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Vice President for Administration and Finance

and Chief Financial Officer

Position Summary

The VPAF/CFO provides strategic leadership of the university's financial, administrative, and operational functions, leading the Division of Administrative Affairs to support student success and faculty excellence and to maintain compliance with Cal State University policy. A member of the President's Cabinet, the VPAF/CFO plays a central role in advancing Cal Poly Pomona's mission by ensuring long-term financial sustainability during a period of renewed energy and opportunity under new presidential leadership.

The VPAF/CFO oversees a broad and complex portfolio that includes financial planning and analysis, budgeting, accounting, procurement, facilities management, capital planning design and construction, risk management, internal audit, public safety and administrative services. The position also works closely with CPP's auxiliary organizations, including Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises, which manages housing, dining, transportation and parking, and real estate; Associated Students, Incorporated, which houses student government, recreation and fitness, the Bronco Student Center, and other student-facing services; and the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation, which supports the university's fundraising and alumni engagement. Within each of these independent non-profit corporations, the VPAF/CFO serves in leadership and advisory capacities to ensure alignment with the university, effective governance, and smart stewardship of resources.

In partnership with the President and Cabinet, the VPAF/CFO leads the development and execution of the university's financial strategy, aligning resources with academic priorities and institutional goals. The role provides leadership in long-range financial planning, capital investment, and real estate development, supporting the continued evolution of a dynamic campus environment grounded in Cal Poly Pomona's polytechnic mission and "learn by doing" philosophy. Leveraging the independence and flexibility of CPP Enterprises in particular, the VPAF/CFO will play a critical role in identifying opportunities for innovation, enhancing operational effectiveness, and advancing sustainable revenue strategies that support the university's growth and impact.

The VPAF/CFO fosters a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared governance by communicating complex financial information in clear and accessible ways. The position engages regularly with faculty, staff, students, and external partners to build trust, support informed decision-making, and ensure broad understanding of financial priorities and strategies.

As a member of the leadership team of one of the 22 campuses of the California State University System, the VPAF/CFO and their team interact routinely with counterparts in the CSU Office of the Chancellor. The Office of the Chancellor provides support services to the campuses while also serving as the campuses' representative to the California legislature and to the California State University's Board of Trustees.

As it awaits its new president, Cal Poly Pomona has continued to focus on strategic directions captured in a transitional extension of its prior plan.  The 2025 strategic plan published for the Cal State system, CSU Forward, serves as an important framework for planning and priorities at each campus. It enables the campuses a degree of latitude in allocating resources to the overall university goals of access, excellence, and innovation - all in service of student success.

Cal Poly Pomona's FY25-26 operating budget is balanced at approximately $430 million and is primarily supported by two sources: state appropriations, which account for approximately 53% of total revenue, and student tuition and fees, which account for the remaining 47%.  The budget reflects a 3% base reduction, approximately $7 million, in the state appropriation due to California's FY25-26 state budget cut.  This operating budget excludes self-support operations: Housing, Parking, and the College of Professional and Global Education (CPGE), as well as three auxiliary organizations: the Cal Poly Pomona Enterprise Foundation, Associated Students, Inc., and the Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation.

CPP Enterprises

Enterprises manages housing, dining, hospitality, the Farm Store, sponsored-research, and other campus-support services on behalf of the university. In FY 26/27 CPP Enterprises revenue is projected to be $120.7 million, generated through several core businesses: 

• Bronco Bookstore (self-operated)
• Dining Services (self-operated)
• Cal Poly Pomona Enterprises Student Housing (University Village and The Current)
• Kellogg West Conference Center and Hotel 

Annually, Enterprises provides a designated gift to the university.

Associated Students Inc.

ASI is the student body auxiliary corporation that supports the co-curricular student experience and manages critical student life infrastructure at Cal Poly Pomona including the Bronco Student Center and the Bronco Recreation and Intramural Complex as well as campus student government and several student program funding streams.  ASI has an annual operating budget of approximately $22M and stewardship of nearly 300,000 sq ft. of student centered facilities.  Its primary sources of funding are Mandatory student fees (ASI and ASI Facilities and Operations fees). 

Cal Poly Pomona Philanthropic Foundation (CPP-PF)

CPP-PF is a California nonprofit public benefit corporation established in 2019 exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. The Foundation operates as a recognized auxiliary organization of the California State University and exists to support California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, in accordance with applicable state and federal law. CPP-PF manages and invests endowment funds to support the university's mission. Endowments are established through donations and are invested to generate income, which is then distributed to support various university programs, scholarships, and other initiatives.  As of January 31, 2026, CPP's endowment has a market value of $223,543,118. The three-year average investment return rate was 11.96%, outperforming the CSU average rate by a full percentage point.  The CPP Investment Policy Statement (IPS) includes an annual 4% endowment distribution rate approved each Fall by the CPP-PF Board of Directors.  In FY 24-25 the endowment distribution was $6.72M to support University priorities. 

In addition to helping these three related entities maximize their potential, the VPAF/CFO will have the unique opportunity to shape the Lanterman Development Project - one of the university's most significant long-term initiatives. The project aims to transform a 300-acre site located south of the Cal Poly Pomona campus into a vibrant "Live, Learn, Work, Play" village that supports the academic mission and addresses critical housing needs for faculty, staff, and the region. Additionally, it will establish a dynamic hub for applied research, innovation, and workforce development, driving transformative change for the campus and community and providing significant financial opportunity and regional impact.

• Provide strategic leadership for all financial and administrative services in alignment with university priorities
• Lead comprehensive budget development, financial forecasting, and resource allocation processes
• Oversee capital planning, facilities management, and major infrastructure initiatives developing a capital program that can draw on all funding sources to advance exciting new opportunities while addressing the campus' deferred maintenance
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for advancing the Lanterman Development project
• Strengthen partnerships with CPP's auxiliary organizations to support innovation and revenue generation and to provide appropriate transparency to campus constituents
• Advance operational excellence through process improvement, technology investment, and organizational effectiveness
• Communicate and advance financial strategies clearly within a shared governance environment
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing organizational culture
• Represent the university with the CSU Chancellor's Office, external agencies, and community stakeholders

• Master's degree from an accredited institution
• 5 to 7 years of senior leadership experience in financial and administrative management within a complex organization
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning
• Knowledge of accounting principles and financial reporting standards
• Experience in capital planning, facilities management, and infrastructure development
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage change, and influence across a large organization
• Strong communication and collaboration skills across diverse constituencies
• The ability to lead through influence as well as through positional authority in a complex, decentralized organization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Substantial experience in higher education, including within public university systems
• Demonstrated effectiveness in a shared governance environment
• Experience working with auxiliary organizations and affiliated entities
• Commitment to student success, equity, and inclusive excellence
• Experience with strategic revenue generation and partnership development
• Professional certifications such as CPA, CFA, CMA, or related credentials

Cal Poly Pomona offers a transformative, world-class education - known as the CPP Polytechnic Experience (PolyX) - rooted in experiential learning, discovery, and innovation. As one of three polytechnic universities in the CSU, Cal Poly Pomona prides itself on cultivating student practitioners, integrative thinkers, and model leaders through a "Become by Doing" approach that prepares students for civic engagement and fulfilling professional and personal lives. The university is ranked the #1 polytechnic university in the nation for social mobility, and its caring and inclusive campus community is committed to honoring and supporting varied paths to success for its student body. Nowhere else can students ride an Arabian horse, practice on a Steinway piano, bring a new product to market, and build a liquid-fueled rocket.

The University includes eight academic colleges (Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture, College of Business Administration, College of Education and Integrative Studies, College of Engineering, College of Environmental Design, Collins College of Hospitality Management, College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences, and College of Science), the University Library, and the College of Professional and Global Education, that together offer 54 bachelor's degrees, 37 master's degrees, and a doctorate in education. Beyond the campus, Cal Poly Pomona provides a strategic selection of academic programs across eight locations in southern California, including an agricultural training program in Escondido, and evening-hours K-12 administrative service credential at various high schools throughout greater Los Angeles. For more information about Cal Poly Pomona, please visit www.cpp.edu/.

Cal Poly Pomona has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Craig Smith, Managing Partner, and Marisea Rivera, Senior Associate, are leading the search. Confidential inquiries and nominations should be sent to Marisea Rivera at marisea.rivera@opuspartners.net. The position will remain open until filled, but applicants are encouraged to apply and submit materials to the above email address before July 20, 2026, to be given full consideration. If you need medical or disability related accommodations with the pre-employment processes (applications, interviews, etc.), please contact the ADA Coordinator by email at ADACoordinator@cpp.edu.

The salary for this position will be $325,000 to $350,004. More information is available at: https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/careers/benefits/Documents/employee-benefits-summary.pdf

Out of State Work

The California State University (CSU) system is a network of twenty-three public universities providing access to a quality education through the support of California taxpayers. Part of CSU's mission is to prepare educated, responsible individuals to contribute to California's schools, economy, culture, and future. As an agency of the State of California, the CSU's business operations almost exclusively reside within California. The CSU Out-of-State Employment Policy prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU-related work outside California. For more information, go to the California State University Out-of-State Employment Policy.
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Cal Poly Pomona will make a conditional offer of...