Vice President for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (VPFA/CFO)

Working in close partnership with the President, Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees the VPFA/CFO will play a central role in shaping the University's future. The VPFA/CFO will provide strategic leadership and long-range planning to advance the financial health, strategic priorities and mission of the University. The successful candidate will bring a demonstrated ability to lead within a complex, mission-driven, tuition (revenue)-dependent environment,  while advancing innovation, organizational effectiveness, and service excellence.  In addition, the VPFA/CFO will lead a talented team in the Business Office and Operations, as well as work collaboratively through shared governance and professional relationships across campus. 

 

Dominican University has been located in beautiful River Forest, IL for over 100 years, and the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters who founded us prioritized the creation of a beautiful campus environment to enrich students’ experience and promote academic excellence.  That spirit and pride in our beautiful campus continues today.   Over the last five years, Dominican has been in a period of growth, including expansion to a new campus location in the city of Chicago.  In the same time period, our endowment grew approximately 40% (to approximately 70M) and we restructured and lowered our debt (approximately 25M).  The majority of our students commute, however close to 700 students live in residence halls in River Forest and Chicago.  Our footprint in River Forest is limited for expansion, so some athletics facilities for practice and competitions are in rented spaces off-campus.  Dominican is ranked regionally #1 Best Value in the Midwest, and #3 in Social Mobility, illustrating our commitment to keeping our costs low for our undergraduate students, supporting access and success for students with high financial need and first generation college students.

 

VPF/CFO will develop, regularly update and communicate a forward plan with multi-year projections, in a complex, changing higher education environment.  In collaboration with senior leaders, the VPFA/CFO will play a leadership role in the revenue generation strategy as well the strategic allocation of resources to achieve our goals. In addition, the VPFA/CFO will need to balance fiscal stewardship with operational effectiveness, compensation/benefits strategy, facilities and infrastructure management, and new strategic investments. The successful candidate will be skilled in the use of benchmarks to assess progress, assessment of existing and potential initiatives, and reallocation of resources to respond to changing trends. 

 

While the VPF/CFO provides leadership for financial management, financial health is a shared responsibility requiring stewardship across the University. The successful candidate will be a valued colleague to other senior leaders and a trusted advisor to the President and Board, particularly in matters of financial management. In addition, this leader will communicate clearly and transparently to campus constituents about university finances and will appropriately engage stakeholder groups through shared governance (such as faculty and staff) and Trustees to inform decision-making.  

 

The VPFA/CFO will work closely with their leadership team to oversee key functions in the VPFA/CFO Portfolio which include:

Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago, with an additional campus in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Dominican University offers associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor, thoughtful accompaniment of students, intentional affordability, and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment.

Dominican currently enrolls over 3,900 students, approximately 70% undergraduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% as Black or African American, and 3% as Asian. Under-represented minority students comprise 77% of the undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and 58% are eligible for MAP grants from the State of Illinois.

Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups. For more information, visit www.dom.edu.

Expectations for all Dominican Employees
To support the University's mission of preparing students to pursue truth, give compassionate service, and participate in the creation of a more just and humane world, engage in university service work that promotes collaboration and community building. This includes participating in organizational initiatives, supporting campus events, contributing to community outreach, and fostering a diverse and inclusive environment through involvement in various staff-driven activities and groups.

Dominican University is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds. Upon request, reasonable accommodations in the application process will be provided to individuals with disabilities.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Dominican University is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, protected veterans, and candidates from diverse backgrounds. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected] for assistance.

 

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