Fort Washington, Pennsylvania
Posted: 05-Aug-24
Location: Beverly Hills, Michigan
Type: Full Time
Categories:
Required Education:
Detroit Country Day School seeks a dynamic and experienced financial and business leader to serve as its next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Possessing significant financial acumen, demonstrated leadership experience, and a broad understanding of school operations, the CFO will lead the finance and operations departments by providing visionary, creative, and strategic oversight and direction.
Mission
Detroit Country Day School develops citizens and leaders of the world in a culturally diverse environment of academic rigor, competitive athletics, and artistic expression, built on a foundation of service and character.
Philosophy
Detroit Country Day School (DCDS) is one of the largest and most renowned co-educational, independent day schools in the country. The philosophy of the school is embodied in its motto: Mens Sana In Corpore Sano (A Sound Mind in a Sound Body), a motto that guides its overall pedagogy. DCDS strives to educate the whole child by offering an educational program that responds to their academic, athletic, and artistic pursuits and by developing their talents and strengths in a supportive environment. To do so, the School maintains a challenging academic program, a competitive interscholastic athletic program, and myriad curricular and extra-curricular opportunities in the visual and performing arts; in addition, the School makes a significant investment of time and energy to foster service and build character in its students.
The Portrait of a Detroit Country Day Student enumerates the six habits of mind the School seeks to inculcate in its students during their years on campus. This Portrait documents the School’s expressed desire to produce graduates who are “Inquisitive” and “Innovative” as a result of the School’s challenging academic and artistic programs; who are “Honorable” and “Inclusive” as a result of the School’s commitment to character education and diversity, equity, and inclusion; who are “Resilient” as a result of the School’s required participation in the athletic program; and who are “Balanced” as a result of the School’s concern for their social and emotional health.
Established in 1914, Detroit Country Day School currently enrolls 1,514 students and sits on three campuses in beautiful Beverly Hills and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, north and west of a revitalized downtown Detroit. The School has a $54 million endowment and a $52 million annual operating budget.
Sitting on approximately 51 acres in Beverly Hills is the Upper School 13 Mile Road campus, which neighbors the Middle School Hillview campus. The Lower School (grades PK-3) is located on the recently reconstructed Maple Road campus, in Bloomfield Hills, approximately 3 miles from the Upper and Middle Schools. Located between the Upper School (grades 9-12) and Middle School (grades 4-8) campuses are the world-class athletic facilities. Detroit Country Day’s array of academic, athletic, and arts facilities are as striking as any found at an independent school anywhere. Just to name a few, the School has a 90,000 sq ft field house, three gymnasiums, a 750-seat performing arts center, black box theater, state-of-the-art studio art classrooms, STEM classrooms, and a digital film studio.
Under the dynamic leadership of a forward-thinking administrative team and an extraordinary faculty and staff, Detroit Country Day School is well positioned to build upon its reputation as a nationally ranked school of excellence in all areas of endeavor including academics, athletics, and the arts. Detroit Country Day is a close-knit community in which a talented faculty and staff provide a comprehensive high quality educational program while placing a strong emphasis on building authentic relationships with their students.
Position Responsibilities
The Chief Financial Officer is primarily responsible for managing all financial aspects of the institution, ensuring its short- and long-term fiscal health and sustainability. This position has oversight of all financial operations in the PK-12 school, including providing effective management of the school’s finances and strategic financial leadership in the development and implementation of a comprehensive business, finance, and investment plan. This position manages a team of eleven direct reports and oversees the Business Office, Human Resources, Campus Operations, Food Service, Information Technology, Print Center, and Transportation departments. Additionally, this position oversees tuition management, audit preparation, banking and investment relationships, and compliance with legal, income tax, government, and regulatory matters.
Reporting to the Head of School, the CFO is a member of the Head’s highly collaborative, dynamic, innovative, and experienced Senior Administrative team and works regularly with other school administrators and personnel. The CFO works closely with and provides leadership and counsel to the Head of School and Board of Trustees, specifically the Board’s Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee.
The most qualified candidate will be a dedicated, engaged, and highly professional team player with strong communication skills, impressive financial acumen, strategic mind-set, understanding of school or similar organizational operations, and high emotional intelligence.
Financial Management
- Manage and direct all aspects of the School’s financial operations, including budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
- Oversee all aspects of financial management, including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, procurement processes, stipend management processes, and general ledger functions.
- Manage the School’s endowment and other funds and monitor and control investment decisions in coordination with investment advisors and the Board Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee.
Financial Analysis and Reporting
- Prepare and provide regular financial reports, analysis, and insights and conduct regular analysis to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
- Build and maintain short- and long-term strategic financial models.
- Oversee the development, administration, and reports on the operating budget and financial impacts and ensure accurate and timely communication of them.
- Maintain safekeeping of the institution’s assets and the integrity of the accounting records.
- Ensure compliance with accounting principles, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.
- Work with external auditors and coordinate annual audits and proper filings of tax returns.
- Provide regular, transparent financial reporting to educate and build trust among school community members.
- Oversee retirement health plan and actuarial reporting.
- Manage any loans and quarterly loan covenant reporting process.
Risk Management
- Develop and maintain risk management strategies and internal controls to safeguard the School’s financial assets.
- Work with insurance providers to ensure appropriate levels of insurance to protect the School’s interests.
- Oversee asset management, risk assessment, and banking and investment account activities.
- Ensure compliance with all local, State, and Federal reporting requirements.
- Collaborate with school counsel, investment managers, and/or insurance brokers to understand and mitigate institutional risk.
Human Resources
- Assure that policies and practices, especially those involving salaries, stipends, wages, benefits, and conditions of employment, are clearly articulated, updated, and communicated and are consistently applied, and conform to legal requirements.
- Work with the Director of Human Resources to implement and administer all employee benefit programs, including health insurance, tuition remission, retirement, worker’s compensation, life insurance, and other related plans.
- Collaborate with the Head of School, Director of Human Resources, and other senior administrators to provide leadership regarding employee hiring, termination, compensation, and management.
Transportation
- Assure that policies and practices required by the State are implemented and documented.
- Negotiate bus leases and transportation space leases on an annual basis.
- Work with the Director of Transportation on determining the annual transportation routes and price schedules.
- Work with the Director of Transportation on managing the school bus fleet replacement process.
Supervision
- Manage and supervise the work of the Business Office, Human Resources, Facilities and Operations, Food Service, Information Technology, Print Center, and Transportation departments.
- Work closely with the Board Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee, organizing and leading meetings and initiatives.
Other
- Serve as an active member on the Senior Administrative Team.
- Attend all Board of Trustees meetings, serving on the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee and reporting regularly to the Board.
- Participate in professional development and represent the School by holding membership in various local, regional, and national associations relative to the role of Chief Financial Officer.
- All other duties as assigned by the Head of School.
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
- A bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, accounting, or a related field; Preferred candidates hold an advanced degree or CPA designation.
- A minimum of 5 years of proven, senior financial leadership experience. Preferred candidates have 10 or more years of financial leadership experience in an educational institution or large non-profit organization.
- Strong financial acumen with a proven track record of financial management and strategic planning.
- Experience on senior administrative teams and working closely with Boards of Trustees.
- Experience managing a team, setting clear goals, responsibilities, expectations, and clear methods of accountability.
- Significant history overseeing budgeting and planning, financial forecasting, analysis, and reporting, endowments and investments, financial audits, legal and risk management, human resources, and daily business office operations.
- Experience in human resource management, employee benefits (including retirement plans), and payroll procedures.
- Knowledge of business and not-for-profit accounting policies, principles, procedures, and practices.
- Superb communication and interpersonal skills who upholds confidentiality and has strong ability to collaborate effectively with diverse groups of stakeholders.
- Proficiency in financial software and management systems.
- Ability to supervise and manage multiple departments and personnel.
- Creative and strategic thinker who identifies and implements growth and improvement opportunities to better the institution and/or improve organization-wide productivity.
- Compassionate leader with high emotional intelligence and the ability to connect with all stakeholders.
- Interest in participating actively and regularly in a fast-paced and lively school environment.
- Commitment to the values and mission of Detroit Country Day School.
TO APPLY
Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, MI, has engaged DovetailED to lead a search for a Chief Financial Officer beginning in October 2024. Interested candidates should review the opportunity statement and submit a cover letter, resume, and list of references as a consolidated PDF to Zack Lehman, President of DovetailED Talent Sourcing, at zack@dovetailedsourcing.com
Additional Information
Work Environment & Complexity
Duties and tasks in this position are varied and complex. The position works on whole problems or projects. This position directs projects, and the challenges are resolved with complex and precedent setting solutions. This position requires a high degree of collaboration. This position operates in a professional school environment. The functions of this position are performed in a typical office environment with no known hazards.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position, such as the ability to see, hear, speak and understand English and use a computer. This position is active and requires standing and walking, including stairs.
Travel
Regular and overnight travel may be expected in this position. A valid driver’s license is required.
Background Check
Prior to submitting your resume for this position, please read it for accuracy. Detroit Country Day School verifies academic credentials for its candidates. The School will also conduct thorough background checks prior to finalizing an offer.
Job Expectations
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Important Statements
Detroit Country Day School is an equal opportunity employer that actively seeks employees who reflect and support our mission-driven commitment to academic excellence, and to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive community.
It is the policy of Detroit Country Day School to provide equal employment opportunities and hire, promote and retain employees without regard to age, race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, height, weight, genetic information, ability/disability or any other characteristic as protected by applicable state or federal law.
Detroit Country Day School believes diversity, equity, and inclusion are educational imperatives for the intellectual, social, and moral growth of every child. We honor the dignity of every human being and value the differences that exist and are expressed throughout our vibrant school. Members of our community are treated fairly and provided access to genuine opportunities to thrive. Our commitment is to nurturing an inclusive environment in which all students can participate fully and have a sense of belonging. Diversity, equity, and inclusion enrich learning and are essential characteristics of our school community.