Vice President of Finance & Administration

Position Details

Position Information

Position
Vice President of Finance & Administration

Full Time/Part Time
Full Time

Job Type
Regular

Position Summary

New Mexico Highlands University ( NMHU ) is an Hispanic Serving Institution and an aspiring Native American Non-Tribal Serving Institution located in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Northern New Mexico. We seek a visionary leader for the position of Vice President of Finance and Administration ( VPFA ). The VPFA serves as the chief financial and administrative officer for the university and reports directly to the President.

NMHU has served its students, staff, faculty, and surrounding community for 130 years and currently has an enrollment of nearly 2,700 students. It’s located in Las Vegas, New Mexico, a one-hour drive from Santa Fe (State Capital). Las Vegas is an historic city of 13,000 residents and boasts more than 900 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The city boarders the 1.5 million-acre Santa Fe National Forest and provides opportunities for camping, fishing, hiking, skiing, shopping, and dining. Situated at an elevation of 6,800 feet, Las Vegas averages 275 days of sunshine a year.

The VPFA ensures the integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement of all financial and administrative programs and services, builds and maintains relationships with the culturally diverse communities of New Mexico, promotes the university’s mission, and seeks success and satisfaction for its faculty, staff, and students. The position is located in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

The incoming VPFA shall promote diversity, understanding of and respect for all peoples and cultures. The remaining duties and responsibilities are organized into four major thematic areas below:

1) Represent the University and Act as Chief Financial Advisor to the President
2) Lead the Finance and Accounting Area
3) Administration and Management
4) Leadership, Collaboration, Strategic Planning, and Academic Mission


Duties and Responsibilities

Represent the University and Act as Chief Financial Advisor to the President
· Work with the President to ensure that university resources are aligned effectively with the mission and strategic plan of the university.
· Participates with the President and other senior managers in institutional planning, policy development, and problem resolution.
· Represent the university externally to governmental agencies, prospective funding agencies and individuals, prospective vendors, and a range of constituencies nationally, statewide, and in the university community at large.
· Coordinate special projects on behalf of the President.
· Serve as the lead senior financial advisor to the university, and provide financial and management advice to the President, senior management, and the Board of Regents on a broad range of financial, operational, and strategic decisions and investments.
· Maintain excellent communication with both internal and external constituents, and maintain all professional relationships with the highest level of integrity.
· Report regularly to the Board of Regents on NMHU’s finances.

Lead the Finance and Accounting Area
· Be responsible for managing an operating university budget totaling over $100M in unrestricted and restricted funds.
· Lead and develop effective approaches to financial planning and projections, analysis, and reporting for the university.
· Manage annual budgets for the university, and perform periodic cost and productivity analyses.
· Review and analyze major contractual obligations of the university to ensure consistency with overall financial goals, objectives, and plans, and compliance with university financial policies, procedures, and standards.
· Develop integrated business strategies for the university’s revenue-generating auxiliary enterprises to ensure their ongoing fiscal stability and consistency with the overall institutional mission and strategic plan.
· Implement up-to-date procedures, processes, and disciplines fundamental to maintaining a solid and reliable financial control environment.
· Ensure NMHU maintains balanced budgets and high credit ratings.
· Be responsible for the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of financial information provided to internal and external parties including NMHU’s banks and external auditors to ensure compliance with laws and regulations of various regulatory bodies.
· Manage enterprise resource management systems (ERP’s) related to finance and administration with an emphasis on the effective use of these systems to generate useful and understandable information that facilitate financial and institutional decision making based on data.

Administration and Management
· Oversee the proper maintenance of existing campus facilities and grounds, the construction of new facilities, and the overall enhancement of the campus.
· Be responsible for providing leadership and management of the comptroller’s office, information technology services, facilities, human resources, public safety, purchasing, financial planning and reporting, budgeting, auxiliary services, central receiving, internal control, and risk management.
· Collaborate to establish and implement short and long-range university goals, objectives, unit strategic plans, policies, and procedures for each operating unit under VPFA purview.
· Monitor and evaluate unit operations and establish performance benchmarks and measurement systems, and effect changes required for improvement where needed.
· Oversee and direct the development and maintenance of a comprehensive facilities Master Plan, incorporating all institutional facilities and real estate assets; ensure that the Master Plan remains responsive to institutional goals and objectives.
· Oversees recruitment, training, supervision, and evaluation of staff for finance and administration.

Leadership, Collaboration, Strategic Planning, and Academic Mission
· Regularly report out to and engage campus constituent groups on issues related to finance, operations, and strategic initiatives.
· Provide open and transparent communication and effective counsel about the university’s financial position and strategy.
· Take a leadership role in developing the financial strategy to support the growth of the university while continuing to drive operating efficiencies.
· Promote the financial well-being of the university, as well as the accessibility, value, and affordability for students.
· Create shared ownership of university fiduciary responsibilities and budget management by exercising shared executive control over the university budget.
· Lead the implementation of the strategic financial planning for the annual budget and multi-year forecasts by facilitating the use of key performance indicators and institution-wide financial analysis to inform decision making.
· Exemplify and promote professional ethics, cooperation, collaboration, and effective relations and communications across all campus constituencies.
· Provide team leadership to continue to build and maintain a “best practices” finance and administration department, and develop a strong team that also has strong relationships at all levels across the university.
· Lead the university-wide annual budget process, resource allocation, and alignment of resources with key priorities.
· Work with the campus community to develop budget plans to expand revenues, contain costs, and create a sustainable financial model for the university.
· Act as an ex-officio member of the Faculty Senate’s Financial Planning Committee.

Minimum Job Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATION :
· Master’s degree in accounting, business administration, or other related field of study.
EXPERIENCE :
· Five (5) years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience with at least three (3) years in a senior level management position.
BACKGROUND and CREDIT :
· The incoming VPFA candidate will be required to successfully pass criminal background and credit checks.
· The Vice President for Finance and Administration is expected to live in the Las Vegas area and may be contacted at all hours regarding campus emergencies.
· Must possess and maintain a valid New Mexico drivers’ license. Selection of an out of state candidate will require obtaining a New Mexico Driver’s license within sixty (60) days of employment.

Preferred Qualifications

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Though the incoming candidate will not be expected to have all of the preferred qualifications, possessing any of the following qualifications is advantageous:
EDUCATION :
· A doctoral degree in a business-related field.
· Licensure as a CPA .
EXPERIENCE :
· Seven (7) years of progressive experience in financial and administrative services.
· Experience in the higher education sector.
· Successful advancement of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies or practices in prior institutions.
· Involvement with Minority Serving Institutions, especially Hispanic Serving Institutions.
· Knowledge of Ellucian Banner.

Special Conditions for Eligibility

New Mexico Highlands University has implemented a mandatory COVID -19 vaccine requirement for NMHU students and employees. For detailed information, visit Coronavirus ( COVID -19) information – New Mexico Highlands University (nmhu.edu)

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Physical Demands

Working Environment

Pay Rate
Commensurate with Education and Experience

Work Location/Campus Center
Las Vegas, NM Campus

EEO Statement

New Mexico Highlands University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. We are committed to the University values of diversity, accessibility, excellence, and responsiveness.

For disabled access or services call 505-454-3242 or email hr@nmhu.edu

Visit the link below for more information regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity:
Equal Employment Opportunity is THE LAW

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number
AS680P

Open Date
12/05/2022

Close Date

Open Until Filled
Yes

Special Instructions to Applicant

REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS :
· Cover Letter: In addition to addressing the duties and responsibilities described, a successful cover letter will also address the general approach and philosophy regarding the VPFA role and a discussion of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion describing any related experience.
· Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (if applicable).
· Unofficial transcripts conferring required degree.
· List of 4 references.

Candidates who are invited for on-campus interviews will be required to submit official transcripts. References will be contacted in conjunction with on-campus interview. Upload required materials with online application. For disabled access or services call (505) 454-3242 or contact Human Resources at hr@nmhu.edu. NMHU IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER .

Quick Link
https://nmhu.peopleadmin.com/postings/8071
Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents

1. Cover Letter/ Letter of Interest
2. Resume
3. Unofficial Transcripts Conferring Required Degree
4. Statement of Philosophy

Optional Documents

1. Letter(s) of Recommendation
2. Curriculum Vitae