Executive Vice Dean for Administration and Finance

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

5d•$750,000 - $1,000,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Executive Vice Dean (EVD) for Finance and Administration is the senior-most executive responsible for leading the organization’s financial operations. This individual serves as a strategic partner to the senior leadership team. The position oversees the financial health of CU Medicine, the region’s largest and most comprehensive multispecialty physician group practice. CU Medicine is an international authority and a leading academic medical and research institution. The position serves as the School of Medicine’s chief financial and administrative executive, reporting directly to the Dean. The School of Medicine (SOM) is the largest school on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. The EVD provides strategic leadership for the SOM across financial planning, research administration, clinical enterprise finance, facilities and capital planning, IT, HR, compliance, risk management, investments, and operational services. The EVD provides enterprise-wide financial leadership for CU Medicine translating complex revenue streams, clinical operations, and academic mission requirements into a fiscal strategy that ensures long-term organizational sustainability and positions the institution for continued growth across its clinical, research and educational enterprise. The EVD partners with executive leadership of CU Anschutz, UCHealth, University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, National Jewish Hospital, Denver Health, and other key affiliates to advance the School’s academic, clinical, research, and community missions.

Requirements

MBA required
Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in finance and administration within academic health centers, medical schools, or comparable complex healthcare/academic organizations.
Demonstrated experience managing finances and strategy for a school or unit of similar size and complexity (clinical, research, educational missions).
Proven track record in budget development, long-range financial modeling, capital planning, and sponsored programs administration.
Thorough knowledge of university and healthcare financial systems, federal research funding rules (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance), clinical enterprise finance, and applicable regulations.
Strong analytical skills and fluency with modern financial systems and business intelligence tools.
Excellent interpersonal and communication ability

Nice To Haves

CPA, FACHE and/or other relevant certifications.
Experience with large, matrixed organizations and multiple reporting lines across academic and clinical settings.
Prior engagement with philanthropic financial structures, endowment management, or foundation relationships.
Experience in change management, enterprise system implementations, or major financial transformations.
Strategic thinker with the ability to translate strategy into actionable financial plans and measurable outcomes.
High emotional intelligence: empathy, self-awareness, resilience, and the ability to foster trust and collaboration across diverse constituencies.
Skilled communicator and negotiator, comfortable presenting complex financial information to varied audiences (faculty, clinical leaders, trustees, government/regulatory bodies).
Proven ability to lead in a matrixed environment—influencing without direct authority, building consensus, and managing cross-functional priorities.
Results-oriented, decisive, and accountable, with a commitment to shared governance and academic values.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior administrative and fiscal executive in the SOM and for the CU Medicine Faculty Practice for financial matters, policy development, and program evaluation.
Lead development and oversight of multi-year financial strategies aligned with School and Practice priorities, including scenario planning, sensitivity analyses, and contingency strategies.
Direct long-range operating and capital planning processes; lead prioritization of investments (faculty hires, research infrastructure, facilities, IT).
Oversee all fiscal affairs of the SOM and CU Medicine, including preparation and oversight of the operating budget, monitoring cash flow and expenditure plans, fund management, and grants and contracts management.
Establish and monitor KPIs and financial dashboards to track margin, liquidity, sponsored program yield, clinical revenue performance, and return on investment for major initiatives.
Advise the Dean and leadership on tuition, clinical revenue-sharing models, indirect cost recovery strategies, and financial implications of academic program decisions.
Oversee School and CU Medicine annual and interim budgeting cycles, departmental budget development, real-time budget monitoring, reporting, forecasting, and adjustment adhering to Campus processes and University/Regent policies
Organize the faculty salary negotiation process for the School and direct the preparation of the salary recommendation reports for the Dean and CU Anschutz Chancellor, review/approval prior to submission to CU President and Regents
Optimize revenue cycle functions for compliance and with attention to patient experience for CU Medicine.
Align with University and Campus policies to Implement and maintain strong internal controls, account reconciliations, and segregation of duties to safeguard School of Medicine assets.
Oversee compensation model modernization/redesign, with an aim to improve centralization and standardization of budget reporting across all departments.
Exert oversight over all financial and operational aspects within CU Medicine by providing direct oversight to the CFO and CEO of the organization.
In coordination with the Chancellor’s leadership team including the Executive Vice Chancellor’s office, provide enterprise oversight for School pre-award and post-award functions: proposal budgeting, compliance review, effort reporting, cost transfers, and financial reporting to sponsors.
Monitor federal funding support for research, regulatory, and governmental changes, and quantify the impact on the School.
Optimize indirect cost rate recovery, reconcile sponsored awards, and lead resolution of audit findings (sponsor and federal).
Partner with grant managers, PIs, and central research administration to streamline processes, implement best practices, and improve sponsor relations.
Partner with CU Medicine, UCHealth, University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, National Jewish Hospital, Denver Health, Veterans Administration Hospital and other key affiliates to align financial models for clinical services, faculty compensation plans, and joint ventures.
Lead analysis and negotiation support for clinical contracts, reimbursement arrangements, value-based payment models, and practice plan financial agreements.
Collaborate with campus on SOM capital planning and project prioritization. Participate in broader campus facility and capital projects. Oversight of School of Medicine projects for spaces requiring renovation and construction in direct partnership with campus facilities and institutional planning offices.
Oversee space allocation policies, lease negotiations, facilities, operations budgeting, and coordination with campus facilities, controller and safety teams for SOM space.
Ensure capital projects comply with university procurement, contracting, and state regulatory requirements.
Ensure reliable financial reporting infrastructure, data security, role-based access, and user training to support decentralized units.
Support administrative HR strategy for finance and operations units: workforce planning, talent acquisition, performance management, succession planning, and compensation oversight for administrative roles adhering to University, Regent and campus policies
Partner with Campus Central HR on faculty/staff hiring policies, labor relations where applicable, and training programs to build administrative capacity.
Lead enterprise risk assessments for financial, operational, and compliance exposures; design mitigation strategies and monitor implementation adhering to campus, CU and Regent policies
Coordinate internal and external audits; ensure timely remediation of findings and compliance with federal, state, and sponsor regulations (e.g., OMB Uniform Guidance).
Oversee privacy, information-security coordination with campus IT/security and FERPA/HIPAA compliance where applicable.
Participate in senior governance forums, serve on committees (finance, compensation, effort, strategic hiring, investment/capital), and develop financial policies consistent with university and Regent policies.
Support department chairs and center directors with financial policy interpretation, dispute resolution, and decision support.
Collaborate with development officers on gift accounting, endowment spend policy, restricted fund management, and stewardship reporting.
Provide financial due diligence for major gifts, scholarship funds, clinical chairs, and endowed positions.
Lead finance transformation initiatives: process reengineering, shared services optimization, automation (RPA), and deployment of analytics for decision support.
Identify cost-saving and revenue-growth opportunities; develop business cases and lead implementation of approved initiatives.
Recruit, mentor, and develop a high-performing administrative team; build a culture of service, transparency, accountability, and continuous learning.
Operate effectively in a matrixed environment, influencing without direct authority, building consensus across departments, hospitals, campus units, and external partners.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the Dean, Executive Vice Deans, and faculty, demonstrating high emotional intelligence, collaborative problem-solving, and excellent communication skills.
Provide creative and thoughtful leadership for the development of funding, compensation, and resources allocation strategies and policies which enable and enhance the SOM's research, teaching, and clinical missions.