"Associate Vice President for Business Affairs/Assistant Treasurer"

PRIMARY PURPOSE/GENERAL DESCRIPTION:

The Associate Vice President of Business Affairs/Assistant Treasurer (AVP) serves as a senior leader within the Division of Business Affairs and as a strategic partner to the Vice President for Business Affairs/Treasurer. The AVP provides vision, leadership, and operational oversight for the College's financial planning, budgeting, certain accounting services, investments, real estate transactions, in association with the in-house broker, and selected administrative and auxiliary functions. The role balances strategic financial stewardship with hands-on operational leadership in support of the College's academic mission and values as a residential liberal arts institution. Reporting to the Vice President for Business Affairs/Treasurer, the Assistant Vice President serves as the College's primary representative to the Claremont Colleges Services (Consortium) business operations in order to further the fiscal coordination of the institution.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

This information is intended to be a descriptive of the key responsibilities of the position. The list of essential functions below does not identify all duties performed by any single incumbent in this position. Perform other duties as assigned.

Leadership

• Works collaboratively with colleagues across campus and actively participates in and manages the College's financial operations, data, and partners, serving as a community of practice for finance and operations professionals throughout the College.
• Serves as a key advisor to the Vice President for Business Affairs/Treasurer; participates on the Vice President's Executive Leadership Team.
• Represents Business Affairs on college-wide committees, task forces, student forums, and on external business and higher education settings.
• Provides institutional leadership in financial strategy, resource allocation, and operational effectiveness aligned with the College's strategic priorities.
• Represents the College at Business and Finance Advisory Committee (BFAC) or other Business Affairs meetings when requested by the Vice President/Treasurer.
• Attends, presents, and provides staff leadership support for Financial Stewardship, Investment, and Audit, Risk and Compliance Committees of the Board of Trustees, including preparation of materials and maintenance of meeting records as assigned.
• Active support for the College's Principles of Community and Institutional Values in the performance of job duties.
• Attends the NACUBO, WACUBO, and PACCON annual meetings.

Budget, Planning, and Financial Strategy

• Provides vision, leadership, and oversight for the Budget and Procurement Office, including development, management, analysis, and reporting of the College's financial resources.
• Manages the College's comprehensive budget process, including operating, capital, auxiliary, and cash flow budgets, position control, and long-range financial planning.
• Develops near-term and multi-year financial forecasts; analyzes trends and variances; and presents clear, actionable financial reports to senior leadership.
• Establishes and maintains budgeting policies, procedures, and timelines; coordinates annual budget development and review processes across divisions.
• Provides staff support to the Presidential Budget Advisory Committee in partnership with committee chairs, including agenda preparation, meeting coordination, analysis, presentations, and documentation.
• Oversees preparation and submission of required financial surveys and reports for external constituents, regulatory bodies, and benchmarking organizations.
• Supports the Vice President in developing, documenting, and implementing financial and administrative policies; conducts financial analysis and benchmarking to inform policy decisions.

Accounting Services and Financial Operations

• Oversees student account services, accounting operations, and financial reporting to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with internal policies and external regulations.
• Directs and evaluates accounting programs, personnel, and operations to ensure compliance with College policies and applicable state and federal regulations.
• Ensures strong internal controls across all financial operations; identifies and mitigates financial and operational risks.
• Oversees daily budget and accounting operations, including review and approval of journal entries, financial reconciliations, and fiscal analyses.
• Serves as liaison to the Controller's Office at The Claremont Colleges Services Financial Services Office on accounting matters, audits, year-end close, and financial reporting.
• Coordinates and supports internal and external audits, including implementation of audit recommendations in collaboration with the Vice President/Treasurer.

Investments and Endowment Management

• Oversees management of the College's investment portfolio and maintains primary relationships with investment advisors, consultants, custodians, and fund managers.
• Reviews, analyzes, and reports on investment performance, asset allocation, liquidity, and risk.
• Reviews limited partnership and master limited partnership agreements; coordinates legal review and ensures compliance with all reporting and execution requirements.
• Serves as staff liaison and primary support to the Investment Sub-Committee of the Board of Trustees.
• Acts as the managing agent and principal contact for the College's third-party investment advisory firm.
• Advises and supports student-led financial initiatives, including the Student Investment Fund and student-run enterprises, on accounting, financial reporting, governance, and internal controls.

Financial Planning, Facilities, and Capital Projects

• Provides leadership and coordination for financial planning related to facilities services and capital planning, including construction management, capital renewal, and lifecycle planning.
• Assists the Vice President with capital projects from planning through construction closeout, including budget monitoring and oversight of contractor payments.
• Partners with Facilities Services to align capital investments with institutional priorities and financial capacity.

Real Estate and Faculty/Staff Housing

• Assists the Vice President in managing the College's real estate portfolio, including faculty, staff, and student housing properties.
• Coordinates with The Claremont Colleges Services real estate office on property management and tenant services; serves as the managing agent for the College's services contract with The Claremont Colleges Services real estate office.
• Advises on tenant relations and routes service requests appropriately.
• Analyzes housing and real estate acquisition opportunities, including market analysis, financial forecasting, and return-on-investment modeling.
• Provides support for real estate transactions, including broker coordination, financing, appraisals, escrow, and closings.
• Acts as liaison for faculty loan programs, coordinating with faculty, and real estate office.

Treasury Operations

• Supervises treasury functions including related responsibilities of the Senior Accountant and reviews the cash flow functions performed by the Associate Controller.
• Ensures short-term cash investments are balanced for investment return and adequate cash flow for the College's resourcing needs.
• Maintains treasury dashboard that includes appropriate financial ratios.
• Processes and manages real estate proceeds

Scenario Planning

• Reviews the College's long-range planning models maintained by the Budget Manager.
• Assists the Treasurer with developing and maintaining capital plans tailored to Scripps's strategic needs, short-, mid-, and long-term.
• Conducts and reports on financial stress tests to assess institutional resilience under various scenarios.
• Analyses and stress tests revenue streams, cash flows, and assessment of financial outcomes based on variable assumptions and economic sensitivities.

Capital Structure, Financing, Debt Compliance and Monitoring

• Reviews Treasurer's capital structure plan quarterly.
• Monitors debt and credit strategies.
• Consults and collaborates with College's financial advisory consultants on public financial markets including bonds, direct loans, sale leaseback, debt markets monitoring, bank industry tracking and reporting, tax-exempt and taxable strategies, bond/debt instrument pricing and credit rating strategy, provide debt covenant review, make compliance recommendations and forward guidance.
• Coordinates with bond counsel on matters related to debt, financing, and compliance with legal requirements.
• Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of sale leaseback transactions for compliance and performance.
• Ensures compliance with all terms and obligations related to building leases.
• Assesses and verifies of compliance with ground lease agreements.
• Arbitrage calculations and reporting.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:

Individual must possess knowledge, skills and ability to be able to successfully perform the essential functions of the position, or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

Strategic & Financial Leadership

• Demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the financial model of a tuition-dependent liberal arts institution and applies that understanding to executive decision-making.
• Deep understanding of higher education finance, including tuition dependency, discount rates, auxiliary revenues, endowment dynamics, and intergenerational equity.
• Applies quantitative analysis, financial modeling, and scenario planning to inform executive leadership, Board deliberations, and long-term strategy.
• Anticipates and prepares for enrollment shifts, market volatility, capital market fluctuations, and regulatory change.
• Identifies financial, operational, and compliance risks and implements appropriate controls and mitigation strategies.
• Exercises independent judgment and strategic initiative in advancing institutional financial sustainability.

Compliance, Governance, and Internal Controls

• Serves as a trusted institutional steward, ensuring regulatory compliance while enabling effective operations.
• Knowledge of federal, state, accreditation-related, and donor-restricted financial requirements applicable to higher education.
• Ensures strong internal controls and serves as a key institutional partner to internal and external auditors.
• Translates complex regulatory and compliance requirements into clear, functional, and practical campus policies.
• Evaluates financial, legal, and compliance implications of contracts, agreements, and institutional commitments.
• Upholds fiduciary responsibility, institutional trust, and ethical financial practices.

Analytical and Technical Expertise

• Uses data, analysis, and financial acumen to anticipate challenges and support informed leadership decisions.
• Monitors financial indicators and proactively anticipates institutional impacts.
• Interprets financial statements, cash flow, debt service, liquidity, and key financial ratios.
• Assesses trends and risks to support long-term planning and short-term operational decision-making.
• Maintains strong technical proficiency in financial systems, reporting tools, and analytical methodologies.

Leadership, Initiative, and Problem-Solving

• Leads with initiative, accountability, and a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Takes proactive ownership of complex financial and operational challenges, identifying solutions rather than deferring decisions.
• Demonstrates strong problem-solving skills, particularly in ambiguous or high-stakes situations.
• Sets clear expectations, performance metrics, and accountability structures across functional areas.
• Exercises sound judgment and decision-making authority as the senior administrator when the Vice President is unavailable.
• Develops, mentors, and retains a high-performing team through trust, clarity, and consistent leadership.

Departmental Oversight and Operational Management

• Provides effective oversight of diverse and interrelated financial and operational functions.
• Oversees functions such as budgeting, treasury, investments, procurement, financial operations, student accounts, and related services.
• Partners effectively with investment advisors, consultants, and Board committees to steward endowment and reserves.
• Ensures alignment between financial operations and institutional priorities.
• Maintains operational excellence while balancing strategic and fiduciary responsibilities.

Communication and Relationship Management

• Builds strong, trust-based relationships across the institution and consortium, and communicates with clarity and credibility.
• Translates complex financial, compliance, and risk information into accessible, decision-oriented messaging.
• Presents financial data effectively to a wide range of audiences, including senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, and the Board of Trustees.
• Establishes and sustains strong working relationships with academic and administrative leaders.
• Advances institutional priorities through collaboration, influence, credibility, and persuasion.
• Helps stakeholders understand the rationale, tradeoffs, and impact of financial decisions.
• This role requires exceptional relationship-building skills and the ability to operate as a trusted partner across campus.

Board Relations and Executive Governance

• Supports effective governance through clear communication and professional discretion.
• Communicates financial realities, risks, and tradeoffs with clarity, candor, and professionalism.
• Works effectively with financial stewardship, audit, risk and compliance, and investment committees of the Board of Trustees.
• Navigates the respective roles of trustees, administration, faculty, and student leadership within shared governance.
• Supports fiduciary decision-making and long-term institutional strategy.
• Exercises discretion and sound judgment in all Board-level matters.

Mission and Institutional Alignment

• Aligns financial leadership with the College's mission, values, and community.
• Ensures financial decisions advance student learning, academic excellence, and institutional purpose.
• Understands and respects the values, traditions, and shared governance norms of a small liberal arts college.
• Demonstrates care for the institution's reputation, resources, and people, fostering confidence and trust among campus stakeholders.
• Integrates institutional values, equity considerations, and community impact into financial policies and practices.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

Master's degree in Business/Financial Administration or related field, or any combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.

At least ten years of related experience in positions of increasing responsibility in a college or university setting is preferred.

LICENSES / CERTIFICATES:

Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is preferred.

HOURS & CLASSIFICATION AND STATUS:

The position is a regular status, full-time, twelve-month, benefit-eligible, exempt position.

The regular hours of this position are Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm.

This position requires flexibility beyond the regular business hours. Based on the operational needs of the College and the financial cycle, the incumbent must be available to work evenings, weekends, and extended hours as required. This may include periods of peak activity such as fiscal year-end, audits, budget development, system implementations, and other time-sensitive financial operations to ensure continuity, accuracy, and compliance.

Salary rate range: $225,000-$287,500 annualized for illustration purposes. The salary rate of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty, and training.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:

Supervises the Budget, Finance (including Investment & Student Accounts) and Procurement offices. This position will serve as the Administrator-in-Charge on behalf of the Vice President, as needed.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is quiet to moderate.

This position requires a regular, active on-campus presence. For the first six months of employment, the role is not eligible for hybrid work and must be performed fully on campus. After six months, the position may be considered for hybrid work in accordance with institutional policy and at the discretion of the Vice President; however, an ongoing, active on-campus presence remains a requirement of the role.

Physical and Mental Requirements

Ability to maintain good concentration level while dealing with interruptions; attention to details with emphasis on accuracy; capable of giving, receiving, and analyzing information, formulating work plans, and articulating goals and action plans.

Sitting in a normal seated position for extended periods of time. Standing for extended periods of time. Reaching and extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction. Finger dexterity required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than the whole hand(s), or arm(s), for example, using a keyboard. Communication skills using the spoken word. Ability to see within normal parameters. Ability to hear within normal parameters. Ability to bend and stoop, for example, to file. Ability to move about. Ability to lift and carry short distances up to 20 lbs., for example to lift or move office supplies, files, books and packages