Vice President For Finance and Chief Financial Officer

VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Grinnell, Iowa

 

THE SEARCH

Grinnell College (Grinnell), one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation, seeks an innovative and strategic vice president for finance and chief financial officer (CFO). The successful candidate will build on the College’s exceptionally strong financial foundation, partner with a new and dynamic president, and collaborate with an outstanding faculty and staff to shape Grinnell’s next chapter and secure its place as a global leader in liberal arts education.

 

Grinnell College is a private, coed, residential liberal arts college recognized for its rigorous curriculum and strong tradition of social responsibility. Founded in 1846, Grinnell enrolls approximately 1,700 students, generally from all states and about 50 countries, in 27 major fields and 19 concentrations. Among the nation’s small liberal arts colleges, Grinnell is widely viewed as an institution of the first rank, with an excellent faculty, a skilled staff, a consistently strong and diverse student body, and a well-equipped and beautiful campus. Financially, Grinnell is extremely strong. S&P recently assigned the College a credit rating of AAA. Grinnell’s endowment of $2.9 billion (as of fiscal year end, 2021) is one of the largest endowments of any liberal arts college in the nation on an absolute and per student basis.

 

In July 2020, Grinnell appointed Anne F. Harris as its 14th president. President Harris joined the College in 2019 as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. During her tenure at Grinnell, President Harris has quickly become a trusted and admired member of the college community. As a direct report to the president and an active member of her senior leadership team, the CFO will work collaboratively with the president and other members of the senior staff and provide strategic leadership to execute a complex portfolio of services, including financial planning and management, human resources, facilities management, and auxiliary services.

 

As the chief steward of Grinnell’s financial resources, the CFO’s top priorities will be to bring vision and a long-term strategic perspective to the financial management of Grinnell, ensure funding for strategic priorities, embrace transparency and collaboration, and empower and support a dedicated, talented staff. The CFO will be an active and contributing member of the Grinnell community.

 

The ideal candidate will be an experienced, creative, and astute financial leader with extensive experience in a complex organization. Sharply honed skills in a wide range of finance disciplines are essential, as well as experience with the development and successful execution of long-term, enterprise-level financial leadership in support of key strategic priorities and initiatives. The CFO must be an excellent communicator with exceptional relationship-building skills, a commitment to the highest ethical and professional standards, and a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and collegially in a diverse, strongly mission-driven academic community.

 

Grinnell College has retained the services of Isaacson, Miller, a Boston-based national executive search firm, to assist in conducting this important search. All inquiries, applications, and nominations for this opportunity should be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of this document.

 

 

TO APPLY

A letter of interest outlining experience and education as they relate to this position, and a resume should be sent in confidence to:

Jack Gorman, Partner

Dan Rodas, Partner

Tim Lanigan, Senior Associate

Isaacson, Miller

Telephone: (617) 262-6500

www.imsearch.com/8207

 

Grinnell College is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals who collectively reflect the diversity of the nation. No applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, religion, creed, or disability.

 

For further information about Grinnell College, see the college website at http://www.grinnell.edu.