Vice President of Finance and Operations

SUMMARY

The Vice President of Finance and Operations serves as St. Mary's Academy's senior strategic leader for financial sustainability, facilities, risk management, human resources, and operational effectiveness.

Reporting directly to the President and serving as a member of the senior leadership team, the Vice President provides strategic direction, executive oversight, and accountability to ensure the school has the financial resources, operational infrastructure, facilities, policies, and systems necessary to fulfill its mission today and into the future.

The Vice President works closely with the Director of Finance, who reports to the Vice President and manages the school's day-to-day accounting, financial transactions, financial reporting, accounts payable and receivable, reconciliations, and related accounting functions. The Vice President retains executive accountability for financial integrity, internal controls, financial strategy, risk management, and organizational sustainability.

The ideal candidate is a forward-thinking, collaborative leader with strong business acumen, sound judgment, and the ability to translate institutional priorities into effective financial and operational decisions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Executive Leadership and Team Development

• Build, lead, develop, and hold accountable a high-performing finance and operations team, with clear roles, responsibilities, performance expectations, succession planning, and appropriate segregation of duties
• Provide strategic leadership across finance, human resources, facilities, risk management, and operations while fostering collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team and the President's principal advisor on financial, operational, legal, human resources, and institutional matters

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop and execute long-term financial strategies aligned with the strategic plan, institutional priorities, and mission
• Lead multi-year financial modeling, forecasting, and scenario planning to evaluate revenue and expense drivers, including tuition, enrollment, financial aid, advancement, endowment, compensation, and facilities
• Oversee the annual budget process in partnership with the Director of Finance, President, and senior leadership, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and long-term sustainability
• Advise the President and Board on financial performance, major investments, resource allocation, debt, reserves, assets, and significant institutional commitments

Financial Reporting, Internal Controls, and Audit

• Oversee the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of the school's financial reporting, accounting processes, and internal control environment, working through the Director of Finance
• Ensure appropriate reconciliations, segregation of duties, financial close procedures, documentation, and remediation of identified control deficiencies
• Serve as management's principal liaison with independent auditors and the Audit Committee, ensuring timely completion of audits and remediation of audit findings, control deficiencies, and management-letter recommendations
• Partner with the Director of Finance on financial reporting, cash flow management, forecasting, and audit preparation

Endowment, Investments, and Reserves

• Serve as the primary staff liaison to and oversee the Board's Investment Committee, working with external investment advisors to support effective management of endowment and reserve funds
• Monitor investment performance, spending policies, liquidity, asset allocation, and long-term sustainability
• Provide the Board and Investment Committee with financial analysis, reporting, and recommendations aligned with the school's financial objectives, risk tolerance, and mission

Human Resources, Compensation, and Benefits

• Provide strategic oversight of human resources, including employment practices, policies, benefits, organizational design, and workforce planning
• Oversee relationships with external HR partners, benefits providers, retirement plan providers, insurance carriers, and related vendors
• Develop and oversee compensation and benefits strategies that support recruitment, retention, internal equity, market competitiveness, compliance, and financial sustainability
• Partner with the President and senior leadership to ensure HR practices and organizational structures support the school's mission, culture, and long-term goals

Risk Management, Legal, and Compliance

• Develop and oversee a comprehensive institutional risk-management strategy addressing financial, operational, legal, facilities, employment, and other organizational risks
• Oversee insurance programs, risk-management partners, internal policies, procedures, and controls
• Review and negotiate significant contracts and agreements, coordinate with outside legal counsel as appropriate, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, contractual obligations, and institutional policies

Facilities, Capital Projects, and Campus Planning

• Provide strategic oversight of facilities, buildings, grounds, and physical infrastructure
• In partnership with the Director of Facilities, develop and implement a long-term facilities strategy, campus master plan, capital plan, and deferred-maintenance strategy aligned with the school's mission and strategic priorities
• Oversee major capital projects and ensure facilities assessment findings are translated into prioritized, funded, and actionable plans that support a safe, well-maintained, functional, and welcoming campus

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business, accounting, economics, operations, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant professional credential preferred
• Significant senior-level experience in finance, operations, business management, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience developing and managing multi-year financial plans, budgets, and forecasts
• Experience overseeing financial reporting, internal controls, risk management, facilities, capital projects, or institutional assets
• Experience with human resources, compensation, benefits, contracts, and vendor relationships
• Experience working with a Board of Directors or Trustees and relevant committees
• Strong analytical, organizational, financial modeling, communication, and problem-solving skills
• High degree of integrity, discretion, judgment, and accountability

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• CFO, COO, Vice President of Finance, Vice President of Operations, or comparable senior leadership experience
• Experience in an independent school, Catholic school, nonprofit, higher education, or other mission-driven organization
• Experience overseeing an endowment, investment portfolio, reserve funds, or other institutional assets
• Experience with long-term campus planning, deferred maintenance, or major capital projects
• Experience developing compensation strategies, organizational design, process improvement, and change management
• Experience partnering with Finance, Investment, Audit, or comparable Board committees

SALARY AND BENEFITS

St. Mary's Academy seeks a strategic, forward-thinking financial and operational leader who combines strong business acumen with a deep appreciation for mission-driven organizations. The successful candidate will be:

• A strategic financial leader with experience in long-term planning, financial modeling, resource allocation, and institutional sustainability
• An experienced operator who understands how people, systems, facilities, technology, and processes work together to create an effective organization
• A strong team leader who builds trust, establishes accountability, develops talent, and promotes collaboration
• A thoughtful risk manager with experience overseeing financial controls, compliance, contracts, insurance, and organizational risk
• A systems thinker who identifies opportunities for efficiency, process improvement, and operational excellence
• An effective communicator and relationship builder who can translate complex information into clear, actionable guidance for the President, Board, and diverse stakeholders
• A mission-aligned leader who demonstrates integrity, discretion, sound judgment, and a commitment to the education and development of young women

HOW TO APPLY

Position is open until filled. Qualified applicants are invited to submit their resume, cover letter, three professional references and salary expectations to personnel@smapdx.org. No phone calls please. Applications will be reviewed immediately. St. Mary's Academy is an equal opportunity employer.