Chief Financial Officer

POSITION DESCRIPTION

March 2023

Palo Alto University

Chief Financial Officer

Palo Alto University is searching for a Chief Financial Officer who will bring strategic, entrepreneurial, and visionary leadership to its operations to support its mission of providing outstanding training to the next generation of mental health professionals.

Palo Alto University (PAU) is a private, non-profit university located in the heart of NorthernCalifornia’s Silicon Valley. As it approaches its 50th year of operations, PAU has an ambitious strategic plan built on a foundation of inclusive excellence. The pandemic has shone a bright light on the need for research, teaching, and clinical training to support the significant rise in mental health challenges in our communities. PAU’s faculty conduct critically important research; its students serve people in PAU's clinics and in community practicum sites; and its alumni serve in leadership positions in their fields throughout the country and internationally.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead financial strategy, analysis, comprehensive risk management, and planning to create budgets that reflect institutional priorities and navigate the necessary trade- offs associated with financial discipline and investments in new priorities.
• Provide thoughtful and forward-looking counsel in leadership deliberations based on technical attention to detail and the capacity to think in creative and entrepreneurial ways to serve the institution.
• Provide exceptional leadership, coaching, and professional development opportunities tothe division’s leadership team.
• Develop and recommend financial strategies and policies to support the university's strategic plan and its commitment to inclusive excellence.
• Partner closely with the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and other Cabinet officers on institutional planning and positioning, forging community partnerships, and in advancing PAU’s presence in the region, state, and nation.
• Manage the university's finances, including the development of optimal debt strategies, and assist relevant Board committees in the development of endowment management, spending policies, and investment strategies for cash and short-term investments. Through strategic financial planning, the CFO will maximize the deployment of resources to support strategic planning priorities and preserve financial health and strength over the long-term.
• Bring strategic vision to the division's plans for technology, facilities, space planning, and resource allocation for long-term capital renewal and replacement. Guide capital projects, including space planning, coordinating moves, interfacing with architects and engineers as well as partnering with the Director of Board and Presidential Operations to support the Board's Future Facilities Task Force to think strategically about PAU's future space needs.
• Support the Department of Human Resources in its work to bring best practices to the professional development of employees and assist in the design, implementation, and timely calculations of wages, incentives, and salaries.
• Serve as liaison to external auditors; the Finance & Risk Management, Investment, and Audit Committees of the Board of Trustees; and other accrediting and compliance agencies as required.
• Support and collaborate on development efforts by engaging with current and prospective donors to inspire confidence in the university’s fiscal management.
• Present and communicate complex financial concepts clearly to a range of stakeholders. Create and maintain dashboards and reports to inform the community of financial opportunities and challenges.

Relevant Experience

• Demonstrated experience in thinking strategically about and managing business operations, including payroll and student-facing financial offices; the IT infrastructure and operations; deployment of resources; and management and maintenance of facilities.
• Demonstrated experience as a strategic thought partner. Experience working collaboratively in an environment of shared governance. A demonstrated ability to forge mutually respectful relationships and strong partnerships across the university and the broader community.
• A track record of outstanding management of people, a commitment to professional development, and a growth mindset; a demonstrated ability to manage, empower, and support staff; effective delegation skills; an ability to define and implement effective management structures and systems, establish and uphold high performance standards, and sustain a culture defined by inclusive excellence.
• Experience in or knowledge of non-profit accounting, including contract and grant accounting and revenue recognition issues; knowledge, experience, and application of GAAP; background in managing general accounting; budgeting and planning; procedures and controls; and analysis and reporting.
• Demonstrated capacity to communicate effectively and convey complex information and concepts in accessible terms.
• Demonstrated success in improving operational efficiencies and utilizing metrics to evaluate performance and improvements over time.
• A master’s degree or equivalent in business, finance, or a related field is preferred.

• A strategic and creative solution-seeker with the ability to make difficult decisions, provide the rationale for their decisions, and facilitate alignment.
• A collaborative, consultative, and data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including humility, unimpeachable integrity, a strong moral compass, and an openness to giving and receiving feedback
• Ability to analyze and formulate disparate information into sound, well-organized plans.
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills, including the means to address issues clearly and in non-confrontational and non-polarizing ways to a range of diverse audiences.
• Emotionally mature with flexibility and sensitivity to work with diverse personalities and situations.