Associate Vice President - Financial Planning, Data, and Analysis

Lesley University • Cambridge, MA

8d

About The Position

Lesley University is seeking an experienced financial leader to join our team as the Associate Vice President of Financial Planning, Data, and Analysis (AVP). This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic thinker and change agent to serve as the architect of financial models in collaboration with the CFO, playing a key role in shaping the university’s financial future. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the AVP will be responsible for developing and managing financial models, leading the university’s annual budget process, and overseeing financial analysis and key metric reporting. The AVP will collaborate with university leadership to ensure the institution’s financial health through data-driven decision-making, revenue and expense analysis, and the development of financial reporting improvements. This role will also serve as the primary liaison for the university’s financial systems, ensuring system integrity and seamless integration with financial platforms. Key responsibilities include leading the budget preparation process, providing timely financial reports to senior leadership, evaluating program sustainability, and identifying opportunities for operational efficiencies. Additionally, the AVP will work closely with the Associate VP of Finance/Controller to support financial close processes and prepare for audits and external reviews. A successful candidate will have: A Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or data analytics; MBA preferred. 10+ years of financial experience, with a minimum of five years in a leadership role. Strong technical and professional accounting skills, with expertise in financial modeling and data analysis. Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and data mining, with experience using Workday Adaptive and Colleague preferred. Familiarity with ERP systems, budgeting, and forecasting tools. Ability to independently lead projects accurately and on time is required. Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to engage with all levels of university leadership. A track record of driving financial and operational change, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing improvements. A collaborative mindset and ability to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution. Located in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lesley University is highly regarded for its graduate and undergraduate programs in the human arts of education, the arts, and applied social sciences. Lesley fosters a highly creative environment in which innovative ideas thrive, theory is integrated with practice and its 6,400 students and 90,000 alumni are empowered to improve and enrich communities. We offer a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. In addition, we offer significant paid time off, a generous retirement plan, and tuition programs that enable employees and their dependents to expand their knowledge and skills. Lesley is committed to the ongoing pursuit of strategic diversity initiatives that help to position diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental to institutional and academic excellence at Lesley. In doing so, Lesley strives for a campus culture and community that fosters a true sense of belonging for all, provides opportunity for everyone to participate equally and fully in the Lesley experience, and helps to develop each individual's capacity to confidently and competently engage within and across difference. Given an evolving national context and the rapid change in the demographic profile of our country, the University has made a significant commitment to addressing and enhancing its campus climate and diversity capabilities as an institution. A letter of interest, CV/resume, and a statement addressing past and/or potential contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, professional activity, and/or service must be included for full consideration. At Lesley University we strive for a supportive and equitable environment where people -- regardless of race, ethnicity, color, sex, physical ability, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, veteran or military status, membership in uniformed services, and all other categories protected by applicable state and federal laws -- can participate equally and fully as their true selves in all aspects of university life. Accordingly, the University prohibits discrimination based on these protected categories in any education program or activity that it operates, including in admission and in employment. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the fabric of our institution. Individuals may submit concerns or questions related to discrimination to the University's Director of Equal Opportunity. Please visit the Office of Equal Opportunity's webpage for the University's entire notice of nondiscrimination and for additional information. At our core, we are a caring and compassionate community bound together by our passion for improving the lives of others through education, mental health, and the arts. At Lesley, we believe actively advancing our own and all other’s potential leads to a just and humane world. Lesley is the only university in the country focused on advancing human potential through the life-time cultivation of professionals in education, mental health and the arts. We share an eagerness to build just and humane communities in a stressful and rapidly changing world.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or data analytics
• 10+ years of financial experience, with a minimum of five years in a leadership role
• Strong technical and professional accounting skills, with expertise in financial modeling and data analysis
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and data mining
• Familiarity with ERP systems, budgeting, and forecasting tools
• Ability to independently lead projects accurately and on time is required
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to engage with all levels of university leadership
• A track record of driving financial and operational change, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing improvements
• A collaborative mindset and ability to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution

Nice To Haves

• MBA preferred
• Experience using Workday Adaptive and Colleague preferred

Responsibilities

• Developing and managing financial models
• Leading the university’s annual budget process
• Overseeing financial analysis and key metric reporting
• Collaborating with university leadership to ensure the institution’s financial health through data-driven decision-making, revenue and expense analysis, and the development of financial reporting improvements
• Serving as the primary liaison for the university’s financial systems, ensuring system integrity and seamless integration with financial platforms
• Leading the budget preparation process
• Providing timely financial reports to senior leadership
• Evaluating program sustainability
• Identifying opportunities for operational efficiencies
• Working closely with the Associate VP of Finance/Controller to support financial close processes and prepare for audits and external reviews

Benefits

• health insurance
• dental insurance
• life insurance
• long-term disability insurance
• significant paid time off
• generous retirement plan
• tuition programs that enable employees and their dependents to expand their knowledge and skills

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees