Chief Business Officer/ Chief Financial Officer (CBO/CFO)

Tiffin University • Tiffin, OH

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Tiffin University seeks an innovative, strategic, and collaborative Chief Business Officer/Chief Financial Officer (CBO/CFO) to lead the University’s financial strategy and business operations and help strengthen and diversify its revenue portfolio. This executive serves as the University’s chief financial steward and strategic business leader, supporting financial strength, operational excellence, institutional growth, and long-term sustainability. The position reports directly to the President and serves on the President’s Cabinet. It is an on-campus role located in Tiffin, Ohio.

The CBO/CFO works with University leadership, the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students, and external partners to develop strategies for enrollment growth, operational effectiveness, entrepreneurial initiatives, capital investments, and new mission-aligned revenue sources. The role oversees financial operations and compliance, facilities and capital projects, auxiliary operations, strategic initiatives, and teams across finance and related functions. The executive also supports institutional planning and transformation, using analytics, technology, and emerging tools to improve effectiveness and performance.

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 organizational leadership, change management, and operational excellence.
• Successful track record building meaningful non-tuition or non-traditional revenue streams and sustainable revenue models that reduce reliance on a single income source.
• Experience leading revenue diversification initiatives such as workforce development, continuing education, corporate partnerships, online growth, auxiliary enterprises, licensing, sponsored programs, or conferences.
• Experience developing and scaling entrepreneurial ventures within mission-driven organizations and converting emerging market opportunities into measurable financial results.
• Ability to manage organizational growth and financial sustainability simultaneously.
• Experience evaluating business opportunities through financial and strategic analysis, leading innovation initiatives, developing revenue-generating or market-strengthening partnerships, and managing complex organizational transformation.

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.

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 that support the University's strategic plan and growth objectives.
• Analyze and recommend major institutional investments and initiatives; monitor financial performance and steward institutional resources.
• Communicate complex financial information to varied audiences.
• Partner with institutional leaders to develop and execute strategies for long-term financial sustainability.
• Identify, assess, and develop diversified, mission-aligned revenue opportunities; evaluate business opportunities, market trends, partnerships, and innovative delivery models.
• Support workforce partnerships, continuing education, corporate training, online initiatives, auxiliary enterprises, and other revenue opportunities.
• Develop financial models and business cases for institutional decisions and strategic investments.
• Oversee accounting, budgeting, payroll, treasury management, purchasing, financial reporting, and audit functions.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, accreditation, and regulatory requirements, and 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.
• Evaluate opportunities to improve operational efficiency and optimize auxiliary operations, and 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.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Health Savings Account with an annual employer incentive contribution.
• Flexible Spending Account for eligible medical, dental, and vision expenses.
• Employer-paid basic life insurance and long-term disability coverage, with voluntary supplemental life insurance and short-term disability plans.
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching contributions.
• Paid annual and sick leave and paid holidays.
• Educational tuition benefits for employees and eligible family members.
• Confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive