has significant responsibility and autonomy for the day-to-day leadership of the University’s financial operations. The AVP also serves as the primary deputy for the Division of Administration and Finance in the VP/CFO’s absence.

The next AVP will join the University at an important and exciting point in its financial evolution. The position inherits a strong foundation, including a longstanding record of external audits with no findings, two consecutive years of strengthened financial results, and the recent implementation of Workday Financials.

The opportunity ahead is not simply to maintain that foundation, but to build upon it.

The successful candidate will lead an experienced team of directors and managers, strengthen financial planning and reporting, and help the University realize the full potential of its investment in Workday. This leader will have the opportunity to modernize processes, reduce unnecessary manual work, strengthen data and reporting capabilities, and create a financial services organization known for both strong stewardship and excellent service.

The AVP regularly engages with the Executive Leadership Team, President’s Cabinet, Board of Regents and its committees, academic and administrative leaders, auditors, financial institutions, and other stakeholders. The position requires a finance leader who can move comfortably between technical accounting matters, institutional strategy, operational leadership, and executive-level communication.

The Office of Financial Services includes Budget, General Accounting, Grants and Contracts, Procurement, Accounts Payable, Treasury and Investment Management, Student Account Services, Tax Compliance, Inventory Control, Foundation Fiscal Management and Accounting, and related financial functions.

• Lead the Financial Services Organization Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Office of Financial Services. Lead, develop, and support directors and managers across the University’s financial functions; establish priorities and expectations; align resources with institutional needs; and ensure effective, responsive financial operations.
• Develop People and Build Organizational Capacity Recruit, develop, and retain a high-performing finance team. Coach and develop leaders, strengthen cross-training and succession depth, and foster a culture characterized by integrity, accountability, transparency, collaboration, documentation, and service.
• Advance Workday Financials Lead the continued optimization of Workday Financials following implementation. Partner with Information Technology, functional leaders, and Workday support resources to improve business processes, configuration, security, reporting, and adoption. Help transform Workday from a newly implemented system into a platform that provides efficient processes and timely, reliable information for decision-making.
• Drive Process Improvement and Modernization Evaluate financial processes across the University and identify opportunities to…