Christian Brothers University · 1 day ago
Vice President for Administration & Finance
Memphis, TN
Full-time
Onsite
Director/ExecutiveChristian Brothers University is committed to providing a rigorous and enriching learning experience for its students. The Vice President for Administration & Finance serves as the chief administrative officer, responsible for the effective delivery of administrative services including financial stewardship, facilities, information technology, human resources, and institutional risk management.
Higher Education
Responsibilities
Lead comprehensive annual budgeting and multi-year financial planning, including scenario modeling, enrollment sensitivity analysis, cash forecasting, margin improvement planning, and capital funding strategy
Ensure strong internal controls, audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and accurate and timely financial reporting
Provide decision support and clear financial narratives to the President, Cabinet, and Board: risks, tradeoffs, options, and recommendations
Provide executive leadership for Finance/Accounting, including controller functions, accounting operations, purchasing/procurement practices, treasury/cash management, and financial systems integrity
Establish service standards and performance metrics for Finance operations (close calendars, reporting SLAs, procurement cycle time, compliance measures, etc.)
Provide executive oversight of Financial Aid to ensure compliance, student-centered service delivery, and alignment with enrollment strategy and net tuition revenue goals
Strengthen aid packaging, disbursement processes, and internal controls while improving responsiveness and the student experience
Provide executive leadership for Information Technology to ensure reliable, secure, and mission-supporting technology services for students, faculty, and staff
Lead IT strategy and governance (prioritization, budgeting, vendor management, cybersecurity posture, data integrity, continuity planning).Ensure technology enablement across the institution?supporting academic delivery, student services, enrollment operations, analytics/reporting, and operational efficiency
Provide executive oversight for Facilities and Plant Operations, including maintenance, life-safety, deferred maintenance planning, project management oversight, and space planning
Lead a multi-year facilities renewal and capital plan tied to risk, compliance, student experience, and affordability
Provide executive leadership for Human Resources to ensure high-quality HR operations and a strong employee experience aligned with mission and institutional needs
Oversee and strengthen: talent acquisition and onboarding, performance management, employee relations, compensation strategy, benefits administration, training and development, and HR compliance
Partner with Cabinet leaders to build a healthy culture with clear expectations, fair policies, and consistent leadership standards
Ensure HR risk management practices are strong (documentation, investigations/response protocols, training, and compliance readiness)
Provide executive oversight and coordination for endowment and investment governance in partnership with the President, Advancement leadership (as applicable), and the Board's Investment/Finance structures
Support and maintain key governance components, including: investment policy statement (IPS) alignment, advisor/manager oversight, performance reporting, risk posture review, and appropriate internal controls related to invested assets
Ensure clear and timely investment reporting to leadership and the Board (performance vs. benchmarks, spending/withdrawal implications, liquidity considerations, and risk factors)
Coordinate endowment spending policy integration into annual and multi-year budgets, ensuring sustainability and mission alignment
Ensure donor restrictions and related fund accounting requirements are properly tracked and reflected in financial reporting and stewardship
Negotiate and approve major University contracts and manage vendor performance standards, renewal discipline, and contract compliance
Provide contractual and performance oversight (service levels, financial terms, compliance, student satisfaction measures, renewal decisions). This role does not supervise day-to-day operations of dining or bookstore services
Establish a consistent vendor management framework: SLAs, KPIs, escalation paths, contract owner accountability, and documented review cadence
Lead enterprise risk management practices appropriate to a university environment; oversee insurance strategy, renewals, claims coordination, and risk mitigation planning
Ensure risk review is integrated into decision-making for contracts, facilities, technology, and major institutional initiatives
Ensure administrative policies and procedures are current, consistently applied, and aligned to best practice and mission expectations
Strengthen process discipline, documentation, training, and compliance readiness across administrative domains
Establish a disciplined operating rhythm for Administration & Finance (leadership meetings, scorecard reviews, issue lists, decision logs, and quarterly priority-setting)
Drive clarity and accountability across direct reports: clear goals, owners, timelines, and measurable outcomes
Improve cross-functional execution with Enrollment, Student Success, Academic Affairs, and Advancement (especially where finance, aid, HR, IT, and facilities directly affect student outcomes)
Serve as a member of the President's Cabinet; contribute to institution-wide strategy and execution
Support Board committees as assigned (e.g., finance, investment, audit/risk, plant/facilities), including preparation of materials and clear reporting on performance and risks
Communicate complex financial and operational information with clarity and transparency to build trust and accelerate decision-making
Perform other similar activities as assigned by the President
Qualification
Required
Significant senior leadership experience in Finance and Administration (higher education preferred; comparable complexity considered)
Demonstrated ability to operate as both an Integrator (alignment + execution) and a Strategist (long-range modeling, scenario planning, risk-informed decision-making)
Strong financial leadership background (budgeting, controls, reporting, forecasting, audit readiness)
Experience leading complex service organizations with multiple functional areas and cross-campus stakeholders
Commitment to the mission and values of Christian Brothers University and Catholic/Lasallian higher education
Preferred
Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, or related field; MBA and/or CPA preferred
Experience overseeing IT strategy and cybersecurity governance
Experience overseeing financial aid operations (compliance, packaging strategy, service improvement)
Experience leading human resources functions in a complex organization
Experience with outsourced service contracts (dining/auxiliary vendor governance, performance and renewal discipline)
Board-facing experience including committee support and high-trust executive communication
Benefits
Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
Flexible spending
Retirement pension plan
403(b)
Undergraduate and graduate tuition waiver plans
Tuition waivers for dependents of employees
Tuition Exchange Program
Company
Christian Brothers University
Christian Brothers University is a school in Memphis.
Founded in 1871
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Chris Englert
Interim President
Ronald Brandon
President Elect
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