"Chief Financial Officer/Vice President, Administration and Finance"

Job Details

Chief Financial Officer/Vice President, Administration and Finance

Job no: 553397
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: Northern California: Humboldt
Categories: Bargaining Unit: MPP, Job Search Category/Discipline: Administrative, Appointment Type: At-Will, Time Basis: Full Time, Workplace Type (Exclude Inst Fac): On-site (work in-person at business location)

Chief Financial Officer/ Vice President

Administration & Finance

Job # 553397

Close Date: Friday, March 6, 2026

At Cal Poly Humboldt, bold hearts and open minds shape the future.

Founded in 1913, Cal Poly Humboldt began as a small college for teachers. Today Humboldt has grown into a comprehensive university with rigorous science and liberal arts programs. Designated a polytechnic in 2022, Cal Poly Humboldt provides hands-on, impactful educational opportunities that lead to meaningful, measurable outcomes for the individual, for the state, and the world.

Cal Poly Humboldt is proud to have more than 6,000 students of all backgrounds spread across 61 majors, 13 graduate programs, and 4 credential programs - all of whom contribute passion and creativity within their fields and set the stage for a future grounded in equity and sustainability. Hands-on learning, inspired teaching, ground-breaking research, and thought-provoking creative activity happen daily at Humboldt.

Finding a better future is a task for the bold and open, the down-to-earth and visionary. Cal Poly Humboldt strives to cultivate these qualities in leaders, innovators, and scholars in every field.

(Job #553397) Administrator IV, Chief Financial Officer/Vice President for Administration and Finance, Salary Range: $10,106 - $32,441, Anticipated Hiring Range: $21,666 - $25,700 monthly. Final salary placement is commensurate with experience, internal equity, and budget considerations. This is a full-time, benefited, exempt, 12-month, at-will position in the Division of Administrative Affairs. This position is an Administrator IV in the California State University Management Personnel Plan (MPP). Under this plan, incumbents are subject to normal management reviews and serve at the pleasure of the University President. Additional information can be found at http://www.calstate.edu/HRAdm/policies/mpp.shtml.

This position comes with a premium benefits package that includes outstanding vacation, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, voluntary pre-tax health and dependent care reimbursement accounts, a fee waiver education program, membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and 15 paid holidays per year. Additional benefits information can be found at https://hraps.humboldt.edu/employee-benefits.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the University President and in collaboration with colleagues across campus, the Chief Financial Officer/Vice President of Administration and Finance is responsible for overseeing $310 million in budgeted funds on campus, including the University Operating Fund, Self-Support Entities, and Auxiliary operations.

The incumbent provides strategic leadership, management, and oversight of the Division of Administration and Finance ensuring that the University budget, campus capital planning efforts, risk management, safety policies, and resource acquisition and use all support the University's strategic plan, academic mission, and Cal Poly transformation.

The incumbent must be dedicated to creating and supporting a collaborative & transparent workplace that promotes shared governance, teamwork, diversity, equity, and inclusion, while ensuring long-term financial sustainability, strategic allocation of resources, and strong accountability in support of the university's purpose.

Key Responsibilities:

General Responsibilities - 35%

• Provides advice and counsel with major impact on all aspects of campus management.
• Coordinates with other Vice Presidents, Auxiliaries, and Self-Supports in overall campus planning and management.
• Serves as a member of the Executive Cabinet.
• Provides executive leadership and guidance regarding financial, business, human resources, facilities, and campus operational considerations during both exploratory and formative stages of decision making.
• Ensures a culture of financial transparency and accountability, communicating budgetary information in ways accessible to all campus stakeholders.
• Leads and engages in a number of additional campus committees.
• Represents the University before on- and off-campus organizations, boards, and agencies; represents University positions and provides consultation to campus colleagues, other CSU campuses, the Chancellor's Office, and state or federal offices as appropriate.
• Consults with University Senate and other committees as appropriate.
• Participates in system-wide meetings, committees, and task forces.
• Maintains general working knowledge of information technology resources in use or proposed for campus-wide utilization in support of university objectives, particularly those supporting entities under the VPAF's responsibility.

Executive Management Responsibilities - 35%

• Provides overall guidance for campus business affairs, including development of the annual University financial plan.
• Within statutory, regulatory, and policy limitations, directs management regarding control and expenditures of support funds.
• Provides timely and reliable cost and resource utilization data for executive-level planning and decision making.
• Provides guidance in the appropriate investment and management of campus funds as the University Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• Ensures key supervised units' function optimally, support the campus community, provide excellent service, and adhere to applicable policies and laws.
• Provides guidance and support to campus auxiliaries in alignment with Chancellor's Office executive orders.
• Meets periodically with auxiliary governing boards to review rules and regulations pertinent to operations.
• Serves as the Emergency Operations Director.
• Oversees compliance with CSU policies, external audit standards, and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP/GASB); ensures internal controls are in place to safeguard university resources.
• Leads long-term financial planning, business continuity, and resiliency strategies to protect the university's mission in the face of fiscal or operational challenges.

Supervisory - 25%

• Reports directly to the President and provides oversight of Budget, Contracts and Procurement, Facilities Management, Financial Services, Human Resources, Risk Management, Title IX/DHR Prevention, and the University Police Department.
• Carries fiduciary responsibility for all campus auxiliaries in accordance with CSU Executive Orders and Board of Trustees policy.
• Provides executive leadership for Administration and Finance staff, ensuring professional development, succession planning, and a culture of service excellence.

Other Duties as Assigned - 5%

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Associated with this Position Include:

• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated experience in effective written and oral communication.
• Ability to build and lead strong, collaborative teams.
• Ability to foster relationships with diverse stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and racial equity in decision-making and workplace culture.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a shared governance environment with faculty, staff, administrators, labor unions, and system leadership.
• Ability to ensure compliance with applicable laws, policies, and procedures.
• Ability to develop and implement comprehensive financial plans aligned with strategic priorities, including the ability to determine acceptable risk for growth strategies after conducting analysis.
• Thorough knowledge of budget development and management, accounting theory and practice, and risk management.
• Knowledge of capital project planning and facilities management in higher education.
• Familiarity with complex fiscal models, budgets, and auditing best practices.
• Ability to manage challenging situations with a fact-based approach.
• Commitment to financial transparency and accountability.
• Ability to respond effectively to requests from the Chancellor's Office, Board of Trustees, and other oversight bodies.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to build effective working relationships with diverse constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to sustainability.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in finance or related areas.
• Minimum 5 years of executive-level (ex. Executive Director, AVP or VP) experience overseeing financial operations, budgeting, or strategic resource management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, finance, or related field.
• Experience in higher education financial management, including state appropriations and auxiliaries.
• Experience with long-term financial planning, capital projects, and audit compliance.
• Experience overseeing internal controls, audits, and compliance functions in a complex organization.
• Demonstrated success leading sustainability and resource-efficiency initiatives.
• Ability to represent the University within the CSU system and with state and federal agencies.

Application Procedure: To apply, qualified candidates must electronically submit the following materials by clicking the Apply Now button:

• Letter of Interest
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Contact information for at least three supervisory references

Application Deadline: The deadline to submit application materials is 11:55 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2026.