Associate Vice President of Finance - Deputy CFO

College of Southern Maryland•La Plata, MD

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Located 45 minutes from the Nation’s Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is a two-time Aspen Award-winning institution (top 15% of Community Colleges) with academic programs in over 100 disciplines. CSM is among America’s top 100 producers of Minority Associate Degrees in twenty categories, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education. CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer; college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break. We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs. The Associate Vice President of Finance/Deputy Chief Financial Officer (AVP/Deputy CFO) serves as a senior strategic leader within the Division of Financial Services, functioning as a key thought partner and deputy to the Vice President of Finance/Chief Financial Officer (VP/CFO). This position is responsible for advancing the financial health of the institution through strategic planning, data-driven decision-making, and analytical excellence. The AVP/Deputy CFO provides leadership and oversight across financial operations while driving a culture of continuous improvement, transparency, and institutional accountability. This is a high-impact leadership role ideally suited for a finance professional who combines deep technical expertise with the ability to communicate complex financial insights to diverse stakeholders including cabinet leadership, faculty, staff and trustees.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related discipline required
Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in finance, accounting, or financial management.
Demonstrated experience with financial modeling, budgeting, forecasting, and multi-year planning.
Strategic Vision & Execution
Change Management & Organizational Leadership
Strong command of data analytics, financial reporting systems, and business intelligence tools.
Proven ability to synthesize complex financial data into clear, compelling narratives for non-financial audiences.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; experience presenting to senior leadership or governing boards.
High degree of professional integrity, discretion, and judgment.
Ethical & Responsible AI Practices Policy Review and Development
Communication & Stakeholder Engagement
Data-Informed Decision Making and Data Governance
Innovation Mindset & Creativity
Collaboration & Consensus Building
Vendor, Partnership & Project Management
Excellent written and oral communication, analytical, and customer-service skills.
Ability to plan and execute multiple, complex projects concurrently and adapt quickly to changing technology landscapes.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MBA or related field) preferred.
Active Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license or current enrollment in a CPA program
Experience in higher education finance, public sector, or non-profit financial management.
Familiarity with higher education financial systems such as Workday, Banner, Ellucian, or similar ERP platforms.
Knowledge of NACUBO standards, OMB Uniform Guidance, and higher education regulatory environment.
Experience with endowment management and capital project financing.
Track record of leading organizational change, systems implementations, or strategic finance transformations.
CPA-Preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as primary strategic advisor and deputy to the VP/CFO, contributing to institutional financial strategy and long-range planning.
Assist VP/CFO with the development of multi-year financial models, scenario analyses, and sensitivity projections to support executive and Board-level decision-making.
Partner with academic and administrative leadership to align financial strategies with the institution’s mission, enrollment trends, and strategic plan.
Represent the VP/CFO in meetings, committees, and external engagements as delegated.
Partner with appropriate data governance groups across the college to design and implement a comprehensive financial analytics function, transforming data into actionable intelligence for institutional leadership.
Develop and maintain institutional financial dashboards, KPIs, and benchmarking reports aligned with peer institutions and NACUBO best practices.
Leverage business intelligence tools and financial systems to provide real-time reporting and predictive analysis on revenue, expenditures, and reserves.
Identify trends, anomalies, and strategic opportunities through advanced financial modeling and data visualization.
Champion the use of data to drive resource allocation decisions, tuition pricing strategy, and operational efficiency initiatives.
Oversee and coordinate the institution’s annual operating and capital budget processes, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
Collaborate with divisional and departmental budget managers to develop accurate, transparent, and strategically informed budget submissions.
Monitor budget performance throughout the fiscal year; prepare variance analyses and recommend corrective actions as needed.
In collaboration with the VP/CFO develops integrated financial plans incorporating enrollment projections, compensation modeling, and capital requirements.
Ensure timely and accurate preparation of financial reports for internal stakeholders, Board of Trustees, accrediting bodies, and external agencies.
Support annual audit processes, ensuring compliance with GAAP, federal and state regulations, and institutional policies.
Oversee financial risk management activities including investment policy compliance, debt covenant monitoring, and reserve management.
Maintain a strong internal control environment and promote a culture of financial integrity and compliance across the institution.
Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture that values analytical rigor, customer service, and continuous improvement.
Identify and implement process improvements and technology enhancements to increase efficiency and reporting capability.
Serve on institutional committees and task forces as appropriate
Performs other related duties as assigned.