Associate Vice President for Financial Planning and Business Services

Associate Vice President for Financial Planning and Business Services

Bucknell University invites nominations and applications for the inaugural position of Associate Vice President for Financial Planning and Business Services (AVP). Reporting to the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the AVP will play a pivotal role shaping the financial health and future of the University. The role encompasses a broad spectrum of responsibilities ranging from overseeing the fiscal affairs of the University to developing and overseeing the management of fiscal policies and systems at Bucknell, all the while collaborating with diverse and engaged community stakeholders.

Established in 1846 as the University at Lewisburg, Bucknell is supported by over 1,200 full-time employees (roughly 400 faculty and nearly 900 staff) and has a dedicated network of more than 57,000 alumni. 3,846 undergraduates and 46 graduate students, representing most U.S. states and 57 countries, are enrolled across Bucknell’s three colleges: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the Kenneth W. Freeman College of Management. Bucknell awards bachelor’s degrees in more than 50 fields, including nine interdisciplinary programs. A small number of master’s degrees are awarded in selected fields. For fiscal year 2023-24, Bucknell has an operating budget of $273 million and an endowment that surpassed $1 billion for the first time in fiscal year 2021. Bucknell University stewards more than 450 acres of campus property and maintains 150 buildings, the oldest of which dates back to 1840; the newest, West Campus Apartments, were completed in summer 2023, with two more apartment buildings scheduled to open in 2024. Most students live on campus all four years, fostering a vibrant, close-knit living and learning community. Bucknell’s campus, located in Lewisburg, PA, is among the most attractive in the country, and the University offers a competitive benefits package, including tuition remission and generous paid time off.

Reporting to the Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the inaugural Associate Vice President will work with colleagues and constituencies across the institution to advance the mission of the University, while persevering its fiscal health and stability. Leveraging institutional trajectory, Bucknell’s talented faculty, and their connection to industry, the AVP will contribute to Bucknell’s reputation as a hub of excellence that attracts top students, faculty, and research partners. They will be charged with: overseeing the fiscal affairs, policies, and systems of the University; modernizing the budgeting and modeling process; overseeing and implementing a comprehensive financial planning process; building trusting and productive relationships across numerous institutional stakeholders; and overseeing the management and operation of several University Business Services.

The ideal candidate for the role will be a seasoned financial professional with a master’s degree (CPA preferred) in business, finance, or related field, and a minimum of seven years of directly related professional experience. The AVP will bring a demonstrated finance and budget acumen, along with the ability to communicate complex short- and long-term financial projections with subject matter expertise. They will be a strategic thinker and a dedicated, visionary leader who can foster transparent and collaborative working relationships among a diverse set of constituents. They will have a proven commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, and will be willing to contribute to Bucknell’s efforts to create an inclusive and equitable culture.

Bucknell is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse community and promotes all its members’ full participation and inclusion. Grounded in the belief that diversity challenges assumptions, opens minds, and unlocks collective potential to solve any problem, the Director will share the University’s mission to create and sustain a campus community that welcomes, understands, supports, and celebrates diversity of all kinds.

Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $178,000 – $198,000 with a generous benefits package.

Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For full consideration, please submit your CV and cover letter, electronically and in confidence, at the following link: https://talent-profile.diversifiedsearchgroup.com/search/v2/20599

Confidential nominations or referrals should be directed to BucknellAVP@storbecksearch.com

Carly Rose DiGiovanni, Managing Associate
Ruth Shoemaker Wood, Managing Director
Mark Halligan, Senior Associate

BucknellAVP@storbecksearch.com

For more information about Bucknell, please visit the University’s website at Bucknell.edu

Bucknell University is committed to excellence through diversity in its faculty, staff, and students. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, Bucknell University especially welcomes applications from candidates underrepresented groups in higher education.