Chief Financial Officer

Chief Financial Officer
Friends’ Central School
Wynnewood, Pennsylvania

Friends’ Central School invites applications and nominations for the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).  Friends’ Central is an independent, coeducational, Quaker day school, founded in 1845 and serving students in nursery through grade 12.  Rooted in the Quaker belief of Continuing Revelation, Friends’ Central School promotes a commitment to learning through inquiry, reflection, action, and discovery, and to a life of ongoing joy-filled discovery.  Friends’ Central encourages spiritual growth and intellectual integrity and values a commitment to the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship.  One of the region’s best known Quaker schools, Friends’ Central maintains high academic standards in an atmosphere characterized by respect for the individual and the community.  Friends’ Central currently enrolls a diverse student body of approximately 750 students in three Divisions – Lower School (nursery – Grade 5), Middle School (Grades 6-8), and Upper School (Grades 9-12) – and employs 330 full-time and part-time faculty and staff.  

Reporting to the Head of School, the CFO provides leadership, oversight, and stewardship for all aspects of Friends’ Central School’s financial resources while ensuring absolute institutional integrity on fiscal matters and promoting best practices in finance and administration.  The CFO supports and works closely with the Head of School and Board of Trustees and, as a member of the School’s Core Administrative Leadership Team, plays a key role in determining the strategic direction of the School; developing and executing plans to meet the School’s short-and long-term goals; and recommending financial and administrative objectives, policies, programs, and practices that ensure a sound financial structure for the School.  The CFO provides counsel regarding finances, debt management, budget preparation, long-term financial planning, facilities planning and development, compliance, human resources, information technology, and risk management. The CFO is responsible for the business, financial, human resources, technology, and facilities functions of the School and oversees the  Controller; Director of Physical Plant and Campus Safety; Director of Information Technology; Transportation Manager; and Director of Summer Programs. The CFO staffs several committees of the Board of Trustees, including the Finance, Investment, and Property Committees.

Friends’ Central School seeks an experienced financial and business operations leader who can connect a high level of technical competence with the mission of an independent Friends school and who will be a strategic partner to the Head of School and the Board of Trustees.  The CFO will be dedicated to serving Friends’ Central’s mission, promoting its vision and strategy, and supporting its commitment to academic excellence, diversity, and inclusion.  The CFO will be a visible presence within the Friends’ Central community.  The CFO will exhibit a personal style of self-management that is consistent with Quaker values and culture and that reflects collaboration, transparency, and inclusion.  The CFO will be an independent and strategic thinker with a high degree of emotional intelligence; self-awareness with respect to operating style; the ability to grow, adapt, and serve as both a manager and a mentor of others.  The CFO should bring an awareness of best practices and current regulations, and the ability to educate and engage with others in their implementation.  

The successful candidate will possess at least 10 years in progressively responsible financial and operational leadership roles in a complex environment, preferably within an educational or other mission-driven organization; comprehensive budget and financial planning experience together with experience in analysis and reporting, financial reporting, budgeting, asset management, cash management, investing, audit and regulatory compliance, federal and state tax regulations, and reporting procedures; proven administrative, managerial, supervisory, problem-solving, and planning experience; experience with capital projects; experience with human resources, including the ability to oversee the development and implementation of the School’s employment practices and policies and to provide support and guidance around HR policies, practices, and benefits; excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills, and strong communication skills.  An MBA or other appropriate advanced degree and/or CPA are preferred.

Nominations, inquiries, and applications (including curriculum vitae, cover letter addressing interest, leadership philosophy, and commitment to diversity, and the names of five references) should be directed electronically in confidence to FCSCFO@divsearch.com.

Kim M. Morrisson, Ph.D. Senior Managing Director or Peter J. Gillin, Managing Director
Jennifer Muller, Vice President & Senior Associate
The Diversified Search Group
2005 Market Street, Suite 3300, Philadelphia, PA  19103
215.656.3549

Friends’ Central School seeks candidates with a commitment to fostering an inclusive learning community who will address issues of diversity, as well as enhance the Philosophy of Inclusivity and Awareness articulated in our Diversity Statement.