Calbright College, Chief Financial Officer

ORGANIZATION

Calbright College is one of California’s newest community colleges – the first statewide, online campus designed to bridge the gap between employers with unfilled positions and students who don’t have either the time or money to attend a traditional school. Our mission is to increase economic mobility and close equity gaps for working adults who lack easy access to traditional forms of higher education by offering online, flexible, affordable skills-based programs that provide tangible economic value for both working adults and hiring managers.

To learn more about Calbright College, please visit www.calbright.edu. 

OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the College’s President and CEO, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is head of the strategic budgeting, fiscal modeling and forecasting, accounting, procurement, and facilities management of Calbright College. This executive-level leader is responsible for providing strategic thinking and guidance through collaboration with the President and CEO and executive team to establish long-range financial goals and strategies. The CFO serves on the Cabright College executive team and acts as a key executive liaison with the President and CEO to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, other state agencies, the Legislature, and external constituent groups. The CFO carries two direct reports and five indirect reports.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary responsibilities of the Chief Financial Officer include but are not limited to the following:

Financial Strategy and Budgeting

• Lead the strategic budgeting process, fiscal modeling, and long-term financial planning.
• Provide financial counsel to the President & CEO, and executive team to align the budget with organizational goals.
• Oversee financial forecasting, performance monitoring, and capital expenditure programs.

Financial Reporting and Compliance

• Ensure that all financial records and reports comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations.
• Manage the College’s internal control structures, audits, and financial reporting processes.
• Provides financial information to the Board of Trustees in accordance with Board policy; attends board meetings.

Operational Oversight

• Supervise procurement, facilities management, and asset inventories to ensure effective resource utilization.
• Oversee college facilities and ensure that staff and programs operate in a comfortable and collaborative environment.
• Collaborate with IT management to maintain systems like ERP for financial management.

Stakeholder Engagement and Leadership

• Serve as a key liaison with external stakeholders, including state agencies, unions, and vendors.
• Engage in negotiations with employee groups and manage relationships with vendors and service providers.
• Foster collaboration across departments to ensure organizational financial health and support the achievement of program goals.

Training and Capacity Building

• Provide tools, training, and resources to executive and departmental leaders to enhance financial literacy and enable effective budget management.
• Conduct workshops related to CFO functions to support ongoing learning within the organization​.

KEY COMPETENCIES

Financial Leadership and Expertise

• Strong knowledge of financial management principles, including GAAP, GASB, fund accounting, and state and federal contract practices.
• Proven track record in strategic financial planning, budgeting, and accurate financial reporting for large, complex budgets.
• Deep understanding of state and federal funding mechanisms, including grants, public appropriations, and other funding streams specific to community colleges or public institutions.

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Experience developing and executing organizational strategic plans, including financial strategies that align with institutional goals.
• Ability to manage teams effectively, maximizing output in a dynamic, collaborative environment undergoing growth and change.

Stakeholder Communication and Collaboration

• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present financial information to government officials, boards, and public groups.
• Ability to maintain productive relationships with internal teams, unions, vendors, and external stakeholders.

Commitment to Equity and Inclusion

• Demonstrated experience in fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and advancing cultural competency within an organization.

Adaptability and Problem-Solving

• Ability to manage under pressure, prioritize issues, resolve conflicts, and adapt to changing circumstances.
• Analytical mindset with a passion for innovation and the ability to execute new ideas.

KEY PRIORITIES FOR YEARS 1-3

• Increase the quality and reliability of Fiscal Services and Operations.
• Develop a strategy and implement new sources of revenue for the college, including the transition to public apportionment (i.e., new funding model), federal, state, and private grants, and per-student sources of revenue (e.g., workforce training, federal financial aid, etc.).
• Provide effective management and leadership to oversee the College’s internal control structure, purchasing, accounting, financial reporting, financial planning and analyses, and annual audit processes. 
• Forecast revenue projections and adjust based on organizational needs.
• Implement and adjust financial systems to streamline financial processes and procedures.

Requirements

The next Calbright College Chief Financial Officer will be an accomplished fiscally astute executive with 10+ years of demonstrated experience successfully managing a multi-faceted and layered institution aligned with the major responsibilities outlined above.

• Senior executive experience working at a post secondary institution with public funds, community college, K-12 district, other governmental or government auxiliary fiscal environment, or comparable experience managing public funds.
• Familiarity with the financial operations and strategic needs of an online or technology-driven educational institution, especially one that serves nontraditional students.
• Experience developing and maintaining large and complex budgets.
• The ability to function in a remote online environment is key.
•  The person holding this position is considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in Calbright College policies, procedures, and Title IX. 
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) or equivalent required.
• Masters degree preferred.

Benefits

This position offers a competitive salary range with a beginning salary from $235,539 to $259,726 with 21 days of vacation per year and 12 days of sick leave per year, in addition to paid holidays. Calbright College employees are able to enroll into the state retirement systems (CalPERS or CalSTRS) along with optional 403B and 457 plans. Calbright College offers a robust health benefits package, including employer supplemented medical benefits. More details can be provided upon request.

This is a remote position within the state of California, with the need for occasional travel and mandatory attendance at some in-person meetings. Expected travel may be as often as monthly. Calbright College is a statewide online college where all instruction and support are done via various online technologies both in person and remotely. Calbright College has administrative offices in Sacramento available for use. When working remotely, employees should be able and willing to use digital communication tools as used by the college, and have the ability to work on a computer for extended periods of time.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume online at https://apply.workable.com/j/5FFE5F1414/.

Calbright College celebrates all forms of diversity and is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment within which students, staff, administrators, and faculty thrive. Individuals interested in advancing Calbright College’s strategic diversity goals are strongly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified applicants with disabilities who self-disclose.

Calbright College provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Calbright College complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.