Chief Financial Officer

Updated: 9 months ago
Location: College Station, TEXAS
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

Job Description:

The Opportunity

Comprised of the Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee NYC, Berklee Abu Dhabi, Berklee Valencia, and the Division of Pre-College, Online and Professional Programs, Berklee is a preeminent institution of contemporary music, theater, dance, and related technological and business disciplinary fields, offering degree-granting programs in Boston, New York City, and Valencia, Spain, and through Berklee Online. Berklee Abu Dhabi offers pre-college and professional educational programs and serves as a key cultural partner for the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, including through the annual Berklee Abu Dhabi Culture Summit.

Dedicated to nurturing the creative and career potential of the world’s most inspired artists and arts entrepreneurs, Berklee’s commitment to arts education is reflected in the work of its students, faculty, and alumni – who have been recognized with 297 Grammy Awards, 95 Latin Grammy Awards, 25 Emmy Awards, seven Academy Awards, and five Tony Awards. Berklee alumni go on to successful careers in the performing and creative arts, the media and entertainment industries, and other fields of endeavor.

Berklee invites applications and nominations for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Located in Boston, this senior leadership role will serve as the senior business officer and chief financial officer of the institution, reporting directly to the President. Collaborating with academic and administrative colleagues across Berklee, the CFO will provide overall vision, strategic and operational leadership, and oversight of the Finance, Accounting, and Budget areas.

To help realize its goals, Berklee seeks a financial expert and strong leader. Through a collaborative approach, clear and accessible communication, and strategic leadership, the Chief Financial Officer will work closely with diverse constituents across Berklee to extend and amplify Berklee’s academic mission. The CFO will be a strong partner to the President, the Provost, other senior staff, the Board, and various committees, and provide leadership for all short- and long-term financial decision-making. The CFO will be a systems thinker, overseeing complex financial units and implementing best practices and innovative uses of technology to strengthen essential college financial functions. The next CFO will be a vital member of the Berklee community and will possess the communication and interpersonal skills to successfully connect and collaborate with a wide range of highly engaged stakeholders. They will bring a deep appreciation of the academic mission and uphold Berklee’s culture of integrity.

The successful candidate will bring an inclusive and facilitative leadership style that inspires and empowers staff, encourages open communication and collaboration throughout Berklee, and fosters innovation. Working with talented and dedicated staff within Finance, as well as faculty and administrative leaders across the organization, this leader will create and develop forecasts and long-term financial planning processes and analyses. The CFO will be an innovative and creative change agent who can navigate ambiguities and lead with a growth mindset in a complex environment, exercising a level of risk tolerance, particularly as they engage with leadership to steward Berklee’s resources. The CFO will also be responsible for a holistic review of all financial systems, procedures, and policies via a process that identifies operational efficiencies and enhances financial operations and systems to support Berklee’s ambitious goals.

This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven financial leader to make a lasting impact on one of the world’s leading arts institutions.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Berklee is deeply committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, physical disability, mental disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic which may be specified by law or institutional policy.

For more on Berklee’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, please see the Diversity Values Statement and visit the Office for Diversity and Inclusion .

Position Summary

Reporting to the President, the Chief Financial Officer serves as the senior business officer and chief financial officer of the institution, with overall responsibility for the financial operations, including: accounting and finance; investments; and budgeting and forecasting. The CFO provides direct support to the following committees of the Board of Trustees:  Audit and Risk; Finance and Budget; and Investment, and is a member of the Berklee Online Committee. The incumbent serves as the Treasurer of the institution as provided in the Berklee by-laws. The position serves as a senior advisor to the president as a member of all relevant leadership bodies, including advising on strategic initiatives that will define the future of the institution. Reporting directly to the CFO are the Vice President of Finance, a Project Manager and an Executive Assistant. The CFO serves on or leads a number of internal management committees, including those that address areas such as operations, risk management, information technology, retirement, and enrollment management.

Essential Function/Primary Duties and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the President, the Chief Financial Officer has responsibility for the overall solvency of Berklee, managing revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities.

Cross-college leadership.
The CFO is part of the senior leadership team that directly advises the President in strategically guiding Berklee’s finances toward alignment with the strategic plan and other priorities of the institution.

They will work collaboratively with various areas of Berklee to achieve goals, including the Office of President, Executive Vice President/Provost, SVP Berklee Online SVP International Learning Environments, SVP Student Engagement and Enrollment, SVP Human Resources, SVP Institutional Advancement, and the Executive Directors of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, the Berklee College of Music, Berklee Valencia and Berklee NYC.

Financial planning and budgeting.

The CFO works closely with the President to coordinate financial planning with strategic planning and in alignment with the overall academic mission at Berklee. As part of long-term financial planning and the annual budget process, they review business plans, budgets, and new strategic initiatives. Considering the key drivers of Berklee’s finances (enrollment, tuition, human resources, capital spending, investment policies, etc.), the CFO develops a long-term financial plan and forecast that balances routine and strategic needs and ensures long-term financial viability. This informs the development of annual operating and capital budgets in close coordination with the President and the Finance and Budget Committee of the Board.

The CFO leads the development of pricing strategies and the effort to improve operating efficiencies and manage relationships with governmental bonding authorities, rating agencies, banks, and other agencies or institutions. 

Accounting and controls.

Working in tandem with the Finance and Audit and Risk Committees of the Board and Berklee’s external auditors, the CFO ensures the development and maintenance of a robust set of internal controls to support Berklee’s long-term financial viability as well as the development of annual financial statements that accurately reflect the financial condition of the institution in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. 

Investment Management.

Working with the Investment Committee of the Board and other consultants as may be determined by the Committee and the President, the CFO ensures responsible and effective investment of the Berklee endowment and pension plan.

Supervision. 

The CFO provides direct supervision to the VP of Finance, a Project Manager, and an Executive Assistant, evaluating the skill sets, capabilities, and performance of these direct reports, and makes recommendations for goals, budgets, effectiveness, and ongoing professional development.

Board liaison. 

The CFO serves as the primary liaison to Board committees on Audit and Risk, Finance, and Investment, and other committees as directed by the President.

Business Operations. 

The CFO is a trusted advisor to the President on all business and financial matters; they are able to represent Berklee externally in business-related consortia or otherwise as needed by the President.

Pension Plan.

The CFO oversees strategy and structure for the Berklee pension plan and consults with the SVP, Human Resources on pension plan matters.

Candidate Profile

A combination of experience in finance, accounting, treasury, budgeting, and/or operations.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership with a combination of experience in finance, accounting, budgeting and operations as well as significant experience in strategic, business, and financial planning.
  • Solid foundation in accounting and controls; financial reporting, planning and analysis, and forecasting; legal/compliance; and in working with local-state-federal government agencies and with rating agents.
  • Demonstrated ability and success in strategic and business planning, delivering operating results while ensuring funding for key strategic academic priorities.
  • Mature, analytically disciplined, and sophisticated in working across world geographies and cultures. Proven ability to work and lead effectively in a highly diverse community. Commitment to and strong record of ethical principles and behavior.
  • Strong interpersonal, communications, and leadership/management skills, sound judgment, and intellectual and practical agility. Flexibility and organizational skills to handle multiple projects.
  • Knowledge and ability to work within a tax-exempt higher education institution. Ability to think strategically and bring an entrepreneurial perspective to a not-for-profit organization.
  • Demonstrated ability to drive positive outcomes through efforts to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment by aligning strategy and application with best practices to encourage and maintain a diverse, welcoming, inclusive, and equitable environment that creates belonging for all in the community.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required

  • Proven ability to think strategically and tactically, utilizing in-depth knowledge of applicable professional disciplines and associated legal, regulatory, and compliance requirements and best practices. 
  • Tangible experience in expansion and cultivation of both internal and external working relationships/partnerships.
  • High level of cultural competence, values, ethics, and principles that align with the Berklee community, in which every voice is valued and respected and where a diverse, inclusive work and learning environment is essential.
  • Demonstrated success in hiring, developing, leading, and guiding a team of professionals.
  • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and a nimble, flexible, adaptable working style.
  • Excellent leadership abilities and the judgment and confidence to successfully make and implement decisions.
  • Highest standard of personal ethics and integrity.
  • Ability to inspire trust and build consensus among disparate groups.
  • High level of cultural awareness and demonstrated ability to work and help others thrive in a multicultural institution with a deep and abiding commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
  • Enthusiastic, collaborative, and high-energy member of a strong leadership team to advance Berklee’s strategic direction.
  • Commitment to Berklee’s vision to nurture the growth of the world’s most inspired musicians and artists so that they may fully realize their artistic, creative, and career potential.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct supervision of the Vice President of Finance, Project Manager, and Executive Assistant.

Education Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, or a related discipline required. An MBA or other advanced degree in Business/Finance and knowledge of finance, investment management, administration, and management in both institutional and entrepreneurial environments are preferred, as is a CPA or CFA.

If a Bachelor’s Degree has been earned in a discipline unrelated to Business/Finance, an MBA or other advanced degree in Business/Finance is required.  

Berklee

Dynamic, innovative, creative, global, and bold. A place that embraces improvisation and innovation.

Berklee is a singular institution that has grown and built on its roots in jazz, connection to the music of the African diaspora, and dedication to contemporary music. The institution continues to integrate and find connections between its historical roots and the contemporary worlds of music, theater, and dance. Berklee is a place where artists come together to innovate and co-create and where artistic and cultural diversity is embraced and celebrated. This ethos permeates all aspects of Berklee – from teaching and learning to administration to governance – and is fundamental to the Berklee experience.

Just as it nurtures the creative and career potential of the world’s most inspired artists, Berklee continually cultivates its own promise – stretching, growing, and reinventing itself in a rapidly changing world. In recent years Berklee has opened a campus in Valencia, Spain; grown Berklee Online into the world’s largest and most celebrated online music school; partnered with the City of New York to establish a center for Berklee at the storied Power Station Studios in Midtown Manhattan; and partnered with the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism to launch Berklee’s first educational programs in the Arab world at the Berklee Abu Dhabi Center. In 2016, back home in Boston, the Boston Conservatory joined forces with Berklee College of Music, establishing a performing arts training institution unparalleled in its breadth and depth. The combined institution – Berklee – is an education powerhouse with global reach and vast cultural impact.

At Berklee, students explore interdisciplinary approaches to music, dance, theater, film, business, entrepreneurship, education, technology, and more. Youth programs under the Berklee City Music and Berklee Global Partners programs reach underserved classrooms throughout the U.S. and beyond. With students and alumni from more than 100 nations and educational partners across the world, Berklee forges connections among art forms, musical traditions, and technologies to build a dynamic, sustainable, diverse, and collaborative global arts community. Diversity in all its forms is a source of strength for the institution.

The Hollywood Reporter ranked Berklee as second among “The World’s Best Music Schools” in 2022; fourth among the “Top 20 Music Schools for Composing for Film and TV” in 2021; and third among the "Top 20 Music Schools for Composing for Film and TV” in 2020. Billboard included Berklee on its list of “Top Music Business Schools” (2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017) and among the “Elite Music Business Schools Shaping the Industry’s Future” (2016), highlighting Berklee’s growth in Valencia and its music business degree programs. Newsweek ranked Berklee College of Music as third among all U.S. colleges that “offer an exceptional artistic atmosphere,” and The Luxonomist ranked Berklee’s campuses in Boston and Valencia as the top two music colleges in the world. Boston Conservatory at Berklee has also earned dozens of accolades in recent years, including "Best College Dance Programs in the U.S.” (DanceUS , 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019), “Five of the Best Music Education Schools in the U.S.” (Careers in Music , 2019), and the “Top 10 Most-Represented Colleges on Broadway” (Playbill , 2022, 2019, 2018, and 2017). Berklee’s YouTube channel is the most viewed college/university channel in the world, with close to 400 million views and over 1.5 million subscribers.

A Unique Institution

Each learning environment at Berklee brings distinctiveness to the whole and creates a portfolio of opportunities to deepen and broaden the Berklee experience of every student, faculty member, and staff:

Berklee College of Music has become the world's singular learning lab for the music of today – and tomorrow. It is a microcosm of the music world, reflecting the interplay between music and culture: an environment where aspiring music professionals learn how to integrate new ideas, adapt to changing musical genres, and showcase their distinctive skills in an evolving community. 

Boston Conservatory at Berklee is internationally recognized as an innovative leader among conservatory programs, focused on elevating and celebrating every aspect of the performing arts. The school continues to distinguish itself with a vision of dance, music, and theater that encompasses a multidisciplinary learning environment, creative programming, and deep community engagement. 

Berklee Online : Established in 2002, Berklee Online is the premier innovator and largest provider of worldwide music education online. Berklee Online serves 16k enrollments from 150+ countries annually through its courses, certificate programs, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs, and 100k enrollments annually via its MOOCs (massive open online courses) in partnership with Coursera and edX. Because Berklee Online isn’t tethered to a physical campus, anyone in the world can get a Berklee education at their own pace at 65% less than on-campus tuition. 

Berklee Valencia is the first international campus established by Berklee outside of Boston. Launched in 2012, it presented Berklee’s first graduate programs attracting students from over 70 different countries. The Valencia campus also hosts Study Abroad and Summer Programs and is focused on developing students’ global mindset and expanding their professional opportunities at a global scale, leveraging its presence in Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as its connection with Latin America. 

Berklee NYC : In 2017, a landmark public-private-nonprofit partnership brought together Berklee, the city of New York, and a private donor to revitalize the historic recording studio on West 53rd Street, now named Power Station at Berklee NYC. Offering master’s degree programs in Songwriting and Production, Live Music Production and Design, and Writing and Design for Musical Theater, the inaugural class graduated in July 2022.

Berklee City Music provides educational opportunities for talented but economically disadvantaged urban youth. The program has partners in cities across America and abroad, reaching more than 55,000 students. A partnership with the New York City Department of Education brings music programs to more than 60,000 K–12 students in 600 New York City public schools. The Encore Gala, the annual fundraising event for City Music, has raised more than $30 million for the City Music Scholarship Fund and provides financial support to students to attend summer programs and enroll full-time at Berklee. 

Berklee Abu Dhabi is situated in one of the most culturally diverse and historically rich parts of the world. Berklee’s center, which opened in 2020, partakes in the rich and prolific tradition of Arabic music and culture. Programs offered at the center in Abu Dhabi serve local and regional students of all ages with ensembles, private instruction, a recording studio, and instruction in production, songwriting, dance, theater, and more.

Berklee Summer Programs : With 31 different offerings attracting 2,500 students on campus and online annually, Berklee Summer Programs (BSP) is one of America’s largest pre-college arts educators and a significant part of the Berklee success story. Founded in 1986, this $11M enterprise includes a flagship five-week program for high-school students called Aspire. Aspire is a talent development program for Berklee College of Music, accounting for 15-18% of the incoming freshmen class since 2016. In its new home in the Pre-College, Online and Professional Programs division, opportunities for expansion into K-12, adult programming and hybrid formats make BSP ideally positioned for strength in new markets.

Berklee’s different learning environments serve the wide range of interests and aptitudes of its artistic student body.

President Erica Muhl

An accomplished composer and conductor, Erica Muhl is the first woman to serve as Berklee’s president and only the fourth president in the institution's 75-year history.

Throughout her career as a creative artist, scholar, teacher, and administrator, Muhl has remained committed to maintaining rigorous standards of academic excellence while seeking to forge new paradigms and models for higher education. She has worked steadily to catalyze the field toward change, in particular as a staunch public advocate for multidisciplinary and integrative programs that nurture innovative thought through an emphasis on creativity as fueled by technology and entrepreneurship.

For Muhl's full biography, visit Berklee’s President's Page .

Berklee is Strong

Much has been written about the challenges facing institutions of higher education in the United States, especially during the pandemic. However, Berklee has been forward-thinking in addressing many of these issues.

  • Berklee successfully navigated the pandemic, prioritizing health and safety, delivery of top-quality educational content, financial sustainability, and investment for the future. As a result, the value of Berklee's brand continues to grow both nationally and internationally.
  • Berklee’s new president, Dr. Erica Muhl, brings extraordinary expertise, experience, and credentials to Berklee and is quickly building on Berklee’s strong foundation and strategic positioning.
  • Overall on-campus enrollment at Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Berklee NYC, and Berklee Valencia is close to 6,500 students for the current fall semester, compared to 5,670 in fall 2019.
  • Total student enrollment for Berklee Online was over 8,700 over the past academic year (2021-22), a 36 % increase from 2019-2020.
  • Six years after the merger with the Boston Conservatory, Berklee continues to strengthen its strategic positioning in the performing arts through the Conservatory’s music, dance, and theater divisions. The new BFA in Commercial Dance launched during the fall 2022 semester, and exceeded enrollment expectations by nearly doubling the anticipated size of the inaugural class.
  • Berklee Online continues to outperform, with growth continuing at double-digit rates. Revenues increased from $30 million to almost $50 million during the pandemic.
  • Berklee Valencia, Spain, celebrated its 10-year anniversary this year and has recently expanded its facilities to accommodate continuing demand strength.
  • After a year-long, $21 million renovation, Berklee NYC re-opened in the fall of 2021, offering a Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology, with three distinct specializations, including the popular Songwriting and Production program. Berklee NYC exceeded projected enrollment targets for its first two years.
  • Berklee’s 2022 financial results reflect new records in revenues and operating surplus. Liquidity and overall balance sheet positioning remain strong, providing a solid foundation for future investment and growth.
  • Berklee’s endowment has been well positioned through the pandemic and the most recent economic downturns. Through a sound investment strategy, prudent operational [TR9] management, and successful fundraising, the endowment has grown from $159.3 million in 2005 to $403.5 million as of May 31. 2022.

For more about Berklee, please visit About Berklee , Fundamental Values , and Mission and Philosophy .

Location

The CFO role will be based at Berklee's Boston campus, home to Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Located in the city's vibrant Back Bay neighborhood, the campus pulses with continual music, theater, and dance events, and creative energy. Beyond campus, Boston offers a wealth of opportunities for outdoor recreation, dining, shopping, sports, and nightlife. Boston is also home to extraordinary art and science museums, historic houses of worship, an exciting theater district, unique galleries and markets, and countless opportunities for exploration and adventure on land or sea.

Attractions and opportunities aside, Berklee students, alumni, faculty, and staff often note that it is the people of Boston that make this such a special place to learn and develop. Consistently ranked "America’s smartest city" by Forbes , Boston is at the forefront of innovation in education, technology, and the arts, providing opportunities for inspiration, collaboration, and personal growth.

For more about Boston, please visit https://www.bostonusa.com/ .

Applications, Inquiries and Nominations

Berklee has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in conducting this search. Confidential applications, inquiries, nominations/referrals, should be sent electronically to the Isaacson, Miller executive search team via the link below:

Dan Rodas, Partner

Gail Gregory, Managing Associate

https://www.imsearch.com/open-searches/berklee-college-music/chief-financial-officer

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at will” employment relationship.

 

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee : 

We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance.  Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at [email protected] or call 617-747-2375.

Berklee is committed to increasing the diversity of our institution, community, and the curriculum. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths in this area.

*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*


Employee Type:
Executive


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