"Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer"

Lake Forest College invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice President for Finance & Administration and Chief Financial Officer (VPFA/CFO). Reporting to President Mike Sosulski, who began his tenure in August 2025, the VPFA/CFO serves as a key member of the College’s leadership team, with a broad portfolio overseeing the College’s financial and physical assets. The VPFA/CFO is the College’s primary finance officer, overseeing $200 million in total net assets and a $72 million operating budget. The College recently launched the quiet phase of a five-year, $175 million campaign expected to bolster the endowment, increase community engagement, support faculty and staff development, and fund student scholarships.

Located thirty miles north of Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan, Lake Forest College integrates a liberal arts education with hands-on career preparation and pragmatic learning experiences. Lake Forest enrolls more than 1,800 students from more than 40 states and from more than 100 countries. The College employs 115 full-time and more than 100 part time faculty. There are 215 full-time and 50 part-time staff. There are more than 15,000 Forester alumni worldwide, many of whom stay in the Chicagoland area.

The VPFA/CFO will oversee a broad array of functions including finance, business operations, treasury, investments, real estate, safety and risk management, facilities, and human resources. They will serve as a strategic partner to the President and campus community. A leader and a strong and effective communicator, the VPFA/CFO will be able to clearly explain the implications of complex financial decisions to various audiences. They must be an entrepreneurial, collaborative, and creative thinker who balances risk-taking with pragmatism.

Prospective candidates are invited to reach out directly to LakeForestVPFA@russellreynolds.com with a resume and brief expression of interest.

Lake Forest College’s goal is to compensate for this position at a competitive level. The estimated compensation package is expected to be in the range of $240-$260K.

In addition to salary, the selected candidate will be eligible to participate in The College’s standard benefit package. Benefits information can be found at Employee Benefits | Lake Forest College. The approximate range listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation as a component of the total compensation for the role at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future. If you are interested in learning more about employment at Lake Forest College, please visit Working at Lake Forest | Lake Forest College.