"Associate Chancellor for Finance and Strategy"

Job Details

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Position Title: Associate Chancellor for Finance and Strategy

Job Category: Limited

Employment Type: Regular

Job Profile: Chief Financial Officer (Inst)

Job Duties:

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UWO) invites applications and nominations for an Associate Chancellor for Finance and Strategy. This position will join a new Chancellor and a dedicated community to further the mission of the University. The Associate Chancellor will also lead an integrated strategic planning process that aligns academic, financial, enrollment, and operational goals, conduct environmental scanning, market analysis, and scenario planning to anticipate and respond to future challenges and opportunities, develop and maintain institutional dashboards and KPIs to monitor progress toward strategic goals, and foster a culture of collaboration and teamwork across the university community.

With a more than 150-year history, UWO is a university of higher education in the highly respected Universities of Wisconsin, deeply connected with partners throughout its home region. UWO embraces the ideals of the Wisconsin Idea, one of the longest and most fundamental traditions that links the constellation of 13 universities forming the Universities of Wisconsin. UWO serves over 12,000 students, including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students, and approximately 5,000 high school learners throughout Wisconsin pursuing UWO college credits. The university is driven by a dedicated workforce of more than 1,200 employees and is a recognized leader in sustainability, health care, education, business partnerships, and regional economic development. Deeply committed to access, affordability, and academic excellence, UW Oshkosh plays a central role in the educational and economic vitality of the Fox Valley region.

The Associate Chancellor for Finance and Strategy is a critical leadership role that integrates the responsibilities of chief financial officer and chief strategy officer. Reporting directly to the Chancellor and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, this executive will oversee institution-wide financial operations and play a key role in strategic planning initiatives to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability and alignment with the mission. In a dynamic environment shaped by statewide funding constraints, demographic shifts, and evolving expectations for regional public universities, the Associate Chancellor will guide UW Oshkosh in developing new revenue models, streamlining operations to optimize costs, and advancing the university’s strategic goals in alignment with the Universities of Wisconsin. The Associate Chancellor will be responsible for fostering a culture of evidence-based planning and informed decision-making. With a strong commitment to the mission of public higher education, inclusive excellence, and shared governance, the Associate Chancellor will serve as a key driver of institutional transformation, helping shape university priorities, structure, and resource allocation, and collaborating with Cabinet members, Deans, shared governance, and Universities of Wisconsin leaders to ensure strategic coherence. The ideal candidate will be a strategic business officer with strong financial acumen, a genuine appreciation for the impact of higher education, and experience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. They will be a seasoned financial professional with a proven track record of developing and implementing innovative financial models, identifying key investment areas, and being a collaborative team player.

Key Job Responsibilities:

Performance Management

• Develop and maintain institutional dashboards and KPIs to monitor progress toward strategic goals.
• Foster a culture of evidence-based planning and informed decision-making.

Revenue Enhancement & Cost Containment

• Identify and develop diversified revenue sources, including grants, international recruitment, auxiliary enterprises, partnerships, public-private ventures, and other entrepreneurial opportunities.
• Evaluate academic and administrative units for cost-effectiveness, ROI, and strategic fit.
• Support initiatives to modernize business operations and deploy technology to reduce administrative burden and improve financial decision-making.
• Direct capital planning and infrastructure investments in alignment with the institution’s mission and fiscal responsibility.

Financial Stewardship and Planning

• Lead all financial functions, including budgeting, forecasting, accounting, procurement, investments, and financial reporting.
• Develop and implement multi-year financial models to support institutional priorities and ensure long-term fiscal stability.
• Manage a $250 million operating budget.
• Oversee cash flow, liquidity management, and reserves, optimizing financial resources to support strategic objectives.

Collaborative Leadership

• Collaborate with Executive Council and Cabinet members, Deans, shared governance, and System leaders to ensure strategic coherence.
• Represent UW Oshkosh on System-level working groups related to finance and strategy, advocating for institutional needs while supporting system-wide initiatives.

Strategy Development and Execution

• Support an integrated strategic planning process that aligns academic, financial, enrollment, and operational goals.
• Serve as a key driver of institutional transformation, helping shape university priorities, structure, and resource allocation.
• Conduct environmental scanning, market analysis, and scenario planning to anticipate and respond to future challenges and opportunities.

Department: Office of the Chancellor

Compensation: $200,000-$213,000

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a strategic business officer with strong financial acumen, a genuine appreciation for the impact of higher education, and experience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. They will be a seasoned financial professional with a proven track record of developing and implementing innovative financial models, identifying key investment areas, and being a collaborative team player.

Required Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in finance, strategic management, business administration, public policy, higher education leadership, or a closely related field.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in financial management and/or strategic planning in a highly complex organization.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and institutional change in complex, regulated settings.
• Strong financial modeling and data analytics capabilities.
• Deep commitment to the mission of public higher education and shared governance.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctoral/terminal degree in a related field.
• Experience within an institution or system of higher education or a similarly complex non-profit organization.
• Familiarity with Wisconsin state budgeting, capital project approval, and procurement procedures.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to convey complex financial and strategic concepts to varied audiences.

How to Apply:

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please submit your CV and cover letter as soon as possible using the following external link: https://www.dsgco.com/search/22600-uw-oshkosh-associate-chancellor-for-finance/.

Nominations or inquiries can be directed to the search team below:

Steve Leo, Managing Director

Brian Bustin, Senior Associate

DSG | Storbeck

UWOCFO@dsgco.com