Senior Vice President, Finance and Budget & Chief Financial Officer

Stony Brook University invites applications and nominations for the Senior Vice President, Finance and Budget & Chief Financial Officer (SVP-CFO).

Reporting to Stony Brook’s President, the SVP-CFO is the senior financial leader for all of Stony Brook University. The role entails responsibility for formulating medium- and long-term financial strategy and for operationalizing efficient and effective services and systems that support the finance and budget activities of the University. The scope of the role, in sync with President Maurie McInnis’ commitment to pursuing a “one university” model for Stony Brook, encompasses strategy and oversight for the University and Health campuses.

Created to bring expertise in budgeting, financial planning, and operations to the president’s senior leadership team, the SVP-CFO position entails expert financial management in applying the University’s resources to meet institutional priorities and objectives as well as to manage risks. They are responsible for leading the planning, strategy, reporting, and stewardship of University resources in collaboration with other University- and school-based leaders including those in Health. And they are expected to continue to develop and refine an all-funds financial model with associated systems and business practices that will enable longer-term financial planning, increased transparency, and more effective operational management and reporting at all levels of the University.

The SVP-CFO will be a strategic, inclusive, collaborative, and innovative leader who weighs decisions thoughtfully and involves others in the decision-making process as appropriate. They must work with the highest levels of integrity, honesty, and openness and must create strong and enduring collaborative relationships with colleagues, faculty, staff, and State University of New York (SUNY) central administration.  

As important as expertise in finance and budget are certain core qualities. These include the ability to lead through influence regardless of positional authority; a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion that is lived, visible, and actualized; the ability to develop the trust relationships that enable effective change-management in a decentralized environment with matrixed lines of authority and accountability; and the credibility to represent Stony Brook to advisory and governance entities.

Stony Brook is a leading public university, an internationally recognized research and medical institution, and a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. A flagship institution within the SUNY system, Stony Brook is located less than 60 miles east of Manhattan on Long Island’s beautiful North Shore. As Long Island’s largest single-site employer, the University has over 15,000 full- and part-time employees, including more than 2,700 faculty. Stony Brook’s 2019-20 operating budget was $3 billion, with monies generated from a variety of sources including academic and research funds, hospital revenue, tuition, state support, and philanthropic dollars. To learn more about the community and the benefits of working at Stony Brook University, explore here

The full position description can be viewed here.

Stony Brook University has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Craig Smith, Partner, and Sarah Gaines, Associate Partner, are leading the search along with Thomas Lapierre, Senior Associate. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations can be sent to thomas.lapierre@opuspartners.net.

To apply, candidates must provide a resume and a letter of interest. Stony Brook University values diversity, equity, and inclusion and will seek a leader who is committed to promoting these values. (You can read more about Stony Brook’s efforts here.) We encourage candidates to include in their cover letters how they have promoted these values in their career and/or how they would plan to do so in this role.

Stony Brook University is committed to excellence in diversity and the creation of an inclusive learning and working environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.