• Responsible for overseeing long-range financial planning and management of the operating and capital budgets for all units of the University. Working closely with the President, Provost, and the other Vice Presidents, oversees capital and operating budget development, monitoring, reporting, and revenue generating initiatives; coordinates operating and capital budgets in conformity with policies set forth by the Board of Trustees; and develops financial policy and plans.
• Responsible for the formulation of strategy and policies to ensure effective administration, sound business practices, and safety in conformity with policies established by the Board of Trustees. Provides support to the resident, the Provost, and Vice Presidents in development of fiscal strategy, planning, coordination, and analysis.
• Serves as the University’s point of contact for external agencies and partners on business and operational matters, acts as the President’s representative on business and financial matters to university units and constituencies. Interacts closely with the Office of the Governor, state government offices and agencies, and the state legislature.
• Interacts closely with the Board of Trustees, particularly its committees related to financial affairs and capital assets and management and attends all Board of Trustees meetings.
• Ensures the timely completion of University of Connecticut financial statements. Makes reports to the State Comptroller or to other state or federal officials as may be required on the inventories, property, and financial operations of the University. Submits regular reports to the President and, through the President, to the Board of Trustees showing the financial condition of the University and all its constituent parts and submits an annual statement showing the assets and liabilities of the various funds of the University.
• Oversees and monitors the execution of major financing agreements and manages and coordinates the University’s responsibilities pertaining to bond financing of capital projects. Directs the University’s purchasing and contracting programs.
• Works closely with the CFO of UConn Health (UCH), including synchronizing the budgets and priorities of the University overall.
• Serves ex-officio on the Board of Directors of the UConn Foundation, which solicits, receives, invests, and administers gifts and financial resources from private sources for the benefit of all campuses and programs of the University of Connecticut.
• Administers such support to units of the University as the President may designate.

Strategic Decision-Maker: Has a significant level of business acumen and judgment. Can make practical, realistic and data-driven decisions. Knows how to establish strategic administrative priorities and align the organization with them.

Collaborative Leader: Able to work effectively with a range of constituencies, both internal and external to an organization. Recognizes the role of the CFO as supporting and enabling the success of the University’s academic
goals and its educational and research missions. Understands how to engage staff and hold them accountable for excellence.

Skilled Communicator: Understands how to communicate effectively in a very large and diverse organization. Has exceptional oral and written communication skills, including expertise in presenting and negotiating.

Results-Oriented: Understands and interprets complex problems and can find solutions and effectively implement them. Has a sophisticated understanding of how to employ metrics to inform decisions, improve business processes, and drive performance and quality.

Budget Management: Has significant experience in overseeing the development and implementation of annual operating and capital budgets, monitoring performance against the budget, and managing resource allocation to fulfill institutional priorities.

Financial Systems: Has demonstrated ability to implement, maintain and upgrade financial information systems like ERPs, budget data analytics dashboards, etc. to improve efficiency and decision making.

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

• Master’s degree in finance, management, or a related field from an accredited college or university; and at least 7 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience, including 5 years in a senior management role, required.

OR

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, management, or a related field from an accredited college or university; and at least 12 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience, including 5 years in a senior management role, required.
• Experience at a major research university, preferred.
• CPA or other professional certification, preferred.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of finance (including infrastructure finance, internal controls, cash management, and treasury services) and budgeting (capital and operational); overseeing construction, renovation, operation, logistics, and security of a physical plant; payroll; purchasing; business services; and financial processes is required.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and lead an organization-wide finance function that is proactive, progressive, and collaboratively aligned with the many disparate organizational entities that compose a university is required. This includes the ability to integrate effective business models with institutional processes and challenges and clear competency in balancing competing considerations when mitigating financial and operational risks is required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a senior team of managers and experts is required.
• Demonstrated success leading institutions strategically through both fiscal expansion and contraction is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience helping complex organizations develop and utilize measures of performance is required.
• Extensive experience with collective bargaining and experience in a complex unionized environment is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated success with zero-based budgeting strongly preferred.
• Extensive and comprehensive knowledge of complex university best practice, accounting and auditing principles and standards, and federal and state regulatory requirements is required.
• Familiarity with public higher education finance requirements is preferred.
• Familiarity with information technology applications and controls is preferred.