Vice President of Business Affairs/Treasurer

Office of the President

Vice President of Business Affairs/Treasurer

Ball State University

Ball State University welcomes applications for an Vice President of Business Affairs/Treasurer. Reporting directly to the President of Ball State University, the Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer (VP) serves as a key strategic partner and trusted adviser to the president, senior leadership, and the Board of Trustees. This executive role is central to shaping and guiding the university's financial and operational strategies, ensuring the responsible stewardship of institutional resources.

Destination 2040: Our Flight Path establishes Ball State University's ambitious goals for our second century:

* We pledge to provide a premier educational experience for every student.

* We pledge to partner with the community to improve the lives of our neighbors.

* We are dedicated to having a lifelong presence in the lives of our alumni.

And when we complement these promises with our commitment to our enduring values, we define that which makes our University and its culture distinctive.

Our faculty are collegial, collaborative, innovative, inclusive, and adaptive, both within and beyond one's home unit. These attributes include commitments to collaborative discourse, interdisciplinary inquiry, and enterprising learning practices.

Our faculty are expected to be innovative, adaptive, engaging teachers across modalities; producers of impactful creative and/or scholarly work; leaders in meaningful service activities to multiple communities. We seek faculty members who are strategic thinkers, engaging our dynamic communities. We are committed to student and faculty success, impact, and access, within an environment that prioritizes inclusive excellence. We inspire each other to be critical thinkers and responsible citizens, so that we can pursue fulfilling careers and meaningful lives.

Ball State University lives on the values of Beneficence. We invite you to be part of our community.

At Ball State University, inclusiveness and freedom of expression are a part of our enduring values and inform all of our efforts. We encourage applicants to familiarize themselves with our Inclusive Excellence Plan to learn more about our commitment and to identify how you might contribute to these efforts.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with university leadership to develop and implement financial and operational strategies aligned with Ball State's mission and goals.
• Lead finance, budgeting, and operational functions, overseeing a high-performing, cross-functional team to achieve organizational objectives and enhance effectiveness.
• Manage the annual operating budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources and accurate forecasting to support academic initiatives.
• Oversee financial reporting and analysis, providing insights into the university's fiscal health to inform strategic decision-making.
• Develop and implement short- and long-term financial plans, addressing fiscal challenges to maintain balanced operations.
• Streamline processes across finance and facilities management, ensuring compliance with regulations and policies.
• Direct infrastructure projects, including renovations and construction, aligning with the university's strategic vision.
• Enhance communication and transparency by sharing financial information and facilitating collaboration among faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Identify long-term financial obligations and develop financing strategies for business and facility needs, including managing investments and debt proposals.
• Build relationships with key stakeholders, including governance bodies and external partners, to support financial initiatives.
• Foster coordination with the Ball State University Foundation to align philanthropic resources with institutional budgeting, capital planning, and financial stewardship.
• Promote a culture of inclusiveness and professionalism across university operations and teams.
• Supervise the preparation and submission of compliance reports, ensuring adherence to federal, state, and local financial regulations.
• Lead and mentor finance and administrative teams, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
• Participate in strategic planning to integrate financial perspectives into broader university goals.
• Coordinate business affairs and ensure compliance with laws and regulations related to university operations.
• Assist with planning and execution of official university business activities with state agencies, including the Indiana Commission for Higher Education and legislative committees.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education.
• 10+ years of experience providing strategic financial and operational leadership in a complex organization. Experience managing significant financial resources within higher education is preferred.

Technical and Analytical Acumen

• Strong analytical skills, technical capabilities, and in-depth knowledge of a broad range of financial, operational, and risk management principles and practices, including enterprise-wide systems.

Higher Education or Relevant Non-Profit Background

• An understanding of the academic mission and budget/resource planning in complex institutions of higher education or mission-driven enterprises.

Strategic Partnerships

• A strong strategic orientation coupled with the ability to effectively collaborate and communicate with the president, other senior administrative leaders, the board of trustees, university community, and others.

Faculty and Staff Collaboration

• A commitment to collaboration, dialogue, and creative problem solving with faculty and staff.

Leading a Talented Team

• Experience as an effective manager with the confidence to delegate, empower, and mentor a talented team, including promoting a culture of continuous learning among staff.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong academic credentials required, including a preference for an M.B.A. or a related graduate degree.
  
  • Additional Instructions For Applicants
  
  
  
  
  

Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the U.S. without employer sponsorship.

To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 8/13/25.

Ball State University is being assisted in this recruitment by Spencer Stuart. Comments, nominations of others or information in support of one's own candidacy should be submitted to the confidential email address of the Spencer Stuart team: View email address on click.appcast.io. Include the following documents with your application: Curriculum Vitae and in support of your application for this position, please prepare and submit a cover letter that describes how your qualifications and experiences align with the elements of the position description (or leadership profile). In your cover letter, please also describe how you have demonstrated a commitment to our University's enduring values , including inclusiveness, which we define as a commitment 'to respect and embrace equity, inclusion, and diversity in people, ideas, and opinions.'

The option to upload transcripts is available. Original, official transcripts showing the highest related degree earner is required at the time of hire (even if obtained at BSU). Degree verification will be conducted.

Ball State is a great place to work! In fact, Forbes has ranked Ball State University as the fourth-best midsized employer-and the only recognized education institution-in the State of Indiana

Ball State University is located in Muncie, Indiana, on an attractive campus 45 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Approximately 20,000 graduate and undergraduate students enroll in one of eight academic colleges that offer 270+ undergraduate and graduate programs. Many of our master's, doctoral, certificate, and specialist degrees rank among the best in the nation. We engage students in educational, research, and creative endeavors that empower our graduates to have fulfilling careers and meaningful lives enriched by lifelong learning and service, while we enhance the economic, environmental, and social vitality of our community, our state, and our world.

The Ball State way is rooted in the Beneficence Pledge - a commitment to excellence in teaching and scholarship, honesty and integrity, social responsibility, gratitude and valuing the intrinsic worth of each member of our community. Ball State students, faculty and staff are empowered in a culture that believes in them and demands they believe in themselves. They are partners in an innovative, immersive approach to education. They are supported by living and learning facilities that enable intellectual curiosity. We graduate scholars who are changing the world, and we've dedicated our University to do the same.

Ball State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, disability, genetic information, ethnicity, national origin or ancestry, age, protected veteran status, or any legally protected status.