Associate Dean & Chief Financial Officer, School of Law

Position Summary

Reporting to the Dean and serving as a member of the Law School’s senior leadership team, the Associate Dean & Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is responsible for leading a customer-focused support organization that delivers efficient and effective resource planning, management, and reporting to advance the teaching, research, and service missions of the School and to sustain and enhance the School’s eminence in its field.

The CFO directs the planning and management of financial, budgetary, and investment activities for the School, serves as the Treasurer (and an officer) of the School of Law Foundation, and oversees the School’s facilities and housing operations as well as financial aid. As the leader of the School’s Office of Financial Management, Office of Student Financial Services, and Facilities Management & Hospitality Services, the CFO oversees a staff of 33 and collaborates with colleagues in many of the administrative areas of the Law School as well as with counterparts in the University’s central Finance function and its Investments Office.

Using a zero‑base budget model, the School establishes an annual operating budget in the context of a multi‑year financial framework. The budget takes into account tuition strategies, endowment performance and performance expectations, program income, financial‑aid commitments and borrowing activities; with approval from the Foundation’s Budget Committee approval it goes to the Foundation Board and then to the University for approval. The School addresses its capital needs via letters of credit negotiated with the University. The School of Law’s operating budget is approximately $200M. Its current capital budget is approximately $30M.

The CFO is responsible for the broad array of strategic and operational activities that comprise the work of the Offices of Financial Management, Student Financial Services, Housing, and Facilities Management & Hospitality Services.

Budget and Planning

• Develop and implement short‑ and long‑term budgets for the School and present them for approval to the Foundation’s Budget Committee
• Identify opportunities to improve the fiscal and budgetary operations of the School and to help managers across the School fully utilize budgeting and reporting systems and best practices
• Develop analytics to guide decision‑making and to provide a strategic view of department, center, and institute budgets and of the School’s financial position
• In consultation with the School’s academic leadership, develop policy related to faculty salaries, research, housing, and recruitment programs as well as staffing models to ensure the School competes effectively against its peer institutions
• Work closely with the Chief Information Officer and the Assistant Dean for Facilities Management & Hospitality Services to strategize, develop policy, and implement changes across areas requiring a synergistic approach to student housing, event planning and catering, capital projects, and other endeavors
• Develop policy decisions for financial‑aid offerings, working in partnership with the JD and LLM admissions office

Foundation & School Committees

• Staff key committees of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees including the Budget Committee and the Investment Committee
• Serve as appointed member to faculty/student groups that focus on areas of particular concern to faculty and students, including the Budget Advisory and Financial Aid committees

Housing and Space

• Sustain the development of a multi‑year plan for faculty housing with analysis that supports rent levels, renovation expenses and other total‑cost‑of‑ownership dimensions, and a multi‑year budget to support optimal levels of investment, acquisition, and disposition
• Oversee financial aspects of student housing including pricing and marketing strategies for both academic year and summer leasing as well as capital projects

Endowment

• Support the Foundation’s Investment Committee in the execution of multi‑year investment plans for the School’s endowment in collaboration with the University’s Investments Office, contributing guidance on short‑ and longer‑term funding needs related to programs, housing, financial aid, and other aspects of the School’s operation
• In concert with staff in the University’s Finance and Investments offices, oversee operational aspects of the School’s investment program

Student Financial Services and Financial Aid

• Develop the planning and analytical framework for, and contribute to the management of, the School’s financial‑aid budget and its broader set of programs to achieve optimal admission and matriculation levels
• Continue to develop sophisticated tools to enable School admissions staff to fine‑tune aid packages relative to the target composition of classes

School Operations

• Working with academic and administrative leaders, develop business plans for new centers and institutes as they emerge and continue to refine guidelines and best allows their financial sustainability
• In areas such as events management and catering, identify and assess opportunities to enhance efficiency, customer experience, and other variables relative to costs and impacts on staff, faculty, students, and resources so as to sustain a level of quality and choice within sensible budget parameters

Reporting and Controls

• Enhance and make available to senior staff a set of management reporting tools to enable the effective management of the School’s programs and administrative areas
• Evaluate the fiscal responsiveness of programs and policies and adjust to ensure they provide maximum value to staff
• Establish control processes, systems, and policies to maintain compliance with the School’s and the University’s fiscal responsibilities to internal and external entities
• Coordinate reviews to ensure compliance with School and University standards and to identify opportunities for further gains in efficiency
• Supervise production and release of information in response to external requests for Law School statistical information about areas such as admissions, enrollment, financial aid, budget, etc. from organizations including the American Bar Association and US News & World Report

Stewardship

• With colleagues in Development and Alumni Relations, develop fundraising objectives, construct solicitation proposals, and enhance the effectiveness of the School’s systems and processes to steward gifts and other charitable support to ensure donors and sponsors are informed about and satisfied with the School’s management of these commitments

Qualifications

Required Education: Master's Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or another relevant field

Required Experience: 10+ years of progressively responsible experience managing the financial operations of a complex organization and at least 5 years of experience managing professional staff. Demonstrated experience with budget oversight and operations at a management or executive level. Experience reporting to a board and staffing board‑level committees, or comparable experience with governance entities.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Budgeting, financing, and reporting skills that inspire confidence at leadership and governance levels along with attention to detail and the ability to be hands‑on as needed. Excellent communication and relationship skills. Sustained and measurable commitment to programs, practices, and initiatives that enhance organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ability to lead change in a decentralized, consensus‑driven environment and to work through influence and persuasion. Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of stakeholders and customers. Ability to explain difficult concepts (oral and written) concisely to diverse audiences. Ability to lead, teach, and motivate a cross‑functional team to deliver results. Independent self‑starter with excellent organizational, analytical, and planning skills. Ability to lead multiple initiatives, manage and prioritize complex business issues, and build and lead a high‑performing finance organization that puts client service first. Strong commitment to maintaining the highest levels of integrity.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Expertise in fund accounting and professional experience in a not‑for‑profit organization preferred but not required; experience with the financial operations of an academic institution also preferred but not required.

Additional Information

In compliance with NYC's Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is USD $300,000.00 to USD $350,000.00. New York University considers factors such as scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. This pay range represents base pay only and excludes any additional items such as incentives, bonuses, clinical compensation, or other items.

The Law School offers highly competitive benefits and perks, notably tuition remission.

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply at all levels.