CFO)

Tiffin University•Tiffin, OH

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Tiffin University seeks an innovative, strategic, and collaborative Chief Business Officer and Chief Financial Officer (CBO/CFO) to provide executive leadership for the University's financial and business operations and help shape institutional growth and transformation. Reporting directly to the President and serving on the President's Cabinet, the CBO/CFO is the University's chief financial steward and a strategic business leader responsible for financial strength, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability. The CBO/CFO leads financial strategy and business operations while helping strengthen and diversify the University's revenue portfolio. In collaboration with University leadership, the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and external partners, the executive develops strategies supporting enrollment growth, operational effectiveness, entrepreneurial initiatives, capital investments, and mission-aligned revenue opportunities. The role oversees financial planning and operations, compliance, facilities and capital projects, auxiliary operations, strategic initiatives, and teams across finance and related functions. The successful candidate combines financial expertise and analytical rigor with the vision and leadership to identify opportunities, assess them, and turn innovative ideas into meaningful institutional outcomes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a closely related field.
At least 10 years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience, including at least 5 years in higher education.
Demonstrated success leading complex financial and business operations.
Significant experience with budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic financial planning.
Ability to communicate effectively with boards, senior leadership, and diverse stakeholders.
Demonstrated record of organizational leadership, change management, and operational excellence.

Nice To Haves

MBA, MPA, CPA, CFA, or other relevant advanced credentials.
Experience as a Chief Financial Officer, Chief Business Officer, Vice President for Finance, or in a comparable executive role.
Experience in higher education and similarly complex mission-driven organizations.
Background in debt management, capital financing, and large-scale capital projects.
Experience leading enterprise-wide strategic initiatives and transformation efforts.
Track record of building meaningful non-tuition or non-traditional revenue streams and sustainable revenue models that reduce dependence on a single income source.
Experience leading workforce development, continuing education, corporate partnerships, online growth, auxiliary enterprises, licensing, sponsored programs, conferences, or other diversified revenue initiatives.
Experience developing and scaling entrepreneurial ventures within mission-driven organizations.
Ability to identify emerging market opportunities and translate them into measurable financial results while managing both growth and financial sustainability.
Track record of evaluating business opportunities through financial and strategic analysis, leading innovation initiatives with measurable organizational value, developing revenue-generating or reach-expanding partnerships, and managing complex organizational transformation.

Responsibilities

Serve as the principal financial advisor to the President, Cabinet, and Board of Trustees.
Lead long-term financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, and institutional resource allocation.
Develop financial strategies supporting the University's strategic plan and growth objectives.
Analyze and recommend major institutional investments and initiatives, monitor financial performance, and steward institutional resources responsibly.
Communicate complex financial information clearly to varied audiences.
Partner with institutional leaders to strengthen long-term financial sustainability and identify, assess, and develop diversified, mission-aligned revenue opportunities.
Evaluate emerging business opportunities, market trends, partnerships, and innovative delivery models.
Support workforce partnerships, continuing education, corporate training, online initiatives, auxiliary enterprises, and other revenue opportunities.
Create financial models and business cases for institutional decisions and strategic investments.
Advance initiatives that reduce reliance on traditional revenue sources while remaining aligned with institutional values.
Oversee accounting, budgeting, payroll, treasury management, purchasing, financial reporting, and audit functions.
Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
Maintain internal controls, risk management practices, and financial policies.
Lead debt management, financing strategies, and investment oversight; ensure timely and accurate financial reporting and analysis.
Provide executive oversight for facilities, maintenance, capital planning, construction projects, and campus infrastructure.
Support the University's master planning initiatives and evaluate ways to improve operational efficiency and auxiliary operations.
Ensure physical assets support student success and institutional goals.
Foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and continuous improvement; lead financial analysis and business planning for new institutional initiatives.
Partner with Cabinet colleagues on growth opportunities, operational efficiencies, strategic planning, and enterprise transformation.
Use analytics, technology, and emerging tools, including AI-enabled decision support, to improve effectiveness and performance.
Participate in mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, or institutional integration opportunities as appropriate.
Lead and mentor teams across finance, accounting, payroll, facilities, business operations, and related functions.
Build a culture of service, accountability, collaboration, and results; establish performance metrics and continuous improvement initiatives.
Build strong relationships across academic and administrative divisions.