Vice President of Finance

Northeast College of Health Sciences

Vice President of Finance

 

Seneca Falls, NY

$200,000 - $205,000

Managing Budget: $31 million

Reports to: Dr. Michael Mestan, President

 

Northeast College of Health Sciences (Northeast College) seeks an experienced, collaborative, and entrepreneurial finance leader to serve as its next vice president of finance. The anticipated start date is December 2025, and the position is eligible for Northeast College’s hybrid work program.

 

Responsibilities of the Position

 

The vice president of finance (VPF) serves as a key member of the senior leadership team (senior staff) and reports directly to the president of Northeast College of Health Sciences (Northeast College). This officer-level role provides strategic oversight of all business and financial operations in support of the college’s primary mission. The VPF will bring new and creative ideas for the overall financial and operational improvements to ensure the college’s financial health and long-term fiscal vitality. This includes managing financial planning and analysis, budgeting, accounting, investments, risk, and compliance. The VPF engages and collaborates with all stakeholders at Northeast College, with particular coordination with data-rich partners such as academic affairs, enrollment management, and institutional effectiveness and compliance.

 

The VPF leads a team comprising nine staff members in finance and human resources and directly supervises the controller and director of human resources.

 

Selected primary duties of the vice president of finance include the following:

 

Organizational Leadership and Strategy

 

• Serve as a strategic partner to the president and senior staff to advance Northeast College’s mission through sound financial stewardship.

• Lead the finance division to ensure institutional financial goals are met with integrity and accountability.

• Present and serve as a liaison to the board of trustees’ audit and finance and investments committees.

• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to facilitate executive decision-making.

• Promote a culture of transparency, service, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

 

Financial Management

 

• Direct all financial accounting, reporting, and controls to ensure compliance with applicable standards and regulations.

• Oversee the development and management of the college’s $31 million operating budget, which includes a $3 million capital budget.

• Lead cash flow forecasting, planning, and day-to-day cash management.

• Manage the college’s $67 million investments and endowment with an emphasis on strong stewardship of funds.

• Identifies and secures strategic partnerships to create alternate revenue streams.

 

Compliance & Reporting

 

• Promote a continuous culture of ethics, integrity, accountability, and compliance at the college by ensuring adherence to federal and state laws and regulations and the college’s policies and procedures.

• Establish procedures for accounting and maintaining records for all federal and state grants and appropriations, and prepare data for all required reports.

• Ensure timely and accurate financial reports for internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies.

• Oversee financial audits and ensure resolution of any findings or recommendations.

 

Risk and Insurance Management

 

• Promote a culture of risk awareness within the college, empowering employees and offices/departments to participate in risk mitigation efforts.

• Develop and implement strategies to identify and mitigate risks, including implementing internal controls and establishing policies and procedures.

• Perform liability risk analysis for all College insurance and make recommendations to the president for a strategy that protects the college and is cost-efficient.

• Serve as a primary contact for the college’s insurance providers and act as a compliance officer for issues affecting the college.

 

Human Resources Oversight

 

• Provide leadership and supervision to the Human Resources department.

• Ensure HR policies support institutional effectiveness, employee engagement, and regulatory compliance.

• Partner with the director of human resources to manage employee compensation and benefits budgets, retirement, and group health plan costs.

 

Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate

 

Minimum requirements include a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field; CPA certification or advanced degree (e.g., MBA, MAcc) in lieu of CPA certification; five years of progressive leadership experience in finance for a complex, multi-unit organization, including supervision and mentoring of staff; and excellent interpersonal and communication abilities.

 

The search committee is particularly interested in candidates with strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills; proficiency in financial software; and the ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment. Experience with higher education financial systems and regulations, and familiarity with institutional accreditation and federal reporting requirements are preferred but not required.

 

In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders indicated that the vice president of finance should be someone who is:

• A collaborative manager who can mentor and harness the energies and talents of the finance division.

• An interested and active listener.

• Able to embrace and support President Mestan’s “ever-better” philosophy.

• Knowledgeable about financial strategies and finance-related performance metrics.

• Excited about a small and agile organization that is looking to grow.

• Skilled in leading and supporting organizational innovation.

• A critical thinker with the ability to balance financial discipline with informed risk-taking.

• Able to translate financial information to colleagues who are not finance experts.

 

History of the Position

 

Northeast College of Health Sciences has had impressive continuity in the vice president of finance position in the last two decades, with two highly successful leaders serving in the role since 2001.  The current vice president is retiring after two decades of service to Northeast College, first as the college’s controller for over 17 years, and as vice president of finance since 2022.

 

Opportunities and Challenges of the Role

 

Northeast College of Health Sciences’ new vice president of finance will join a community characterized by a deep ethic of care for its students, faculty, and staff and a strong collegial culture across the college. This position is an outstanding opportunity for a finance leader who is energized by the prospect of collaborating deeply with the president, senior leadership team, board of trustees, and faculty and staff colleagues to build on Northeast College’s momentum and strong financial position.

 

In transitioning to Northeast College, the VPF will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:

 

• The new vice president is joining a strong and collegial senior staff team, each of whom is a respected and experienced leader in their own right. The president and all colleagues on the senior staff are looking for a thought partner to engage with them in continuing to strengthen the college’s financial position by crafting a cogent and strategic financial strategy, developing realistic medium- and long-term strategic financial plans, engaging effectively with the Board of Trustees, and providing financial insights to make the best possible business decisions and drive sustainable growth at the college.

• The college has historically been highly disciplined and strategic in its financial strategy and carries a low debt service in the form of tax-exempt bonds due to end in 2027. There is strong consensus among college leadership that the next VPF should continue this thoughtful approach to debt, while recognizing that debt might be a viable strategy in specific scenarios.

• The college is highly enrollment-dependent, with tuition and fees generating roughly 83 percent of college revenue. Within this context, the college is committed to strategically growing enrollment by introducing new academic programs. The new VPF will be a key collaborator and thought partner with the president and vice president of academic affairs on scenario planning as new academic programs are being considered and ultimately launched.

• In addition to growing enrollment, the college has a strong interest in exploring creative and sustainable ideas for diversifying revenue sources. The new VPF will provide leadership on evaluating and proposing mission-aligned auxiliary opportunities and external partnerships to further strengthen the college’s financial viability.

• Like many of its peers, Northeast College has a complex and aging physical and technology infrastructure, and its current strategic plan prioritizes master planning and infrastructure development. A campus master plan was developed in 2024, and the current vice president of finance has utilized the master plan document to inform the five-year financial projections. The new VPF will need to become acquainted with both the master plan and the details of the five-year deferred maintenance schedule and continue to collaborate with colleagues on implementing the deferred maintenance program and updating and refining the college’s financial projections.

• The national trend in the rising cost of health care and other employee benefits continues to impact the college’s budget. The VPF will work closely with the director of human resources on broker selection, cost analysis, and implementation of measures to optimize benefits spending and attract and retain talent.

 

Measures of Success

 

The items listed below will define the vice president of finance’s success throughout the first 12 – 18 months of employment:

 

• The VPF is viewed as a curious and collaborative leader and colleague on the president’s senior staff and contributes at a high level.

• The VPF’s relationship with the Board of Trustees is characterized by open and transparent communication, strong rapport and trust, and focuses on the big picture while providing the necessary insights and context for decision-making.

• The VPF has maintained a proactive, highly visible, and well-respected leadership presence on campus that is collegial and credible.

• The college’s annual financial audits are completed successfully and in a timely manner.

• The VPF has communicated clear expectations for the finance division, and performance is carefully assessed, with delineated opportunities for growth and continual improvement identified and supported.

• The new VPF has demonstrated that they are process-driven and outcome-oriented.