Posted: 11-Mar-26
Location: Deerfield, Massachusetts
Type: Full Time
Categories:
The Opportunity
Set on 30-acres nestled in historic Deerfield Massachusetts, The Bement School is an independent coeducational day and boarding school for children in kindergarten through ninth grade. Bement’s educational approach values time-honored traditions while emphasizing a joyful learning community with a unique global perspective that prepares children to be engaged, curious citizens.
From the classrooms to the dorms, its approximately 175 day students and 50 boarders from near and abroad live and learn as a family, while the 80+ faculty and staff encourage responsibility for work and actions. Bement values happiness and hard work, where students are taught to embrace challenges. The tight-knit community at Bement works together to create a climate of acceptance, kindness and challenge which nurtures each child.
Founded in 1925, the school recently celebrated its centennial year and is enthusiastically embarking upon its second century with an exciting new building project on the horizon which will continue the school’s commitment to values of community and connection.
To find out more about the school, please visit www.bement.org
The Position
As a key organizational leader and partner to the Head of School, the Director of Finance and Operations is responsible for all financial, administrative, and operational aspects of the school. With the opportunity to enhance the conditions for a successful learning environment and a resilient community, the Director of Finance and Operations will build relationships, prioritize and anticipate needs, and use truly collaborative approaches to bring creative data-informed solutions into practice in a responsive and human way for students and educators.
Engaging across all of the essential administrative functions in the organization, this person will directly manage the accounting and finance, payroll, information technology, and human resources functions. The person in this role will also provide active supervision and oversight of the physical plant and facilities, the recently outsourced dining services arrangement, security services and risk management, auxiliary programs, capital projects, and the personnel and vendors overseeing those areas. The Director of Finance and Operations will support the mission and values of the school by ensuring its financial health and providing accessible and conspicuous leadership within the school and broader community.
In support of the governance and fiduciary responsibilities of the Board of Trustees, the Director of Finance and Operations will serve as a staff liaison to board committees and provide timely and accurate analysis and reporting. This person will work directly with the Head of School to craft and execute on the school’s operating budget and strategic financial planning, organizational structure, administrative tools and systems, and business decision-making.
The Candidate
The successful candidate will be eager to join a vibrant learning community while taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the work, building relationships and implementing best practices in the systems that support efficient school operations. This position requires superb relationship management and organizational skills as well as a high level of attention to detail. The successful candidate will be a team player who is happy and effective working in a culture of civility in an institution focused on delivering an exceptional education and student and family experience. The Director of Finance and Operations will demonstrate personal accountability and operate with integrity and humility.
Key responsibilities include:
Fiscal Management and Leadership
- Working with the Head of School, hold responsibility for the coordination and strategic management of the school’s financial resources.
- Create, revise, and maintain the annual operating budget.
- Monitor and report variances in financial results and suggest corrective actions.
- Oversee cash, investments, and asset management, including the endowment fund.
- Manage business office team members. Provide clear expectations, relevant guidance, and conspicuous leadership and hands-on assistance in the business office.
- Oversee the family financial aid assessments and coordinate with the Head of School on awards.
- Review and ensure the application of appropriate internal controls and financial procedures, including the accounts and records, and the systems necessary to maintain accurate and timely sharing of information across departments.
- Oversee the annual external financial audits and compliance reporting including the 403(b) and Form 990 filings.
- Prepare forecasts and projections to provide financial insights to the Head of School and Board of Trustees in setting tuition rates and evaluating strategic initiatives.
- Serve as the staff liaison to the board Finance Committee. Serve on the senior leadership team.
- Ensure that the business and fiscal goals of the school are in alignment with its educational goals.
Personnel Management
- In partnership with the Head of School, oversee human resources functions to appropriately address all staff personnel issues including evaluations, compensation, discipline, hiring, and terminations.
- Oversee the employee benefit program, payroll services, and compliance reporting.
- Ensure that the school’s personnel policies support its programs and that the school’s actions regarding hiring, compensation, training, promotion, and separation conform with state and federal requirements, and are in line with the school’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Risk Management
- Serve as a resource to mitigate liability exposure through a system of policies, procedures, and appropriate insurance coverage.
- Maintain the school’s insurance, liability, and risk-related policies and controls. Work with insurance advisors and brokers to ensure that adequate, appropriate, and cost-effective insurance is in place.
- Oversee all campus security and work safety issues, regulatory and environmental compliance, and any legal matters in consultation with the Head of School.
- Oversee emergency preparedness, including crisis management plans. Ensure routine incident team meetings and regular drills and training are held.
Construction, Project Management, and Operations
- Oversee new construction, renovations, and off campus sites. Develop and regularly update deferred maintenance schedules.
- Oversee the functions and personnel of the Business Office, IT Department, Buildings and Grounds Department, Residential Life Department, and Auxiliary Services.
- Maintain operational awareness and organizational coordination through regular communication of priorities, clarification of operational roles, and identification of risks. Partner with operational leaders to allocate resources to anticipate and address challenges.
- Collaborate with the food services provider in their focus on the consistent delivery of high quality mission appropriate community-based meals. Ensure the effective communication of food-related policy across the organization.
- Actively participate in professional organizations such as the Junior Boarding School Association, NBOA, TABS, AISNE, and NAIS.
- Represent the School in community activities as assigned by the Head of School.
The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive and a collaborative team player who possesses:
- A combination of education and experience equivalent to a master's degree in accounting, business, finance, or a related field.
- Experience/knowledge of independent schools, and particularly boarding schools, is extremely beneficial.
- Five to seven years of experience in a CFO, Controller, or Business Manager role preferred.
- Advanced Excel and computer technology skills, prior experience working in a Google Suite environment, and a strong working knowledge of business accounting policies, procedures, practices, and financial software programs, such as Veracross and other accounting software.
- The proven ability to work effectively with and as a trusted partner to the Head of School, trustees, faculty, staff, and external constituents.
- Experience working with external auditors, implementing internal controls, and managing compliance-related issues.
- Demonstrated ability to manage personnel with diverse backgrounds and execute all duties with demonstrated sensitivity, and an understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, gender, and ethnic backgrounds.
- Engagement with the life of school which means that some evenings and weekend events and activities are required.
The Bement School is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its employment policies, educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid and loan programs, and other school-administered programs. The Bement School offers a comprehensive benefit package and pay in the $150,000-$165,000 range as part of a rewarding work environment defined by the strength of our community and our core values: Compassion, Integrity, Resilience, and Respect.
Interested candidates, please contact Narwhal Talent Partners:
Peter G. Hamilton | (617) 620-9268
Christian G. Henry | (857) 285-3364
All inquiries are treated as confidential.
Research shows that some professionals will explore opportunities only if they see themselves meeting all of the preferred qualifications. In our recruiting experience no one meets 100% of the listed qualifications. We look forward to your expression of interest.