Vice President for Finance and Operations

Hartwick College Vice President for Finance and Operations | Leadership profile

Position overview & strategic leadership context Hartwick College, a private residential liberal arts and sciences institution in Oneonta, New York, invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President for Finance and Operations.

Hartwick is dedicated to helping students thrive academically, personally and professionally. Known as The Life Balance College, Hartwick emphasizes four areas: academic excellence, career preparation, physical and emotional wellness, and financial clarity. Together, these support each student’s path through college and beyond.

Reporting directly to President Laurel Bongiorno, the Vice President for Finance and Operations serves as the College's chief financial officer, a member of the President's Cabinet and an Officer of the Corporation, serving as Assistant Treasurer.

The Vice President plays a central role in advancing Hartwick’s financial sustainability, working closely with the President, Board of Trustees and Cabinet to align financial resources with institutional priorities. With oversight of an endowment of approximately $40 million and an annual operating budget of approximately $50 million, the Vice President leads the College’s financial operations, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, investments, cash management, debt management, procurement, risk management and information technology, and oversees the Executive Director for Operations and Contracts.

This appointment comes at an important time for Hartwick. Under President Bongiorno's leadership, the College is advancing its Forward Momentum Strategic Plan, focused on three institutional priorities: enrollment and retention, philanthropy and financial sustainability. The plan guides efforts to support academic innovation and strengthen the College's long-term financial position. The Vice President for Finance and Operations will help implement the plan through financial planning, resource allocation and institutional investments.

Opportunities & priorities

1. Strategic financial leadership & institutional sustainability

• Serve as the College's senior financial officer, advising the President, Board of Trustees and President’s Cabinet on financial strategy, institutional resources and long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead financial planning and resource allocation in support of Hartwick's Forward Momentum Strategic Plan, working with institutional leadership to advance its priorities of enrollment and retention, philanthropy and financial sustainability.
• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to guide institutional decision-making, resource allocation and strategic investments.
• Collaborate with academic and enrollment leadership to evaluate the financial performance of existing and proposed academic programs, including graduate offerings and identify opportunities for sustainable revenue growth.
• Partner with enrollment management to evaluate tuition pricing, financial aid strategies and enrollment projections, ensuring the recruitment and retention goals support the College’s long-term financial health.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial performance, improve operational efficiency and support responsible institutional growth.

2. Budget development, financial management & reporting

• Lead the development and administration of the College's annual operating budget in collaboration with the President, Cabinet and campus budget managers.
• Maintain a three-year rolling budget model and prepare financial forecasts and scenario analyses that account for enrollment, tuition revenue, operating expenses, capital needs and other factors affecting the College’s financial position.
• Oversee financial accounting, financial reporting, internal controls, cash management and procurement to ensure accuracy, accountability and compliance with applicable standards.
• Monitor financial performance against approved budgets, identify emerging issues and recommend appropriate adjustments.
• Provide timely, accessible financial information to the President, Board of Trustees and campus leadership to support informed decision-making.
• Coordinate the annual financial audit and uniform guidance audit, and oversee the preparation of required financial statements and reports.

3. Endowment, investments, debt, legal affairs & risk management

• Provide executive oversight of the College's endowment and investment activities, working with the outsourced chief investment officer and appropriate Board committees to support responsible stewardship of institutional assets.
• Serve as the College's primary liaison with external legal counsel, coordinating institutional legal matters and working with College leadership as appropriate.
• Oversee the renewal and administration of institutional insurance coverage, including general and commercial liability, cybersecurity and other insurance policies.
• Oversee institutional risk management by enforcing insurance requirements and coverage verification for all third-party vendors and contractors and developing internal processes that evaluate and manage risk.
• Oversee debt management, financing arrangements and related financial and continuing disclosure obligations, including evaluation of refinancing opportunities and future borrowing needs.
• Ensure compliance with applicable financial regulations, accounting standards, contractual requirements and institutional policies.
• Support responsible management of donor-restricted and unrestricted resources in coordination with Advancement, Financial Aid and other College offices.

4. Business operations & institutional resources

• Provide executive leadership and oversight for the College’s administrative and business operations, including finance and accounting, student accounts, payroll, and procurement. Oversee the Executive Director of Operations and Contracts.
• Provide executive oversight of information technology, working with departmental leadership to support institutional systems, technology investments and operational needs.
• Oversee financial aspects of major contracts, vendor relationships and institutional service agreements.
• Promote efficient, responsive and service-oriented operations that support the effective use of technology and other institutional resources.

5. Governance, collaboration & institutional leadership

• Serve as a member of the President's Cabinet, participating in institution-wide planning, policy development and strategic decision-making.
• Serve as Assistant Treasurer and an officer of the corporation, and as staff liaison to the Board of Trustees' Audit and Compliance, Fiscal Resource Management, Facilities, and Investment Advisory committees and subcommittees, providing financial analysis, reports and recommendations to support Board oversight and decision-making.
• Build strong working relationships with academic and administrative leaders to ensure that financial planning supports the College's educational mission.
• Communicate financial information clearly to a range of audiences, including trustees, external regulators, faculty, staff and other College constituents.
• Foster a culture of financial responsibility, transparency and shared accountability across the institution.

6. Team leadership & professional culture

• Lead and support a responsive, service-oriented finance and business operations team, establishing clear expectations for performance, accountability and professional conduct.

• Recruit, develop and retain qualified staff, encouraging professional growth, collaboration and continuous improvement.

• Evaluate and improve financial processes, reporting systems and operational practices, using technology and streamlined procedures to improve efficiency, eliminate unnecessary work and strengthen service to the campus community.

• Demonstrate integrity, sound judgment and a collaborative leadership approach in addressing complex financial matters.

• Comply with all applicable College, federal, state, local and associational laws, rules and regulations.

• Represent the College professionally in interactions with internal and external constituents.

• Participate in significant campus activities, including Welcome Weekend, True Blue Weekend and Commencement Weekend. Required & preferred qualifications Required qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration or a closely related field.

• Executive leadership experience: Significant progressive leadership experience in financial management, including responsibility for complex budgets, financial operations and organizational planning.

• Financial expertise: Demonstrated knowledge of financial accounting, budgeting, financial analysis and reporting, long-range financial planning, cash and debt management.

• Strategic planning: Proven ability to develop financial strategies, evaluate institutional risks and align financial resources with organizational priorities.

• Management experience: Demonstrated success leading teams, managing complex operations and building effective relationships across an organization.

• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial information clearly to executive leadership, governing boards and nonfinancial audiences.

• Professional judgment: A record of integrity, sound decision-making, accountability and responsible financial stewardship. Preferred qualifications

• Advanced education and certification: MBA or other relevant advanced degree and/or Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation.

• Higher education experience: Senior financial leadership experience in higher education or another complex nonprofit institutional environment.

• Investment and debt management: Experience overseeing endowment investments, institutional debt, capital financing and long-term financial planning.

• Operational knowledge: Familiarity with facilities management, physical plant operations, auxiliary services, procurement and institutional risk management.

• Leadership style: Collaborative, consultative and service-oriented leadership, with the ability to build trust and foster productive relationships across the institution.

• Strategic awareness: Understanding of the financial and operational factors affecting private higher education, including enrollment trends, tuition revenue, financial aid, expense management, philanthropy and institutional sustainability, with the ability to translate institutional strategic priorities into effective financial plans.

• Institutional perspective: Ability to balance financial discipline with the academic mission and student-centered priorities of a small residential liberal arts college. Salary Range: $160,000 - $185,000

About Hartwick College Hartwick's work is grounded in its mission: Hartwick College, an engaged community striving toward inclusion and equity wh