Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

Brown University

Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to BrownEVP@pbrsearch.com.

 

Background:

Throughout its history, Brown University has embodied its mission of cultivating knowledge in a spirit of free inquiry. Founded in 1764, Brown is a leading Ivy League research university home to world- renowned faculty, and also an innovative educational institution where the curiosity, creativity and intellectual joy of students drives academic excellence. The University is renowned for its distinctive undergraduate experience rooted in its flexible yet rigorous Open Curriculum. Its campus in vibrant Providence, Rhode Island, is home to a wide array of graduate programs, plus the Warren Alpert Medical School, School of Public Health, School of Engineering, and School of Professional Studies.

Since its founding, Brown has continued to sustain academic excellence through building a legacy of making a transformative impact on the world and retaining a commitment to the belief that education and scholarly inquiry are vital to the advancement of society. Brown’s “Open Curriculum” model is a distinctive approach that allows its students to be the architect of their own education, focusing on rigorous scholarship, complex problem-solving, and service to the public good as defined by intense collaboration, intellectual discovery, and working in ways that transcend traditional boundaries. Graduates leave Brown prepared to thrive as independent, innovative leaders no matter what path they choose.

Brown’s diverse community consists of about 6,600 undergraduates, 2,500 graduate students, 600 medical school students, and more than 1,500 faculty members (including medical school faculty) and 3,200 staff members. Brown students come from all 50 states and more than 115 countries.

Providence, Rhode Island, a city of rich cultural diversity, offers a vibrant place to live, work, and study, and a stimulating hub for innovation.

 

Position:

Reporting to the President, the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration (EVP) is a key member of the senior leadership team with responsibility for providing strong administrative and financial support to the University and its academic mission.

The EVP is responsible for leading and directing the administrative, business, and financial operations of the University, either directly or through senior staff reports.

Responsibilities include:

• All human resources activities and support for managers and staff other than the faculty and professional research staff;

• All facilities operations and maintenance functions and, in collaboration with the Provost, the EVP for Planning and Policy, and others, planning for new and renovated facilities;

• All finance and treasury functions of the University, including accounting and other financial record keeping, the bursar functions, cash and debt management, purchasing, and insurance;

• Oversight of various auxiliaries, including the Bookstore, Transportation, Parking, and Dining Services;

 

• Oversight of real estate operations, fleet management, mail services, and environmental health and safety;

• Administrative oversight of the Investment Office, which manages the University’s endowment and other financial assets; and

• Internal auditing, compliance, policies and procedures, enterprise risk management, and other administrative functions and groups as assigned by the President.

The EVP supervises a team of senior professionals, including the Vice President for Facilities Management, the Vice President for Finance and CFO, the Vice President for Human Resources, the Vice President for Real Estate and Strategic Initiatives, the Assistant Vice President for Business and Financial Services, the Director of Dining Programs, and the Chief Risk Officer. The Chief Digital Officer/Chief Information Officer reports jointly to the EVP and the Provost, and the Chief Investment Officer reports to the EVP on administrative matters.

Other responsibilities of the EVP include: working directly with the President’s executive team on strategic planning, including the development of appropriate short- and long-term financial and capital plans; collaborating with the Provost and other senior officers and the University’s Resources Committee (URC) to develop annual budget recommendations; and advising the President and the Brown University Corporation (Brown’s governing body) on financial planning issues. The EVP serves as an important member of the President’s senior leadership team and works directly with other members of the senior administration, several Committees of the Corporation and individual Corporation members, faculty, staff, and students from throughout the University.

The ideal candidate will be highly collaborative leader and skilled manager with the ability to work with a high performing team in the realization of operational excellence across a wide range of administrative departments and units. A demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion is essential. In addition, they will be able to:

• Drive operational excellence and efficiency across all administrative departments with a goal of expanding resources to support Brown’s academic mission;

• Support, manage, and develop a high-functioning, collaborative team;

• Communicate and collaborate effectively with the President, the Provost, other members of the President’s Cabinet, colleagues across the campus, and staff;

• Provide leadership and expertise related to university-wide projects including telecommuting, remote teaching and learning, and digitization of assets;

• Coordinate and ensure alignment among and across departments whose work and initiatives impact one another;

• Be flexible and nimble, taking on additional departments and initiatives as needed;

• Appreciate and support Brown’s role as an anchor institution and community partner in Providence and Rhode Island.

Brown University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community; as an EEO/AA employer, Brown considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, race, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.   To apply, please send resume and cover letter to BrownEVP@pbrsearch.com.