Golden Gate University
Position Description
Position Title: Vice President of Finance and Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Department: Finance and Administration
Reports To: Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer
Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
Location: Remote, with periodic travel to San Francisco
Salary Range: $275,000 - $310,000 annually, commensurate with experience
About Golden Gate University
Golden Gate University is a private, nonprofit university in San Francisco focused on AI and built for working adults. The University serves a diverse community of students across its academic programs and is committed to providing an accessible, high-quality education for working adults.
Position Summary
The Vice President of Finance and Deputy Chief Financial Officer is the senior-most finance leader below the Chief Financial Officer and serves as the operating leader of the University's finance function. The position carries direct responsibility for accounting and financial reporting, budgeting and financial planning, treasury and cash management, and the day-to-day business operations that support students, faculty, and staff.
The Vice President partners closely with the Chief Financial Officer on the University's multi-year financial strategy, capital structure, and Board reporting, and is expected to act with the full authority of the Chief Financial Officer in his or her absence. The role is well suited to a candidate who is equally comfortable building a multi-year financial model, closing the books, and explaining the resulting picture to a dean, a lender, or a trustee.
The position reports to the Senior Vice President of Operations and Chief Financial Officer and leads a team spanning accounting, financial planning and analysis, student accounts, and procurement.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Planning, Budgeting, and Analysis
- Lead the annual operating and capital budget process, including calendar, guidance, unit-level submissions, and presentation of the recommended budget to senior leadership and the Board.
- Own the University's multi-year financial plan and scenario models, translating enrollment, pricing, discounting, and program assumptions into net tuition revenue, margin, and cash outcomes.
- Produce monthly and quarterly management reporting that compares results to budget and forecast, explains variances in operating terms, and identifies corrective action early enough to matter.
- Partner with Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and Marketing on program-level contribution analysis, pricing and discount strategy, and the business case for new and sunsetting programs.
- Support the design and administration of the University's budget model and the allocation methodologies that connect unit performance to resources.
Accounting, Controllership, and Financial Reporting
- Oversee all accounting operations, including the general ledger, monthly and year-end close, revenue recognition, grants and restricted funds, gift and endowment accounting, fixed assets, payroll accounting, accounts payable, and accounts receivable.
- Maintain a system of internal controls appropriate to the University's size and risk profile, and lead management responses to internal audit and external audit findings through to closure.
- Oversee tax matters, including unrelated business income, sales and use tax, information reporting, and the accounting and tax treatment of the University's subsidiaries and international operations.
- Drive continuous improvement of finance systems, the chart of accounts, and reporting infrastructure, including automation and AI-enabled workflows that reduce manual effort and shorten the close.
Treasury, Debt, and Capital
- Manage cash and liquidity, including short-term forecasting, working capital management, banking relationships, credit facilities, and covenant compliance and reporting.
- Support the University's capital structure and financing activity, including debt issuance and refinancing, lender and bond counsel coordination, continuing disclosure obligations, and rating agency materials and relationships.
- Coordinate endowment and investment reporting with the University's investment advisors and the relevant Board committee, including spending policy calculations and donor-restricted fund compliance.
- Provide financial analysis for real estate, facilities, and technology investments, including lease-versus-buy analysis, total cost of ownership, and post-implementation review of results against the approved case.
Business Operations
- Oversee student financial services, including tuition billing, payment plans, refunds, collections, and the reconciliation of student accounts with financial aid disbursements and Title IV requirements.
- Oversee procurement and contracting operations, including purchasing policy, vendor management, and coordination with the Office of the General Counsel on contract review and risk allocation.
- Develop and maintain financial policies and procedures, and deliver training that helps budget managers across the University understand and meet their stewardship responsibilities.
Leadership and Governance
- Lead, develop, and hold accountable a distributed finance team, setting clear standards for accuracy, responsiveness, and service to the University community.
- Prepare materials for and present to the Finance, Audit, and Investment Committees of the Board of Trustees, and serve as a credible institutional voice with trustees, lenders, auditors, and regulators.
- Serve as acting Chief Financial Officer in the Chief Financial Officer's absence, and represent the finance function on cross-functional institutional initiatives.