Finance and Administration: Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration

APPLICATIONS STILL BEING ACCEPTED.  PRIORITY DATE EXTENDED TO JUNE 1, 2024.

VISIT OUR VICE CHANCELLOR FOR FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION LANDING PAGE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: https://www.uwec.edu/about/chancellors-office/uw-eau-claire-vc-finance-administration-search/

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC), a comprehensive regional public university with a reputation for academic excellence and fostering undergraduate research, invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.

Reporting to the Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration is the senior financial officer for the university. The Vice Chancellor provides leadership and vision in financial and physical plant planning, management, and oversight. This includes working closely with shared governance and student leaders, and other stakeholders to fulfill the mission and strategic goals of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Budgetary responsibilities include stewardship of an annual institutional operating budget.

The Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration serves as a member of the Chancellor's executive team and is a key liaison with the University of Wisconsin System Administration. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and dynamic leader with experience in higher education, finance and budgeting, risk management, human resources, and administration of university operational areas. The successful candidate will have demonstrated skill in navigating administrative structures at an institution comparable to UW-Eau Claire.

University and Eau Claire Community

Consistently ranked among the top five public Midwestern universities, UW-Eau Claire is home to 10,000 students, who are drawn to Wisconsin's most beautiful campus. Innovation, collaboration, leadership, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable stewardship are core values at UW-Eau Claire. About 90% of students participate in at least one high-impact practice such as student-faculty research. UWEC students undertake more than 100,000 hours of community service each academic year. UW-Eau Claire has approximately 1,300 faculty and staff, with a faculty/student ratio of 1:19. There are nearly 100,000 UW-Eau Claire alumni living across the United States and around the world.

Groundbreaking community partnerships in manufacturing, business, health care and the cultural arts produce myriad opportunities for faculty scholarship, community supported/creative activities and student internships. UW-Eau Claire is one of the only universities in the world to have a master collaborative research agreement with Mayo Clinic Health System.

Eau Claire is western Wisconsin's largest city and is situated at the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers. The Eau Claire metropolitan area of approximately 173,000 people is 90 miles east of Minneapolis/St. Paul. Eau Claire is known for its beautiful parks and trails, neighborhoods, excellent schools, vibrant arts scene, diverse local food culture, and abundant recreational opportunities. UW-Eau Claire's campus is within walking distance of two popular shopping districts that feature coffee shops, restaurants, art galleries and live music venues.

Position Summary

The Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration provides vision, leadership and direction to the following units:

• Firstsource Support Team/Travel
• Accounting
• Accounts Payable
• Purchasing
• Risk Management, Safety, and Sustainability
• Budget and Resource Planning
• Human Resources
• The Children's Nature Academy, an early childhood education and care center
• University Centers
• University Police
• Facilities Planning and Management

The successful candidate will be an innovative, collaborative, and experienced leader with a record of progressive management success in a university or similarly complex setting.  The successful candidate will demonstrate planning, resource development, and project management skills; possess exceptional analytical skills and the ability to provide university leadership with budget models to enhance strategic decision making; manage various campus administrative functions including overseeing major facilities projects; and serve as liaison in the budgeting and management of shared facilities including the Pablo Center at the Confluence and the Sonnentag Event Center and John and Carolyn Sonnentag Fieldhouse.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the capacity to lead, support and motivate staff, appreciate UW-Eau Claire's academic mission, approach tasks with a "people" orientation, and possess the ability to tell complicated financial stories in ways that enlighten and engage people inside and outside the University.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead a high-functioning division of Finance and Administration with a motivated team united in support of the University's mission.
• Provide leadership and direction to the Chancellor and senior leaders regarding the state biennial Budget, university's annual budget allocations, and capital planning process.
• Develop processes and structures to oversee centralized budgeting and finance support for all divisions.
• Serve as the primary financial liaison between the University and the UW System Administration;
• Develop and lead transparent budget planning processes that tie resources to strategic priorities, support enrollment growth, facilitate public-private partnerships and advance the capital goals of the University.
• Create annual financial plans and regular financial reporting to key constituencies, including the Chancellor and divisional leaders.
• Coordinate facilities projects with the University of Wisconsin System, state organizations, the University Foundation, and other community, business, and civic partners to meet university goals.
• Oversee development and implementation of the comprehensive campus facilities master plan and annual capital planning to realize institutional goals including the sustainable maintenance and betterment of Wisconsin's Most Beautiful Campus.
• Oversee budget, financial and facilities functions at UW-Barron County, as a branch campus of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• Display an appreciation of UW-Eau Claire's mission and an ability to communicate what makes the institution distinctive.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution, master's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Experience working in finance and administration, preferably in a higher education leadership role.
• Ability to develop, analyze, and implement long-term sustainable financial models.
• Ability to perform advanced analytics in support of strategic decision-making.
• Ability to manage large-scale capital projects.
• Appreciation for the principles of academic freedom and shared governance.
• Unquestionable personal code of ethics.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Collaborative leadership style that fosters collegiality and teamwork.

To Apply

Review of nominations and applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled, with a priority date of June 1, 2024. All inquiries, nominations, and referrals should be sent electronically and in confidence to: Kimera Way, Chair of the Search Committee, at waykk@uwec.edu.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the campus website: https://www.uwec.edu/job-postings/ (Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Job ID #20585) Applications should include a resume and a letter of interest as well as the names and contact information of three professional references.

The University reserves the right to contact additional references with notice given to the candidates at an appropriate time in the process. Employment will require a background check. Employment will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding past conduct related to sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. §. 19.36(7).

The UW-Eau Claire Police Department is dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure environment for learning and working. Although crime at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is limited, the University Police want students, faculty and staff to be aware of crime on campus and the area surrounding the campus. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose annual information about campus crime. Visit Campus Security and Fire Report. Also visit our Campus Security Authority(CSA) policy.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment.