VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS AFFAIRS & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) invites nominations, inquiries, and applications for a visionary and strategic leader with a proven commitment to financial and academic excellence and shared decision making to serve as its next Vice President, Business Affairs & Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Click here for a copy of the full prospectus: UNLV VP & CFO

The Vice President, Business Affairs and CFO reports to the President and provides vision, leadership, and strategic direction for the following areas of responsibility:

  • Administrative Services
  • Facilities Management
  • Financial Services
  • Financial Planning, Budget & Analysis
  • Planning, Construction and Real Estate
  • Support services: Compliance, Communication, Change Management, Project Management

The VP also represents UNLV on the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Business Officers Council (BOC).. The Council provides strategic guidance for finance, human capital (HCM), payroll, system-wide financial and administrative shared services, and their supporting applications across the eight institutions and System Administration comprising the System. The BOC establishes goals, policies, procedures and setting priorities for NSHE finance and administrative functions.

To execute this role successfully, the VP leads an organization of approximately 500 employees that deliver essential infrastructure services for the institution. In addition to ensuring the effective operations, the VP is expected to fulfill the following overall responsibilities, and to ensure that leadership within Business Affairs fulfill these expectations as well.

The Business Affairs division is committed to building a positive, productive, and healthy organization that enables our team to serve the institution effectively.

The individual in this role is expected to:

  • Demonstrate exceptional leadership and communication skills.
  • Provide strategic and innovative leadership in supporting the President and leadership in achieving the institutional Top Tier 2.0 vision and goals. For specifics, click HERE (https://www.unlv.edu/toptier/about).
  • Provide strategic leadership and vision in developing the organization structure and team members of the Business Affairs division to ensure that the areas of responsibility deliver results that meet or exceed expectations, in alignment with Top Tier 2.0 vision and goals.
  • Develop and manage policies, procedures, and standards.
  • Communicate regularly and effectively with team members, the campus community, and external stakeholders. This includes not only basic oral and written, but also development of webpages, newsletters, and other mechanisms to provide information and resources to campus users and external stakeholders.
  • Address complex and sensitive issues with leadership and, as required, present to the system office, the board of regents, external entities, and a variety of other stakeholders.
  • Develop positive and effective working relationships with key colleagues and stakeholders across the campus community to foster trust, collaboration, and shared commitment.
  • Collaborate with colleagues throughout business affairs in identifying opportunities to serve campus more effectively, and addressing challenges in a timely manner.
  • Consult with campus, system office, State, and local governing agencies as well as the community as appropriate for relevant issues to understand and assess current and anticipated needs.
  • Serve on committees across campus as assigned that deal with a broad spectrum of university issues.
  • Effectively lead virtual, in-person and hybrid meetings.

The individual in this role is expected to establish and foster a strong, cohesive, and high-functioning team focused on results and built on trust, robust dialogue, commitment, and accountability; and to clearly convey UNLV and divisional missions and expectations, define roles and responsibilities, and build commitment to unit and institutional purpose and goals.

Required Knowledge:

  • Advanced knowledge of financial, budget and business operations in higher education or a similarly complex environment.
  • Knowledge of software applications, technology tools and mechanized systems related to the services and functions managed within the division.
  • Knowledge of principles and practices of recruiting, training, supervision, and performance evaluation, including equity and promotion procedures as well as progressive discipline procedures and documentation.

Preferred Knowledge: 

  • Knowledge of how the areas of responsibility are managed within higher education or similarly complex environment.
  • Knowledge of relevant UNLV and NSHE organization, operations, policies, and objectives.

Required Skills:

  • Advanced skills in budget, financial management, analysis, and contract management.
  • Advanced and inclusive leadership skills managing employees, activities, and change.
  • Skills in developing effective and professional relationships with team members, customers and a diverse group of colleagues, executives, managers, and subject matter experts.
  • Interpersonal effectiveness skills including professionalism, ability to address and manage conflict and difficult situations with tact, patience, and diplomacy.
  • Strong time management skills and ability to deliver work on assigned schedules.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  • Strong skills with software and tools used in the environment including Google Workspace and Microsoft products for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, video conferencing, shared workspaces, mail, calendaring, etc.

Preferred Skills:

  • Advanced leadership, analytical, written, and verbal communications skills in complex environment.
  • Proficiency in software and tools used in the environment including Google Workspace and Microsoft products for word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, video conferencing, shared workspaces, mail, calendaring, etc.

Required Abilities:

  • Proven ability to build a vision and foster an inclusive, high-trust environment that achieves results.
  • Ability to lead teams and serve as a role model, coach, and mentor.
  • Ability to leverage technology and data to increase automation, streamline processes, and add value by generating data that can support analysis, inform decisions, identify concerns, and lead to continuous improvement.
  • Ability to manage effectively in a resource constrained environment.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with members of the campus community, system office members, and state and local government agencies, and the general public.
  • Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues to resolve complex issues to achieve desired outcomes or address significant issues, and also ability to act decisively and independently when requirement by circumstances.
  • Ability to effectively communicate information related to the areas of responsibilities to diverse constituencies, at the appropriate level considering the audience and environment.

Preferred Abilities:

  • Ability to relate effectively to people of varied academic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds with respect, tact, diplomacy, and courtesy.
  • Ability to advance institutional priorities and support diversity and a culture of non-discrimination.

Required Experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, accounting, or relevant field.
  • A minimum of 10+ years senior-level management experience financial management and related areas.

Preferred Experience:

  • Advanced degree in finance, accounting, or business from an accredited institution.
  • Professional accreditation such as CPA.
  • Senior level experience in a similar role in Higher Education.
  • Experience working in a shared governance environment.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a public research institution committed to rigorous educational programs and promoting well-being and achievement through education, research, scholarship, and creative activity. Founded in 1957, UNLV has rapidly grown from a small branch campus to a thriving, ambitious institution. One of eight institutions in the Nevada System of Higher Education, and one of the System’s two Research I institutions, UNLV has an endowment of $245 million and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. The University enrolls more than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,000 graduate and professional students, and it employs over 4,000 faculty and staff. The University offers 290 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs and 100 certificate programs. UNLV is home to more than 300 majors and academic offerings.

UNLV is one of the nation’s most diverse universities, with more than 65 percent of its degree-seeking undergraduates identifying as part of a racial or ethnic minority. U.S. News & World Report ranks UNLV as the nation’s second-most diverse university for undergraduates. UNLV meets federal Minority Serving Institution requirements as an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution and a Hispanic- Serving Institution and is dedicated to providing education access and opportunity in southern Nevada. The University is also committed to academic success for its students – from the day they arrive for orientation, during their time on campus, and into their chosen careers. This includes a vibrant Honors College, an innovative curriculum with a defined course path for undergraduates, and access to academic and career advising – including a dedicated Academic Success Center as well as a thriving Graduate College. UNLV has more than 175 graduate programs and certificates, approximately 5,000 graduate and professional students, over 1,000 Graduate Assistants, and more than 1,200 graduate faculty members.

UNLV continues to press forward on its Top Tier Initiative, a campus-wide strategic plan to join the ranks of the nation’s top public universities in research, education, and community impact by 2025. UNLV is committed to its core strategic goals: to enable student achievement and provide a superb educational experience; to establish Nevada’s first academic health center to advance the region’s healthcare; to promote research, scholarship, and creative activity amongst faculty and students; and to facilitate more consistent and robust community partnerships.

As a top tier university, UNLV holds the nation’s highest recognition for both research and community engagement from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching – the gold standard for university metrics. UNLV attracts top students and faculty, educates a diversifying population and workforce, and drives economic activity through innovation, research, and community partnerships. UNLV stimulates economic development and diversification, fosters a climate of innovation, and enriches the cultural vitality of the surrounding communities. The University’s impact and economic presence is felt throughout the state as more than 60% of UNLV’s 120,000 alumni reside in Nevada.

The Search Committee invites letters of interest and nominations to be submitted directly to the search firm, Anthem Executive. Correspondence should include a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest describing relevant experience and interest in the position, and should be submitted to Scott Watson, Michael Ballew, JR Wheless, or Florene Stawowy at:

UNLVCFOVP@AnthemExecutive.com

Letters of interest and nominations should be submitted right away in order to assure consideration. Expressing interest is the first step in receiving consideration and does not make one an applicant for the position.

 

UNLV is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action educator and employer committed to achieving excellence through diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas employs only United States citizens and non-citizens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. Women, under-represented groups, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.