Vice President, Finance & Administration

Vice President, Finance & Administration

Santa Clara University (“SCU”) invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice President, Finance & Administration. The university seeks a proven, strategic, and collaborative leader to join its leadership team.

Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara University blends high-tech innovation with a social consciousness grounded in the Jesuit educational tradition. Santa Clara University is committed to leaving the world a better place. They pursue new technology, encourage creativity, engage with their communities, and share an entrepreneurial mindset. Their goal is to help shape the next generation of leaders and global thinkers. Santa Clara's undergraduate and graduate programs span areas ranging from psychology to sustainable-energy engineering and from theatre arts to business analytics. This Jesuit, Catholic University has almost 9,000 students (5,571 undergraduate) and draws on a more than 450-year-tradition of educating the whole person for a life of service and leadership. This diverse community of scholars, characterized by small classes and a values-oriented curriculum, is dedicated to educating students for competence, conscience, and compassion. The 106-acre campus is located in Santa Clara, Calif., at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay, approximately two miles from San Jose International Airport. The University enjoys a moderate climate year-round; the sun shines approximately 300 days a year.

Reporting to the President, and a member of the President’s Cabinet, the Vice President, Finance & Administration (“VPFA”) will provide financial and administrative leadership to support the core activities of the University. In addition to managing the day-to-day activities of this important function, the VPFA will play a key role to support a significant capital campaign which is critical to the implementation of the University’s Strategic Plan. In close partnership with the President and Provost, who set the institutional priorities, the VPFA ensures that the financial, capital and infrastructure are strongly aligned with the academic mission of the University. The immediate focus of the role is to align the finance and administration functions with the ambitious plans for growth and visibility that the University has set for itself. The VPFA will look to modernize the thinking, culture, systems and processes within these functions, with the aim of achieving a level of financial and operational efficiency and effectiveness that will have a transformative impact on the institution and set it on a sustainable course going forward. This individual will have oversight of an operating budget of $500 million, and a finance and administration team that includes approximately 180 total fixed-term and regular staff. 

The successful candidate will have a minimum of 15-years of demonstrated progressively responsible financial leadership experience, preferably in higher education, as well as the gravitas to join SCU’s dynamic leadership team. A bachelor’s degree is required; a master’s degree is preferred. 

Santa Clara University has retained Korn Ferry, a national executive recruiting firm, to assist with this search. All nominations, inquiries, and application materials should be submitted in confidence to Korn Ferry. Korn Ferry will begin reviewing applications immediately and continue to accept applications and nominations until the position is filled. Please direct all applications, nominations, and inquiries for the position to the search firm at the contact information below: 

SCU-VPFA@kornferry.com

Santa Clara University is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and California State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. Applications from members of historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged. For a complete copy of Santa Clara University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policies, see https://www.scu.edu/title-ix/policies-reports/