Chief Financial Officer & Vice President for Operations

Sarah Lawrence College

Chief Financial Officer & Vice President for Operations

Bronxville, New York 

Sarah Lawrence College, a prestigious, residential, coeducational liberal arts college renowned for its distinctive and innovative educational vision, seeks a chief financial officer & vice president of operations (CFO/VPO) to form a strong partnership with President Cristle Collins Judd, senior staff and the college community in shaping the next chapter of the College’s exciting history.

Sarah Lawrence College has been a pioneer of innovative educational programs from its very beginning in 1926. The institution embraces a rigorous and personalized approach through immersive and experiential study centered on close work with faculty in an open curriculum. Progressive educational principles are at the heart of Sarah Lawrence’s mission and vision. As the College approaches its second century, Sarah Lawrence continues to serve as a trailblazer in the shifting 21st-century landscape of higher education. A Sarah Lawrence education imparts the skills — as well as the courage — to think creatively and analytically; work independently and collaboratively; and act with confidence and sensitivity in a complex and ever-evolving world. Success in the realization of the College’s mission rests on building a community of students, faculty, administration and staff who reflect the diversity of society and creating an environment in which people from different backgrounds and with different views are prepared to treat one another with mutual respect and honest curiosity so that they can engage and learn from one another.

The College’s open and collaborative approach to undergraduate education in the Liberal Arts encourages its 1,365 baccalaureate-seeking students to engage extensively in multidisciplinary study. Its 230+ Masters-seeking students are enrolled across nine programs in the Arts, Health Sciences & Society, and Childhood Education. Many of these programs, for example Human Genetics and Health Advocacy, were the first of their kind in the nation.

The College’s faculty consists of 173 full-time-equivalent instructors and there are approximately 264 FTE staff. The College campus — in suburban Southern Westchester County, about a 30-minute train or car ride from midtown Manhattan — spans 42 contiguous acres with more than 745,000 square feet of instructional, residential, recreational and administrative space.

The new CFO/VPO of Sarah Lawrence College will serve as an essential strategic advisor to the president, working collaboratively with her, the Board of Trustees, the senior leadership team, faculty, staff and student leaders to ensure a successful and stable financial future for the College. The CFO/VPO supports and staffs the board of trustees’ finance, audit, and investment and facilities committees and has primary responsibility for the development and implementation of the College’s annual operating budget of approximately $80+ million along with an endowment of approximately $120 million. The CFO/VPO provides leadership for, and has managerial oversight of, finance and treasury functions, facilities, public safety and purchasing operations and auxiliary services.

The new CFO/VPO will come to the role with a distinguished record of advanced leadership in finance and administration, as well as demonstrated successes in meeting (or exceeding) strategic goals and objectives, in higher education or a similarly complex organizational setting. The CFO/VPO will be a superb communicator with exceptional analytical skills who works collaboratively with colleagues; understands and respects shared governance; and advances an environment of inclusive decision-making, student success and best practices, as well as show understanding of the importance of the College's educational philosophy and mission while addressing financial challenges. A demonstrated ability to work with diverse communities is required. A nuanced understanding of emerging needs and trends in higher education is highly desirable. For more information, please visit www.wittkieffer.com.

WittKieffer is assisting Sarah Lawrence College in this search. All applications, nominations and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in the leadership profile. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal by April 30, 2021. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Robert Luke and Kim Brettschneider via SLC-CFO@wittkieffer.com.

Sarah Lawrence College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and has as one of its goals the recruitment and retention of a racially and culturally diverse administration, staff and faculty. To that end, every job opening is seen as an opportunity to increase diversity and every effort will be made to expand the applicant pool in accordance with these goals.