Associate Chief Financial Officer - Health Academics

University of Utah Health•Salt Lake City, UT

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Chief Financial Officer – Health Academics (ACFO-UUHA) serves as a senior financial executive to the Chief Financial Officer, U of U Health with primary responsibility for oversight and stewardship of Health Academics finances, including the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy, Health Sciences Centers and Institutes, and Health Sciences administrative units. The ACFO-UUHA leads programmatic financial strategy for Health Academics units, ensuring alignment with broader health system goals through strategic planning, transparent reporting, and effective resource allocation. The role serves as the financial counterpart to academic leadership and promotes compliance, sustainability, and integration across academic, research, and clinical domains. As a functional leader, the ACFO-UUHA provides leadership and direction for the coordinated U Health finance function serving UUHA units. The role is responsible for standardized finance service delivery and for building strong financial partnerships that support business owners and decision-making. The ACFO-UUHA works closely with system finance leaders to align support for budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, performance reporting, pro forma analysis, reconciliations, month-end activities, compliance, workforce funding, and related finance needs. Reports to the Chief Financial Officer, UU Health, and is a member of the system finance leadership team. It has high accountability to the Executive Vice President of Health Sciences, Dean of the School of Medicine, CRO/AVP Research, UU Health, CHRO, UU Health, Chief Innovation Officer, Provost, and other senior academic leaders to ensure strategic alignment and mission needs are met.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Health Administration, or related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership, with at least 5 years in an academic medical center, higher education, or research-intensive environment.
Demonstrated experience in capital planning, research finance, and academic program financial management.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Health Administration, or related field.
Experience with federal research compliance, grant administration, and sponsored project accounting.
Experience working with faculty governance bodies and academic leadership.
Proven record of integrating academic and clinical financial strategies.

Responsibilities

Partner with the EVP of Health Sciences, CFO, UU Health, deans, CRO/AVP Research, UU Health, and senior leadership to develop and execute financial strategies supporting research, graduate and professional education, and faculty development.
Lead capital planning and financial modeling for Health Academics infrastructure, including laboratories, technology, and core facilities working closely with system planning and capital planning leaders.
Develop and implement funding strategies to sustain and grow research programs, leveraging partnerships, philanthropy, indirect cost recovery, and external grant support.
Provide analysis and advice to senior leadership on the financial impact of academic investments, including start-up packages, endowed positions, and faculty compensation models.
Guide shared service financial functions supporting the academic mission, including grants administration, sponsored projects, and tuition/fee management.
Partner with the CFO, UU Health and ACFO to integrate academic and clinical financial planning into a unified, sustainable enterprise model that advances institutional strategy.
Represent the Health Academics financial perspective in governance, committees, and system-level decision-making.
Partner with the ACFO, UU Health to provide strategic assumptions, programmatic inputs, and forecasts for the annual budget and planning cycle.
Ensure effective financial controls and compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements, including NIH and OMB Uniform Guidance, while collaborating with the accounting division to adhere to higher education accounting standards.
Use financial statements and cost accounting data produced by the ACFO, UU Health to inform academic strategy and operational decision-making.