Vice Dean, for Finance and Administration

The Vice Dean for Finance and Administration (“VDFA”) serves as Trinity’s chief financial, business, and administrative officer. This role is crucial for enhancing the impact and ensuring the financial sustainability of Duke's largest academic unit. The VDFA is responsible for providing strategic leadership, making data-driven decisions, and ensuring effective operations. They work closely with Dean Bennett and the senior leadership team to foster collaboration within and across Trinity, inspire creative problem-solving, and support inclusive and transparent processes in a complex environment.

In collaboration with administrative partners, academic leaders, and faculty within Trinity and in the Provost’s and President’s offices, the VDFA will play a key role in shaping the College's future and strategic direction. This visible leadership position also represents the College in University-wide initiatives, serves as a strategic partner to department chairs, and ensures effective coordination across the College and the University to achieve Trinity’s objectives.

The VDFA role offers the unique opportunity to develop robust financial strategies, build and support a talented cadre of administrative staff, leverage opportunities for excellence in operations, and foster meaningful relationships across one of the nation's leading academic institutions – all in service to Trinity’s academic mission. Through prioritizing clear communication, embracing shared governance, and pursuing a holistic approach to challenges, the VDFA will set the stage for significant impact across the college and Duke. It is an ideal opportunity for a higher education administrative leader who will look beyond financial figures to enhance Trinity’s vision and community. This opportunity promises not just a job, but a chance to shape Trinity’s future alongside a committed and talented team.

Candidates with diverse professional backgrounds will be considered, although ideal candidates will have demonstrated experience and success in many of the following areas:

• Work closely with the Dean to formulate and implement financial and operational strategies and plans that enable the realization of the academic goals and mission of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences.
• Lead Trinity’s finance, budgeting, and operational areas, guiding others towards shared objectives.
• Lead Trinity’s financial, business, and administrative strategies towards sustainable growth; develop short and long-term financial plans in accordance with Trinity’s academic objectives and implement strategies to proactively problem solve and ensure balanced fiscal operations.
• Enhance organizational transparency and foster effective communication by proactively disseminating relevant information and facilitating open dialogues with departmental and administrative leaders. This includes developing and implementing strategies for translating complex concepts into accessible language so that all members of the Trinity community are fully informed and engaged.
• Innovate financial systems/processes at Trinity, enhancing decision-making and financial and operational agility.
• Enhance Trinity's operations, HR, and facilities functions to improve efficiency.
• Direct initiatives for infrastructure renewal at Trinity, adhering to Duke's broader strategic vision.
• Enhance cross-Duke collaboration, aligning with faculty, leaders, and committees for Trinity's benefit.
• Represent Trinity's interests to Duke University’s leadership, facilitating understanding and coordination on key finance and operational matters.
• Build trustful relationships with key Duke leadership, particularly within the Provost’s office, ensuring smooth collaboration across academic and administrative areas.
• Cultivate a performance-oriented culture in Trinity’s teams, aligned with strategic priorities and professional growth.
• Promote and foster an inclusive community with exceptional standards for diversity, inclusion, collegiality, and professionalism.
• Encourage a collaborative and innovative workplace ethos at Trinity, promoting interdepartmental projects and progress.
• Foster an inclusive communication culture within Trinity, ensuring transparency and inclusiveness in decision-making.
• Navigate and address the intricacies within Trinity's decentralized structure effectively.
• Engage in Duke-wide initiatives, ensuring Trinity's alignment with university-wide strategies and goals.
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  Duke University is being assisted in this recruitment by Spencer Stuart. Comments, nominations of others or information in support of one’s own candidacy should be submitted to the confidential email address of the Spencer Stuart team: TrinityVDFA@SpencerStuart.com.

   

   

   

  Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation, or military status.

  Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.