Chief Financial Officer

West Coast University, Inc. • Irvine, CA

31d

About The Position

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a key strategic leader responsible for the financial health, stewardship, and long‑term sustainability of the organization. This role oversees all financial planning, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, risk management, tax, real estate finance, and internal controls. The CFO ensures compliance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and all regulatory requirements applicable to the education sector. The CFO will report to the Co-President of Business Operations and will maintain a dotted-line relationship with the Finance Committee Chair. This role partners with Co-Presidents for both institutions to ensure alignment of financial strategy with the organizational objectives.

Requirements

• 15+ years of progressive financial leadership experience, including 7–10 years in a senior executive finance role (CFO, VP Finance, Controller) within a complex, multi‑site, or service‑based organization.
• Experience leading finance in an organization for an enterprise of operational scale (preferably $1B+)
• Proven ability to scale financial operations, systems, and teams through periods of rapid growth, major expansion, or organizational transformation.
• Demonstrated success overseeing enterprise budgeting, forecasting, FP&A, and multi‑year financial modeling in a dynamic operating environment.
• Hands‑on experience with treasury management, capital planning, debt financing, and real estate finance, including leases, acquisitions, and long‑range capital strategy.
• Proven track record working effectively with Boards, Finance Committees, and executive leadership, including the ability to present complex financial topics to non‑financial stakeholders.
• Experience leading accounting, internal controls, audit readiness, compliance, and GAAP‑based reporting in a multi-unit or education-related organization.
• Demonstrated ability to modernize financial systems and implement automation to support scalable, data‑driven decision-making.
• Prior experience building and leading a high-performing finance team, including talent development, workforce planning, and capability building.
• Bachelor degree in accounting, finance, or business administration required.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of education/governmental compliance and regulatory standards such as Title IV, Composite Score, and other accreditation standards preferred.
• Extensive experience as a CFO or senior financial leader in a multi-site, service-oriented or education-related organization.
• MBA strongly preferred.

What This Job Offers

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