Jobs

The George Washington University

Finance Director, Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

Experiencing continued growth and excellence, the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the largest academic unit at The George Washington University (GW), seeks a talented and creative person for the position of Finance Director.



GW is the largest institution of higher education in the nation's capital and offers comprehensive programs of undergraduate and graduate liberal arts study as well as degree programs in medicine, public health, law, engineering, education, business, and international affairs. GW includes a diverse population of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and more than 120 countries. The University currently enrolls approximately 20,000 full time equivalent students at all of its campuses in the District of Columbia and Virginia.



With over 5,100 undergraduate and 2,200 graduate students, the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences (CCAS) provides the academic foundation for undergraduate students across GW. Over 450 full-time and 70 regular part- time faculty members teach a curriculum that includes 46 undergraduate majors and 58 undergraduate minors, with courses ranging from Japanese, Journalism, and Judaic Studies, to Biophysics, History, and Interior Design. Research and teaching are completely integrated. On the graduate side, there are 34 Master's Programs (e.g., American Studies, Forensic Science, and Media and Public Affairs), 21 Doctoral Programs (e.g., Biological Sciences, Epidemiology, and Professional Psychology), and six Graduate Certificate Programs (e.g., Applied Quantitative Risk Analysis, Documentary Filmmaking, and Statistics). CCAS's operating budget is over $188 million.



Reporting directly to the Assistant Vice President for Financial Management with a dotted line to the Dean for the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, the Finance Director (FD) manages the fiscal operations of CCAS that includes the annual budget, accounting, purchasing, payroll, human resources, information technology, facilities, and grant management. The Finance Director oversees a total staff of 20 people and manages a dedicated and strong administrative staff comprised of: two Associate Directors of Finance and Administration and the Director of Information Technology. The FD oversees the evaluation of various income and expense reports that includes analyses of the financial feasibility of existing and new academic programs with respect to price elasticity, enrollment demand, and fixed and variable costs. The FD reviews major purchases, coordinates the financial responsibilities of construction and major renovation projects, oversees the performance management process for administrative staff, and manages contracts. Finally, the FD serves as a senior advisor and sounding board to the Dean on administrative and finance issues and interacts closely with key faculty members to ensure CCAS remains strong financially and administratively.



Compelling candidates will possess: a minimum of seven years of professional level fiscal operations and administrative experience, to include financial analysis, budget management, and internal controls of at least a $10 million enterprise; a minimum of three years of supervisory responsibility managing at least four people; a demonstrated track record of conducting financial and thoughtful analysis to determine the feasibility of new initiatives and programs; a proven track record of developing relationships with faculty and staff; the ability to manage a staff of dedicated administrative professionals and to hold staff accountable; excellent problem solving and interpersonal skills; the ability to build bridges and be an 'out of the box' thinker; and a Bachelor's Degree with a Master's Degree highly desirable. Previous professional level financial experience within a complex private higher education or other non-profit environment is highly preferred.



GW has retained the services of Diversified Search to assist in the search process, and we would be pleased to answer any questions or supply further information. Send inquiries and nominations, in confidence, to:

Andrew C. Wheeler, Chief Lean Officer & Managing Director

Nancy Helfman, Vice President and Senior Associate

Karen A. Engel, Executive Assistant

Diversified Search

One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 3300

Philadelphia, PA 19103

215-656-3579

gwfinancedirector@divsearch.com



AA/EOE