JOB DESCRIPTION

TITLE: Vice President for Finance

REPORTS TO: President

DEPARTMENT: Business Office

STATUS: Full-Time

CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

MISSION STATEMENT: “Villa Maria College, founded by the Felician Sisters, provides students a rigorous and enriching educational experience. Offering academic programs with a broad core curriculum, the College transforms and empowers students to realize their intellectual, creative, professional, and spiritual potential. Inspired by a welcoming Catholic tradition and a dynamic Franciscan spirit, Villa Maria College offers individual attention and fosters compassion, justice, peace, respect for human dignity and a commitment to service.”

OUR CORE VALUES: “Respect for Human Dignity, Compassion, Transformation, Solidarity with the Poor, and Justice & Peace.”

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Vice President for Finance is a key member of executive management and is the chief administrative officer in charge of finances with duties including: management of business office operations, ownership of accounting and accounting systems, budgeting, tuition and fee collection, payroll, accounts payable, treasury functions, risk management, compliance management, purchasing, investment management in accordance with College policy and under the direction of the President, oversight of human resources, and coordinating with Felician Services Incorporated in regard to fiscal matters.

The Vice President for Finance is a member of the President’s Cabinet and works with the President and other vice presidents on strategic planning and College-wide decision-making. The Vice President for Finance is expected to be informed about and follow the policies in the Villa Maria College Employee Handbook. The Vice President for Finance is appointed by, and reports to, the President.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Mission: The Vice President for Finance upholds and supports the Villa Maria College mission and core values in all activities and duties. Specifically, the Vice President for Finance helps ensure that College budgeting and financial priorities reflect the College mission and values.

· Budgeting: The Vice President for Finance owns the budgeting process and oversees the timely development of the budget, including gathering the required input from all institutional departments. To facilitate budget control, the Vice President for Finance coordinates approval of all purchase orders, payment requisitions, and travel requests, and assists departments with obtaining bids on major equipment purchases.

· Reporting and Analysis: The Vice President for Finance prepares all financial reports required by the Board of Trustees, the President and other parts of the organization. Such reports including monthly budget variance reports, cash flow projections, and departmental expenditure reports, as well as associated analysis and comparisons to benchmarks.

· Operational Leadership: As a key member of the College’s leadership team, the Vice President for Finance serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet, the President’s Extended Cabinet, and other committee duties as assigned by the President. Management duties include direct responsibility for the Business Office, Human Resources, and coordination of financial planning for food services and student housing. Responsible for reviewing and assisting with negotiation of contracts with third parties. Serves as laision with external legal counsel on non-student related matters. Business Office responsibilities include supervising the Student Accounts, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and General Accounting functions.

· Risk Management: The Vice President for Finance uses best practices and appropriate insurance coverage to mitigate risks to the institution.

· Asset Management: The Vice President for Finance maintains inventories of College equipment and other assets, and manages the processes used to acquire and dispose of property and equipment.

· Compliance Management: The Vice President for Finance oversees the annual financial audit and timely filing of all compliance documents, including completion of reporting requirements to various government agencies and lending institutions.

· Board Relations: The Vice President for Finance is a member of the Stewardship and Growth Committee of the Board of Trustees and facilitates financial reporting for the President and the Board.

· Education: The Vice President for Finance educates the College community about financial matters through effective communication and within the framework of shared governance.

· Relations with Sponsor: The Vice President for Finance coordinates with Felician Services Incorporated and the Felician Sisters of North America to allocate costs and related contracts between the Felician Sisters and the College.

· Grants: The Vice President for Finance assists with research and development of grant opportunities to enhance College’s fiscal position.

· The Vice President for Finance assumes other duties assigned by the President and/or Board of Trustees.

QUALIFICATIONS:

· Bachelor’s degree with CPA/CMA license required or Master's degree. Five or more years of business, accounting and finance leadership experience. Experience in higher education is preferred.

· Has experience in a broad variety of management areas with demonstrated leadership accomplishments.

· Leads by example and focuses on establishing and maintaining a team that is well trained, mentored, developed and empowered to succeed.

· Is willing to be held accountable for individual performance as well as progress with personal development and established goals.

· Demonstrates unimpeachable personal and professional ethical behavior with excellence in honesty, accountability, and integrity.

· Leads effective teams and serves as an effective senior leadership team member.

· Possesses an in-depth understanding of the financial and operational implications that drive the College's business.

· Thinks strategically and translates planning initiatives into budgeted actions.

· Possesses good reasoning and analytical skills; exercises sound judgment.

· Uses information technology and data analytics to assist in planning and assessment of operations.

· Builds strong relationships and communicates well.

· Generates respect and trust from faculty, staff, and external constituencies.

· Possesses good interpersonal abilities and the capacity to build relationships with diverse personalities; tactful, mature, and flexible.

· Communicates very effectively (both in writing and orally), especially in terms of explaining financial and budgetary information to a diverse population.

· Possesses excellent listening skills and ability to translate vision into actionable initiatives.

· Demonstrates an appreciation for an institution's culture and provides leadership to overcome institutional barriers and operational silos.

· Has a high energy level and is comfortable performing multifaceted projects in conjunction with day-to-day activities; resourceful and well organized.

· Has the ability to negotiate contracts with various vendors and other third parties for the maximum benefit of the College.

· Demonstrates a strong commitment to the mission and values of Villa Maria College in all matters.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

General work environment requires employees to consistently use manual dexterity in reaching, writing, navigating around the office/workspace. This position requires fully functional vision and auditory abilities. This position may include hours standing and walking, including up and down stairs, moving items of up to 25-pounds. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be needed to perform work associated with this position. If the position requires use of vehicle for College purposes, a valid New York State driver’s license check may be required for occasional off- campus assistance and support.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Villa Maria College management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.

Villa Maria College is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation or preference, national or ethnic origin, marital status, physical or mental disability, or any other protected classifications in admissions, employment, or any other aspect regarding the conduct of College programs and activities. Should you require an accommodation, according to the guidelines of the ADA, please seek the counsel of the Director of Human Resources for assistance.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $125,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Employee assistance program
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement

Experience level:

• 5 years

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Relocate:

• Buffalo, NY 14225: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person