Chief Operating Officer​/Chief Financial Officer

Overview

The University of Minnesota Foundation

Founded in 1851, the University of Minnesota is a prestigious public land-grant research university, offering extensive academic programs across a wide variety of colleges and five (5) distinct campuses (Twin Cities, Rochester, Duluth, Morris and Crookston). Key aspects include its status as a major research institution ($1B+ in annual spending), 150+ majors, 50K+ students, 25K+ faculty and staff, 600K alumni and one of only five universities in the nation with an engineering school, medical school, law school, veterinary medicine school and agricultural school all on one campus.

The University of Minnesota Foundation (UMF) is an independent nonprofit organization with the sole mission of advancing the mission and priorities of the University of Minnesota through philanthropy. UMF serves as the primary fundraising entity, connecting donors’ passions with opportunities that create lasting impact across the institution. Established in 1962, the Foundation partners closely with the University to inspire, secure and steward private support and provide long-term financial support for scholarships, faculty positions, research initiatives and programmatic excellence.

UMF Investment Advisors (UMFIA) is a subsidiary of UMF with assets under active management of $5.2B ($4.7B endowment and a $500MM liquid donor fund pool). Through disciplined investment management and strong governance, UMFIA ensures philanthropic resources are preserved and grown to benefit both current and future generations of students and faculty. UMF Real Estate Advisors (UMFREA) is a subsidiary of UMF that supports building greatness at the University through real estate.

UMFREA’s primary functions include investment in communities, property management, and real estate development.

UMF’s new President & CEO, John Morris, has challenged the organization to become the most exceptional foundation for its donors, the University and its team. Guided by The UMF Way, the organization advances a culture built on Production, Collaboration, Innovation and Purpose (P.C.I.P.). This shared framework ensures that UMF delivers a gratifying and high impact donor experience, serves as the University’s most strategic philanthropic partner and provides employees with a pinnacle career environment grounded in growth, clarity and mission alignment.

UMF’s culture emphasizes a mission driven, data informed approach to philanthropy, deep partnership across the University of Minnesota and a commitment to continuous improvement and organizational agility. The Foundation encourages ambitious goals, calculated risk taking and disciplined execution, supported by strong systems, training and shared expectations. Collaboration is rooted in trust, service orientation and the belief that together, they can go further.

At its core, UMF is fueled by a strong sense of purpose – the belief that philanthropy changes lives and strengthens society. Team members are encouraged to bring passion, authenticity and curiosity to their work, knowing that meaningful impact emerges through relationships and shared commitment to the University’s mission.

Vision: A future transformed by philanthropy, one dream and one gift at a time

Mission:
To connect passion with possibility, inspire generosity and support greatness at the University of Minnesota

Values:

• We share a belief in our mission, value our colleagues and express joy in our work
• We commit to equity, diversity and inclusivity in our work and in our actions
• We build trust through open and respectful communication
• We lead with bold initiatives that deliver powerful results
• We act with integrity and place the University, our colleagues and donors at the heart of what we do

With the planned retirement of the Chief Financial Officer, the position has been rescoped and retitled to Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer (COO/CFO) and expanded to include leadership of not only finance, accounting and legal affairs, but also the Information Technology and Real Estate functions of the organization.

Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer

Reporting to the President and CEO,…