Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Business Affairs

Position Summary & Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the President’s Cabinet, Robert Morris University (RMU) is seeking a Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Business Affairs (CFO). This individual will be responsible for maintaining the university’s fiscal integrity and assuring that it is abiding by state, federal, and university fiscal policies and procedures. The CFO is responsible for the university’s Financial Operations Department, the Island Sports Center Complex, and the Facilities Management Department. This requires a thorough understanding of the regulations and procedures pertaining to each of these areas. The CFO will manage the Office of Business Affairs with three direct reports, including the Chief Accounting Officer / Controller, the Executive Director Island Sports Center, and the Vice President of Facilities, with an overall total of 14 staff.

The CFO will be responsible for:

•       Planning, organizing, and administering the business affairs of the university and has overall responsibility for all funds, securities, and physical properties of RMU.

•       Performing financial analysis, strategic planning, and management of the university’s resources to facilitate and support its mission and strategic plan.

•       Developing the university’s operating and capital budgets and guiding the university’s investments and contracted financial services.

•       Leading a team who is responsible for the daily operations of the finance, building and facilities, and operations contracts.

•       Assisting the President in preparation of the annual budget for presentation to the Board of Trustees; administering the approved budget in accordance with policies and procedures; and providing timely periodic budget status reports, including any potential problem areas, in order to facilitate sound decision making.

•       Collecting, accounting, and disbursement of all institutional funds; and preparing and preserving the proper financial records, and preparing financial reports as required.

•       Overseeing the building, rehabilitation, maintenance, and operation of the university physical plant.

•       Communicating essential fiscal affairs and the economic growth and development of the university to faculty and to the public.

•       Supporting and encouraging diversity throughout the university community.

•       Advising the President on all business affairs, providing full transparency of the financial status of the university, recommending ways to improve business operations, and providing essential data concerning fiscal affairs to the Board of Trustees and other state and federal agencies.

•       Serving as staff liaison to the Board of Trustee committees at the President’s request.

•       Performing other services as required by the President.

•       Strategic understanding of fundraising process and opportunities

•       Driving greater campus engagement and activity during “off hours”, including weekend

•       Understanding of the components of a Division I athletics program, including items such as NIL and the transfer portal

•       Working to create a sustainable 5-year plan

Minimum Qualifications

•       Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, management, or related management / administration field from an accredited college or university; CPA or MBA preferred.

•       Minimum of 12 years of senior level experience in financial management positions, preferably in higher education.

•       Proven record as a leader who can provide strategic and creative direction while balancing the resource and funding requirements necessary to achieve university strategic goals.

•       Personal and professional integrity and character.

•       Excellent written and oral communication skills.

•       Strong human relations and financial analysis abilities.

•       Understanding and background within an academic environment.

•       Demonstrated strength in budget management.

•       Proven leadership ability in a diverse community.

•       Operates at the highest level of integrity, transparency, and collaboration.

•       Experience with credit rating agencies.

Key Attributes

·        Proactive, not reactive

·        Forward-looking perspective

·        Honesty, integrity, and transparency

·        Consultative and collaborative

·        Long-term view in addition to executing current tasks and initiatives

·        Passion for students’ well-being and success and the University’s mission

·        Creates a sense of community with RMU as “the place to be”

·        Trusted, candid advisor to the President and advocate for the President’s policies once decisions are made

·        Collaborative with senior administration, department heads, and board members

·        High standard of detailed reporting and forecasting

·        Rational and systematic budget development that is realistic and transparent

·        Careful management of the relationship with Moody’s, including expectations relative to outcomes and timeframes for delivery

·        Careful compliance with University’s debt covenant

·        Mastery of all subject matter and numbers, with ability to discuss in detail, contemporaneously in any setting

·        Understanding of contracts, real estate, capital renovation & construction, refinancing debt, and endowment matters

·        Understanding of sensitivity analysis

·        Seeks and identifies opportunities for new monetization opportunities as well as enhancing existing revenue streams

·        Ability to prioritize

·        Hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves attitude

·        Humility and embracing of hard work

·        Strong business acumen and anticipation of future challenges and opportunities

·        Willingness and ability to make tough decisions and provide compelling reasons for those decisions

·        Ability to garner trust, respect, and confidence in individual and group settings

·        Active listener with a hunger to learn and understand

·        Open-minded and entrepreneurial

·        Outside the box thinker