Executive Director of Financial Shared Services

UNC-Chapel Hill•Chapel Hill, NC

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Director of Finance and Procurement for the ServiceFirst Academic Shared Services Center provides strategic and operational leadership for finance and procurement services supporting participating academic schools and units. The role builds and leads a high-performing organization that delivers accurate, timely, consistent, customer-focused financial services while maintaining strong financial stewardship and responsiveness to the distinct needs of the academic units served. The Executive Director establishes operational priorities, staffing and capacity models, performance expectations, and accountability measures. The position leads accounting and reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, purchasing and procurement, financial transactions, billing, financial reporting, budgeting support, and related financial operations. It ensures appropriate internal controls, compliance, risk management, and audit readiness, and uses financial and operational data to identify trends, inform resource decisions, resolve complex issues, and improve efficiency. The role also leads process streamlining, financial-control improvements, and the use of technology and automation to increase operational capacity and financial visibility. The Executive Director serves as a senior financial partner to deans, school leadership, business officers, and other academic-unit leaders, providing analysis, insight, and decision support for resource allocation and alignment with academic and institutional priorities. The role collaborates with central Finance and Operations leadership and other functional partners to resolve complex matters, clarify responsibilities, strengthen enterprise practices, and balance consistency with legitimate unit-specific needs. As a senior leader in the Academic Shared Services Center, the Executive Director is responsible for organizational structure, workforce planning, talent development, performance management, and succession planning. The position leads organizational and operational change and fosters accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and service excellence. Success requires building trust across diverse academic environments and delivering measurable improvements in financial performance, operational efficiency, compliance, and stakeholder experience. This is an internal posting for permanent, time-limited layoff-priority employees of UNC–Chapel Hill and temporary employees hired directly by UNC–Chapel Hill only. The position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, consistent with System Office policy. UNC–Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

Requirements

Master’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or a related field; prior experience in a position of comparable scope and complexity may be considered.
At least 10 years of progressive management-level experience in a related field.
Demonstrated experience leading a shared services organization, business process reengineering, planning, and analysis.
Management skills that balance strategic, industry, business, and people factors.
Experience leading project management and change management functions.
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Coalition-building, facilitation, and collaboration skills.
Strong planning, analysis, and management skills.
Strong leadership skills, including experience leading knowledgeable subject matter experts and developing staff.
Experience managing change from both organizational/structural and technical/system perspectives.
Experience leading complex financial systems and organizations, especially in a university setting.
Experience operating as a team member in a cohesive leadership team, including willingness to participate in team interactions, thinking, and decision-making.
Technologically savvy, innovative, customer-focused, and collaborative leadership.

Nice To Haves

Experience performing these functions in a public research university setting is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership for finance and procurement services supporting participating academic schools and units.
Build and lead a high-performing organization delivering accurate, timely, consistent, customer-focused financial services.
Establish operational priorities, staffing and capacity models, performance expectations, and accountability measures.
Lead accounting and reconciliation, accounts payable and receivable, purchasing and procurement, financial transactions, billing, financial reporting, budgeting support, and related financial operations.
Ensure appropriate internal controls, compliance, risk management, and audit readiness.
Use financial and operational data to identify trends, inform resource decisions, resolve complex issues, and improve efficiency.
Streamline processes, strengthen financial controls, and leverage technology and automation to improve operational capacity and financial visibility.
Partner with deans, school leadership, business officers, and other academic-unit leaders by providing financial analysis, insight, and decision support.
Work with central Finance and Operations leadership and other functional partners to resolve complex matters, clarify responsibilities, and strengthen enterprise practices while accommodating legitimate unit-specific needs.
Lead organizational structure, workforce planning, talent development, performance management, and succession planning.
Lead organizational and operational change and establish a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and service excellence.
Deliver measurable improvements in financial performance, operational efficiency, compliance, and stakeholder experience.