Fordham University - Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York, is committed to the discovery of Wisdom and the transmission of Learning, through research and through undergraduate, graduate, and professional education of the highest quality.

Fordham University seeks a visionary, collaborative and mission-driven leader to serve as its next senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer (CFO). The new CFO will join the university at a pivotal moment in Fordham’s history, as the university continues to welcome President Tania Tetlow, Fordham’s first woman and lay president, who joined the Fordham community in July 2022. In collaboration with President Tetlow, university leadership, and the Board of Trustees, the new chief financial officer will serve both as lead financial steward of the university and as a key strategic advisor to the president, deftly supporting the university’s efforts to fulfill Fordham’s mission to deliver a rigorous Catholic, Jesuit education to students from across the nation and the globe. 

Firmly rooted in the life of New York City, Fordham is a private university for the public good. Approximately 17,000 students are taught by nearly 750 full-time instructors on campuses in Manhattan, the Bronx, Westchester County in New York and at Fordham’s London campus in the U.K. This vibrant and diverse learning community also has programs in Spain, China and South Africa, more than 1,000 administrators, a fiscal year operating budget of $714 million (net of $297 million in financial aid allocation), an endowment of $973 million, and recent capital investments totaling $95 million. The University is steeped in the Jesuit tenet of cura personalis, or care for the whole person, and is committed to scholarly research and teaching excellence. Additionally, Fordham strives to contribute to the well-being of New York City, the nation and the planet through education and research for the common good. The University seeks to engage deeply and authentically with its local communities to promote mutual learning and solidarity. Fordham commits to making the pursuit of racial, economic, environmental and social justice an inextricable and interdependent part of its academic excellence.

Reporting directly to President Tetlow, partnering with her closely and serving on the president’s leadership team, the senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer plays a critical role in developing, communicating about and implementing the fiscal management and operational strategies that sustain the university. The CFO will serve as a vital partner to the president, provost, Board of Trustees, deans and other university leaders as they determine and advance institutional imperatives; strategically align resources to university priorities; devise long-term planning strategies to ensure financial sustainability; adapt to an ever-changing world and marketplace; identify and leverage new revenue generation opportunities; continuously assess structures, policies and practices for maximum effectiveness; and affirm and advance an inclusive campus community that is rooted in equity.

The CFO is responsible for the strategic leadership and management of information technology, human resources and all of the financial areas of the University including accounting and financial reporting, financial planning and budgeting and treasury functions for both the endowment and operations, as well as risk management and procurement. The new CFO should be a forward thinking, solutions-oriented, collaborative and highly ethical financial leader whose style builds trust within the campus community and across the university’s myriad partners and constituent groups. The CFO will be adept at change management with the ability to advocate for and bolster a suite of university services, motivate and inspire colleagues and manage complex and intersecting priorities while maintaining forward momentum. The CFO will have the ability to coalesce institutional priorities and achieve transformative results using appropriate technology and sophisticated data analysis to inform strategic decisions. The ideal candidate will possess experience in financial planning and management of major capital projects. An earned, advanced degree is desired along with progressively responsible experience in senior positions overseeing the finance operations of an organization. Administrative experience in the higher education context is strongly preferred.

WittKieffer is assisting Fordham University in this search, which will remain open until an appointment is made. Expeditious application is encouraged. A leadership profile is available on this page.

Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer’s candidate portal, via the buttons below.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to:

Robin Mamlet, Jen Meyers Pickard PhD, and Cathryn Davis
FordhamSVP-CFO@wittkieffer.com

The anticipated salary range for this position is $550,000 to $640,000, depending upon experience.

Fordham University is committed to excellence through diversity and welcomes candidates of all backgrounds.

Fordham University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.