Chief Financial Officer

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule: Hybrid Schedule (3 Days On-site)
• Salary Range: $160,000-$178,000

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Position Summary

Reporting to the Dean of the Columbia School of Social Work (CSSW), the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for strategically planning, leading, and managing the School's financial operations. CSSW hosts two graduate programs (the MS and PhD in Social Work), robust community and global initiatives, and an extensive portfolio of research programs.

The CFO will oversee strategic financial planning and forecasting, synthesizing and analyzing financial data to inform decision-making and resource allocation. This role will lead the development of a sustainable financial model that supports growth, innovation, and long-term agility for the School.

The CFO will manage a team of finance professionals responsible for budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and compliance; build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including central University finance offices and external partners; and ensure transparent and effective financial management practices.

As a key member of the School's senior leadership team, the CFO will translate the Dean's strategic vision into actionable financial strategies that advance CSSW's mission, goals, and priorities.

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional strategic and analytical thinking, strong collaboration and communication skills, and the ability to influence and build trust across diverse stakeholder groups. They will be a proactive leader who inspires high performance within their team, promotes accountability and continuous improvement, and fosters a culture of inclusion, transparency, and service excellence. The CFO will bring both a strategic mindset and hands-on expertise to balance financial stewardship with innovation and long-term institutional sustainability.

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Responsibilities

Financial Modeling, Forecasting, and Decision Support

The CFO will:

• Drive financial strategy and performance as an active member of the Dean's senior leadership team, participating in meetings of the Dean's Direct Reports (DDR) and the Council of Deans (COD) to align financial goals with academic and operational priorities.
• Lead financial performance management in partnership with the Dean, Vice Dean, and School leadership-identifying revenue growth opportunities, optimizing resource allocation, and implementing cost-efficiency initiatives to strengthen the School's fiscal health.
• Design and implement dynamic budgeting and forecasting models that inform strategic decisions, anticipate financial risks, and promote long-term sustainability and diversification of revenue streams.
• Develop and refine business plans and financial models to evaluate program viability, optimize operations, and support data-driven financial decision-making across the School.
• Advance financial literacy and accountability among School leaders by creating and disseminating clear, actionable financial dashboards and reports that highlight key performance indicators and trends. Facilitate regular discussions to interpret results and guide decision-making.
• Represent CSSW on University finance committees, contributing strategic insights and ensuring alignment with institutional financial planning and compliance standards.

Effective Leadership of Budget, Payroll, and Accounting Operations for CSSW

The CFO will:

• Lead the development and continuous refinement of a transparent, comprehensive budget that serves as a core management tool for the School-encompassing the five-year forecast, annual and quarterly reports, and detailed monthly expense analyses.
• Drive proactive financial performance monitoring by analyzing revenues, expenses, and variances; evaluating new funding proposals; and managing institutional cost components such as internal taxes, fringe rates, and government overheads to ensure fiscal integrity and informed decision-making.
• Direct and optimize personnel budgeting and work collaboratively with the CSSW Office of Human Resources payroll management, ensuring accurate forecasting, efficient resource utilization, and alignment with organizational goals.
• Collaborate with the Office of Financial Aid on tuition, financial aid, and student financing operations, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and fiscal accountability.
• Partner with the Offices of Sponsored Projects and Development to strengthen financial management of grants, contracts, gifts, and endowments, ensuring compliance and maximum impact of funds.
• Collaborate with Associate Deans and Directors to support strategic budget planning and interpretation across 20 departments and approximately 1,000 projects, fostering a culture of financial discipline and ownership.
• Administer and secure the School's financial systems, overseeing financial security access, workflow integrity, and compliance with University standards.
• Supervise and approve all financial transactions, including accounts payable, CONCUR, ARC, PCard, and Travel Card processes, as well as journal transfers, deposits, and salary distributions, ensuring timeliness and accuracy.
• Coach and support finance staff and end-users in financial systems (CONCUR, ARC, PAC), providing training on compliance, transaction processing, and best practices to improve operational efficiency.
• Liaise with central University finance offices to ensure adherence to institutional, governmental, and sponsor requirements, maintaining alignment with regulatory standards and deadlines.
• Implement robust internal controls to safeguard assets and ensure accountability-maintaining preventive and detective mechanisms that uphold compliance with tax, accounting, and audit standards.
• Champion the effective use of financial systems and tools, overseeing the School's adoption of University platforms for budgeting, accounting, and cash management to enhance data integrity and decision support.

Supervision of Staff

The CFO will:

• Lead, develop, and empower the finance team, which includes the Director of Finance, Assistant Director of Finance, and Financial Assistant, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. Provide coaching, professional development, and performance feedback to strengthen individual and team capabilities and ensure operational excellence.
• Drive change and operational transformation by setting clear goals, defining performance metrics, and implementing process improvements that enhance efficiency, transparency, and service quality across financial operations.
• Serve as the primary liaison to the CSSW Office of Information Technology (under the supervision of CUIT), promoting alignment between financial systems, data integrity, and technology-driven process innovation to support the School's strategic objectives.

Perform other related duties as assigned

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Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field, and a minimum of seven years of progressively responsible financial management experience, including leadership of professional staff and oversight of complex budgets.
• Proven expertise in financial strategy, analysis, and modeling, including budgeting, forecasting, variance and financial statement analysis, and long-range financial planning that supports organizational growth and sustainability.
• Effective leadership, organizational, and change management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage, develop, and lead a sizeable staff in an evolving financial environment.
• Proven ability to establish realistic and achievable priorities and to lead teams in meeting goals and objectives through collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
• Experienced in supervising and mentoring administrative and support staff, fostering professional growth and building a culture of engagement and excellence.
• Strong stakeholder management and consensus-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across academic, administrative, and external constituencies to align financial strategy with institutional goals.
• Exceptional analytical, judgment, and problem-solving abilities, with initiative and creativity in addressing complex financial and operational challenges.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential, with the ability to present complex financial information clearly and persuasively to a wide range of audiences.
• Strong integrity, work ethic, and resiliency required to navigate a dynamic academic environment and uphold the highest standards of financial stewardship.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with the ability to work effectively with a broad range of colleagues and clients in a complex academic setting.
• Comprehensive understanding of budgeting, accounting principles, and Profit & Loss management, with a successful record of improving processes, implementing financial controls, and driving organizational change.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other financial analysis tools; experience with enterprise-level financial systems strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with Columbia University's financial and accounting systems and administrative processes preferred.

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Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.