Description
The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Education is seeking a strategic and forward-thinking financial leader to serve as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The CFO is the senior administrator responsible for the School’s overall financial operations, including budgeting, financial reporting, stewardship of educational gift, and research funds, managing financial relationships with UW–Madison and external partners, and ensuring accurate, timely accounting across all cost centers, accounts, and funds.
Reporting directly to the Dean of the School of Education, the CFO serves as a key member of the Dean’s Leadership Team. In this role, the CFO offers strategic guidance and financial decision-making support, collaborating closely with School leadership—department chairs, directors, and campus partners under the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, including the Madison Budget Office, the Division of Business Services, to advance financial and administrative strategies aligned with the School’s mission and priorities. The CFO is an innovative financial leader who can forecast various financial tracks as well as support the development of plans and strategies to generate new revenue streams. This will require knowledge of complex budget approaches in the changing landscape of higher education.
The School of Education is a multifaceted organization that includes a wide range of academic, outreach, research, and administrative units. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong record of leadership, effective communication, exceptional writing and presentation skills, and the ability to build and support high performing teams. Candidates must also show sound judgment, discretion, and a proven capacity for creative problem-solving.
The CFO will lead a team supporting more than 20 academic departments, units, and centers. This position has responsibility for a school-wide budget of more than $240 million in annual expenditures and oversight of over 750 FTE.
Requirements
- Minimum of eight years of progressive financial leadership experience working in business services related units, including budgeting, finance or human resources.
- Experience managing teams and supervising staff.
