Associate Dean of Finance

The School of Architecture at the University of Virginia seeks its next Associate Dean of Finance. The Associate Dean will serve as a primary thought partner for the Dean and a key member of the Dean’s Executive Team. The new leader will have primary responsibility for oversight of the School’s Finances and will manage planning processes for the nearly $30M annual budget. Key priorities for the School of Architecture include Climate Resilience/Climate Justice; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Making the School of Architecture Accessible and Affordable; Supporting Faculty and Staff Excellence; Creating a Dedicated Space for Collaborative Design. The next Associate Dean of Finance. will bring to this work a highly collaborative spirit, building strong relationships and inspiring the confidence of stakeholders within Architecture, the larger University, and the extended alumni network. This is an opportunity to contribute to transformational change among multiple important dimensions of Architecture and the larger university.

The successful Associate Dean will join the School of Architecture at an important time of growth, and they will be tasked with creating a strategy for longer-term financial planning in a dynamic budgetary environment. They will contribute to attaining the School of Architecture’s strategic goals by encouraging and ensuring sound stewardship of its financial resources. The successful candidate will oversee a highly talented team and provide leadership, development, and appropriate delegation of duties to ensure maximal performance.

For more information, please visit: http://executivesearch.virginia.edu/searches

   

The Position

Reporting Directly to the Dean, the Associate Dean of Finance. serves as a key advisor and partner to the Dean and is responsible for providing strategic direction in resource management, allocation, advancing priorities in operational areas; and developing and executing a mission for the financial future of the School of Architecture. Specifically, the Associate Dean has direct oversight of the Finance and Budget team, the Information Technology team, and is expected to work with the Dean and fellow Deans managing Facilities. The Associate Dean will design, implement, execute, assess, and drive continuous improvement for these administrative activities within the School of Architecture.

Leadership and Expectations of the Role

Visionary Thinking Combined with Creative Strategic Planning:

The Associate Dean will understand the Dean's vision and translate that vision into a comprehensive, long-term strategic plan that includes relevant and achievable goals supported by sustainable resources. They will contribute to identifying and synthesizing creative opportunities across all areas of the School’s operations and initiatives to advance the plan and will have the ability to adapt as needs and circumstances evolve. The next leader should be forward-thinking and able to anticipate changes in the educational landscape.

Budget and Finance:

The Associate Dean will Serve as the primary representative and liaison, after the Dean, between the University, Advancement, and School on financial, operating, and capital project issues. They will participate as an active thought partner with the Dean and others in decision-making roles to manage academic, research, and operational initiatives in a manner that is fiscally responsible and in support of the overall financial health of the School.  The Associate Dean will work closely with the School’s leadership to ensure the School’s financial plan is in alignment with the mission and strategy of the School. They will monitor and evaluate operating performance, match overall School sources and uses, and determine levels of private support required to maintain the School’s balanced budget.

Highly Credible:

The Associate Dean will bring stature, knowledge, and skills that inspire the confidence of faculty, staff, students, and other external constituencies and garner their respect and support. They will be an excellent steward of resources and manage with transparency, humility, and creativity. Ethical considerations should guide decisions and set a positive example for all members of the institution. Trust is crucial, and will be built upon consistency, honesty, and acting with integrity.

Collaborative with Excellent Communication and Relationship Skills:

The Associate Dean will build relationships and teams through trust and cultivate engagement beyond the immediate team of direct reports. They will be an effective collaborator and communicator with individuals across the School and larger university-including faculty, staff, students, and alumni-and with stakeholders both internal and external to UVA. Clear communication is vital, both in terms of conveying decisions and explaining the rationale behind them. It is equally important for the Associate Dean to listen and gather feedback from faculty, students, and staff. The next leader should be adept at fostering a sense of community, mediating conflicts, and promoting collaboration among various stakeholders.

Mission Driven:

The Associate Dean will be passionate about higher education and about supporting a student experience that prepares students for lives of meaning and purpose after graduation.

Qualifications and Experience:

The successful candidate will be a seasoned financial leader with a track record of success in complex environments and a talent for communication and collaboration with diverse constituencies. The Associate Dean will be proven to lead and develop staff in different environments and settings, preferably including a major research university. They will be responsible for ensuring the highest standards of fiscal integrity and stewardship of the University’s financial resources. They will be an analytical, creative leader familiar with public research universities’ challenges and ready to address these in new and innovative ways. The successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to run a large, complex organization within higher education or a similarly complex environment where shared governance is honored and valued. Prior experience of special interest includes the following:

• Proven success in financial management and planning, forecasting, and modeling
• Multiple types of budgeting approaches and processes
• Experience in leading teams and coaching managers
• Strategic planning, benchmarking, and assessment
• The development of longer-range financial planning
• Proven experience and ability to work effectively, collegially, and collaboratively with faculty and administrators
• Graduate education in AAU/R1 context
• Philanthropy and stewardship
• Experience working in a federal research environment, including research administration
• Capital planning, facilities management, and construction
• The oversight of data and information systems, institutional research

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years of experience with progressive responsibility

Preferred

Master’s degree and additional experiences, including demonstrated success in multiple institutional settings.

TO APPLY OR NOMINATE:

The University of Virginia is eager to build a diverse pool of talented individuals. The search committee is working with UVA Executive Search Group (ESG), an internal executive search firm in the Office of the President.

Confidential inquiries and nominations should be directed to Susan Gaines, Managing Director, at [email protected]  or Nalini Turner, Managing Director, at [email protected] . To apply, submit a letter of interest and resume via workday .  The search will be carried out with full confidentiality and will remain open until filled.

The University of Virginia is fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspective and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.

The University of Virginia, i ncluding the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff.  We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences.  We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.