Vice President Financial Planning and Analysis

Cherry Bekaert•Brooklyn, NY

17h•Hybrid

About The Position

A highly respected, independent higher education institution in New York City is seeking a Vice President of Financial Planning & Strategy to serve as a key member of the executive leadership team. Reporting directly to the Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer, this newly elevated role will lead enterprise-wide financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, analytics, and strategic decision support initiatives. This is an exceptional opportunity for a finance leader with deep higher education experience who understands the unique dynamics of working within an academic environment and partnering with faculty, administration, and institutional leadership. The position is viewed as a strategic succession-track opportunity, with the potential for expanded leadership responsibilities in the future. This executive leadership role will oversee all aspects of financial planning, analysis, budgeting, forecasting, institutional modeling, financial reporting, and strategic finance. The Vice President will partner closely with the Controller, Human Resources, Admissions, Academic Leadership, and executive management to support institutional decision-making and financial sustainability. The organization seeks a hands-on leader who can operate both strategically and tactically while driving financial excellence across the institution.

Requirements

Significant experience in higher education finance, university finance, or academic institutions.
Strong understanding of faculty partnerships, academic budgeting, enrollment-driven revenue models, and higher education financial operations.
Extensive background in FP&A, budgeting, forecasting, financial modeling, and strategic planning.
Experience presenting financial information to executive leadership, Boards, and senior stakeholders.
Strong knowledge of financial statements, GAAP, nonprofit finance, and accounting principles.
Advanced Excel and financial modeling capabilities.
Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and executive presence.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ERP systems and business intelligence/reporting platforms preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead annual operating and capital budgeting processes.
Develop and maintain multi-year financial plans and forecasts.
Build sophisticated financial models related to tuition revenue, enrollment, staffing, capital investments, liquidity, and strategic initiatives.
Analyze budget-to-actual performance, variances, trends, and key financial drivers.
Develop financial scenarios and recommendations to support executive decision-making.
Deliver financial insights and recommendations to executive leadership.
Establish and enhance KPI reporting, dashboards, and performance metrics.
Lead enterprise-wide financial analytics initiatives.
Support strategic planning and resource allocation decisions.
Oversee cash forecasting and liquidity planning.
Partner closely with the Controller to align budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting activities.
Support institutional financial sustainability through proactive planning and analysis.
Prepare Board, Finance Committee, and executive leadership presentations.
Develop executive-level financial reporting packages, analyses, and strategic summaries.
Support governance, audit committee, and institutional reporting requirements.
Lead enhancements to financial reporting tools, dashboards, and FP&A processes.
Partner with IT and business leaders on financial systems improvements and analytics initiatives.
Support ERP optimization and reporting modernization efforts.
Lead, mentor, and develop the FP&A and Student Accounts teams.
Support hiring and onboarding of key finance personnel.
Foster a collaborative, service-oriented culture across departments.