Vice President for Administration and Finance

Company Description:

SUNY Empire State College was established in 1971 by Dr. Ernest Boyer as a distinctive statewide institution focused on innovative, nontraditional teaching and learning.

SUNY Empire is part of the State University of New York system and is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. With headquarters in Saratoga Springs, New York, SUNY Empire primarily serves working adults pursuing associate, bachelor's and master's degrees online and onsite at locations in every region of the state and abroad.

The college's 51-year commitment to flexible, individualized learning is represented by faculty mentors who guide students throughout their academic studies, the ability for students to build individualized degree plans, the award of credit for learning gained from life and work experience, world-class academic and social student-support communities, and flexible course delivery methods that meet students' diverse learning preferences. The college boasts more than 92,000 successful alumni and partners with nearly 17,000 students each year who want to expand their personal and professional horizons.

SUNY Empire State College is committed to creating a multicultural, inclusive academic and work environment. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. We believe that a diverse faculty is critical to academic excellence and prepares students to live and work in an increasingly global world.

We are pleased to offer our employees a generous compensation and benefits package. We also offer professional-development activities for professionals and support staff, as well as faculty-development opportunities that encourage pursuit of disciplinary and community-focused research, scholarship of teaching and learning, and leadership development. Faculty-development opportunities include our annual Fall Academic Conference and the annual Institute on Mentoring, Teaching and Learning.

Job Description:

SUNY Empire State College invites applications and nominations for its next vice president for administration and finance (VPAF). This is an exciting opportunity for a senior leader to join SUNY Empire State College and to shape an impactful, clear framework for financial decision-making and long-term fiscal health.

The VPAF is an integral member of the college's senior leadership team. Reporting to the president, the VPAF collaborates closely with the other members of cabinet to advance the college in providing high-quality academic opportunities to diverse learners across New York state and around the globe. In the role as principal deputy and advisor to the president for all administrative and fiscal matters impacting the college, the VPAF provides strategic leadership for finance, institutional operations, information technology, safety and security, risk management, and human resources. As the college's senior business and financial officer, the VPAF is responsible for overseeing the development of policies, procedures, and controls to ensure sound management of the college's financial, human, technology, and physical resources. The VPAF also serves as the treasurer of the Empire State College Foundation Board. The Foundation raises funds to enhance student aid, faculty excellence, and support institutional priorities. The Foundation invests and responsibly manages funds, including endowments, to assure the ethical stewardship of gifts.

The next VPAF will be a strategic, collaborative, data-driven leader with senior leadership experience and the organizational and interpersonal skills to lead a diverse team of professionals at locations across the state of New York

Responsibilities:

• Guide and support a division that plays a broad and principal role in advancing the college's mission by providing fiscal leadership, safeguarding financial assets and resources, ensuring regulatory compliance, and providing timely delivery of a wide array of operational, technology, facilities, and other services to internal and external constituents.
• Collaborate with leadership and stakeholders to develop a strategic budgeting framework in support of institutional priorities and support campus partners in the implementation and maintenance of the framework (including, but not limited to, collaborating with campus partners to develop an inclusive and transparent budget process).
• Support the president and the cabinet in the analysis, evaluation, and prioritization of strategic initiatives.  
• Analyze and provide recommendations on the financial impact of policy options to support decision-making processes.
• Maintain a focus on accountability, outcomes, and quality, especially in the context of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education standards, internal controls, and regulatory compliance.
• Promote data-informed and transparent decision-making, particularly around the use of limited fiscal and human capital resources.
• Ensure that the college's critical information technology infrastructure provides robust support for the effective and efficient support of the college's mission and strategic priorities.
• Enhance the functions and services of the Office of Human Resources with an emphasis on the development and evaluation of employees.
• Ensure the safety, security, and efficient operations of all SUNY Empire locations across New York state.
• Embrace and advance the college's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion for students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds.
• Foster an organizational culture and infrastructure that supports operational excellence, delivers quality customer service, and promotes optimal efficiency.
• Implement continuous improvement practices to create higher levels of efficiency and strengthen delivery of services, as defined by best practices and supported by measurable outcomes.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Relevant, progressively responsible budgeting experience culminating with budgets greater than $20 million
• Progressive leadership experience including at the senior management level
• Evidence of success functioning in a complex, high-demand environment while managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Evidence of a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's or doctoral degree in business, finance, or related discipline
• Progressive leadership experience in an educational or governmental setting of comparable or greater size and complexity
• Experience with strategic planning, budgeting, and continuous improvement
• Experience managing internal controls and enterprise risk-management initiatives
• Experience dealing with local, state, and federal legislative and regulatory processes as they affect public institutions and affiliated entities, such as foundations
• Experience with grants and foundation accounting
• Experience working in a unionized environment
• Experience working with shared governance partners
• Experience overseeing information technology services
• Experience overseeing human resource functions
• Experience overseeing campus safety and security operations

Special Information:

• This position is located in Saratoga Springs, NY
• Travel is required
• VISA sponsorship is not available for this position
• To nominate an individual for this position, please submit your nomination to our human resources department at: HRdepartment@esc.edu

Additional Information:

Rank/Salary: Management Confidential/Commensurate with experience.

Empire State College is an EOE employer.

IF YOU NEED A DISABILITY-RELATED ACCOMMODATION, PLEASE CALL THE ADA COORDINATOR AT (518) 587-2100, ext. 2240. IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TITLE II CRIME AWARENESS AND SECURITY ACT, A COPY OF OUR CRIME STATISTICS IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST BY CALLING (518) 587-2100, ext. 2800. IT CAN ALSO BE VIEWED ON-LINE AT THE SAFETY AND SECURITY WEBSITE AT http://www.esc.edu/safety-security

Application Instructions:

Applications Due By: Review of applications will begin on April 22, 2022; search to remain open until position is filled.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit the following documents, which are required for consideration by clicking on the APPLY NOW button:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Name and contact information of three references

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