Vice President for Administration, Finance, and Operations

Position Overview

This is a pivotal leadership position as the College advances its mission-driven goals and positions itself as a national Catholic institution committed to the education and formation of the minds, souls, and bodies of future leaders. The Vice President will be the key architect in shaping proactive financial strategies, assessing potential opportunities, overseeing institutional stewardship and operational excellence for continued growth and transformational innovation. As a Cabinet member, the Vice President will report directly to the President.

The Vice President for Administration, Finance, and Operations will be expected to bring rigorous realism, creativity, flexibility, and adaptability to financial forecasting, modernize systems, and foster trust through transparent communication with the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, faculty, and staff. This position oversees a broad portfolio including finance, auxiliary services, public safety, purchasing, contracts, and campus operations. As a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the President, the Vice President collaborates closely with the President, Provost, and other Cabinet leaders to guide the College’s strategic direction, steward the budget, maintain compliance, and ensure fiscal sustainability.

As an executive administrator, the Vice President ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, funding agencies, and accrediting bodies through continuous monitoring of operations, programs, and physical properties. This position will be the primary liaison with banks, lenders, rating agencies, auditors, and other external stakeholders. This role demands strategic decision-making, executive presence, operational expertise, and financial acumen to ensure accountability, foster collaboration, build trust, and deliver exceptional results across diverse functions to ensure long-term growth and stability and community well-being. The Vice President will partner proactively with legal counsel to support sound governance and mitigate risk. The Vice President will also work closely with the Board of Trustees with transparency and flawless integration and communication, lead the Finance and Investment Committee of the College, and work seamlessly with the Southern Benedictine Society of Belmont Abbey.

The Vice President must be able to translate complex financial information into clear, meaningful, and timely updates that inform and engage the College community, while strengthening cross-functional planning with Academic Affairs, Enrollment, Student Life, Athletics, Advancement, and Campus Ministry so that administrative policies and practices reflect the College’s Catholic and Benedictine identity.

The Vice President for Administration, Finance, and Operations will oversee the following essential functions –

• Financial Planning and Budgeting – Fiduciary responsibility of safeguarding and optimizing College assets, direct development and supervision of annual and multi-year capital and operations budgets, capital planning, and financial forecasting, cash management, investments, debt management, annual audits, tax filings, and ensure priorities are addressed with appropriate resource allocation; design and implement internal controls that safeguard assets, verify the accuracy and reliability of accounting information, promote operational efficiency, and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Financial Analysis – Direct institutional financial and operational analysis, including enrollment, cash flow, risk analysis, auxiliary enterprise revenue, analyze economic and industry trends to provide proactive guidance to executive leadership.
• Facilities and Campus Operations – Provide executive administration of Facilities Management, including capital projects, maintenance, food services, sustainability, and space planning.
• Institutional Leadership – Advise the President, Cabinet, and other senior leadership, represent financial and business affairs to the Board of Trustees in a timely, comprehensive, and coherent manner, and ensure alignment of business strategies with institutional priorities and mission; Work within Board-approved policy and Catholic conscience investing standards consistent with the moral teachings of the Church to support the administration of the College’s endowment and invested assets, collaborating with the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees and external advisors to align asset allocation, risk, and spending with long-term mission and intergenerational equity; review and approve all accrediting body and SACSCOC annual Financial Reports prior to submission.
• Accounting and Business Operations – Executive oversight of the Controller’s Office and accounting, receivables, payables, purchasing, contracts, insurance, and financial systems, as well as the College’s enterprise risk framework encompassing insurance, safety, business continuity, fraud prevention, and financial and operational compliance.
• Human Resources – Oversee employment of faculty and staff, employee benefits, payroll, and Title IX administration through the Human Resources Department.
• Information Technology – Manage the IT Department and its diverse and innovative systems across campus.
• Auxiliary Services – Manage dining services, conferences and events, campus stores, parking, public safety including Campus Police, to ensure high-quality services, financial sustainability, and customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

Must have a record of progressively responsible leadership in higher education or complex nonprofit administration, finance, and operations and a deep resonance with Belmont Abbey College’s Catholic and Benedictine mission.

Required:

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field and a master’s degree in accounting, business administration, and/or finance, and a CPA or CFA licensure.
• A minimum of 10 years of management in non-profit higher education and institutional finance expertise.
• Demonstrate a track record of impactful and sustained success and a strategic ambition that creates results with a compassionate mindset and a student-centered approach that reflects Catholic mission and values.
• Demonstrate expertise in financial planning, budgeting, accounting and audit, treasury and debt management, investment oversight, internal controls, endowment management, grant administration, and operational management.
• Possess the presence and credibility to engage effectively with Trustees and stakeholders, the emotional intelligence to build a culture of partnership, and the vision to align institutional mission and priorities with financial acumen.
• Demonstrate success building effective teams and improving systems and processes that serve academic, student life, and mission priorities.
• Demonstrate experience with enterprise risk management, insurance, procurement, and business services.
• Must have knowledge of the higher education regulatory environment, including federal and state compliance, not-for-profit accounting standards, and tax compliance expectations for sales and use tax, unrelated business income, employment tax, and escheatment.
• Must communicate clearly in writing and speech, present complex information to diverse audiences, exercises sound judgment, and bring humility, prudence, and a collegial spirit to Cabinet and Board work.
• Must be a practicing Catholic, demonstrating a life consistent with Church teachings;
• Must uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church with specific attention to the Catholic intellectual tradition, the Apostolic Constitution Ex corde Ecclesiae, and the Benedictine spirit of prayer and learning; and
• Must serve as a visible Christian leader both on and off campus, providing a personal witness to the Gospel through professional conduct.