Details
Posted: 05-Apr-22
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Type: Full Time
The Ellis School, an independent, all girls, PreK-12, college-preparatory day school located in the east end of the city of Pittsburgh, seeks a strong leader, strategic thinker and experienced manager as the next Director of Finance & Operations (DFO).
This senior administrator manages all activities designated as Business Office responsibilities, including:
- Budgeting, financial analysis and reporting
- Payroll, cash management, accounts payable, and student billing
- Maintenance of the School’s general ledger of accounts and accounting software
- Purchasing and investing of School’s financial assets
- Ongoing compliance with debt covenants
- Risk management and insurance, transportation, and facilities leasing
- Employee compensation and personnel policies
- State and federal government compliances
- Preparation of the annual audit
Direct reports include two persons in the Business Office and the 5 members of the Facilities team. The DFO also directs the sub-contracted personnel in food service.
The DFO works closely with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Development Office and the Office of Enrollment Management. Support for their work includes preparing and monitoring current and long-term operating and facilities budgets, compensation and tuition analysis, financial analysis and modeling, asset management, and oversight of facilities.
The ideal candidate has:
- Significant experience in senior-level finance and administrative positions of increasing responsibility, ideally in an independent school or other not-for-profit institution.
- A strong track record of advising at the highest level and participating in major strategic decisions that have long-term implications for an organization.
- Experience developing financial models to analyze new opportunities for an organization, determine the associated financial implications, and recommend a prudent course of action.
- A career that includes involvement in financial planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, audit and tax returns, facilities management and construction, human resources, and risk management.
- A background of working with multiple constituencies such as parents, faculty, fellow administrators, and Board members.
- A history of effectively motivating and managing staff toward the achievement of common goals.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Aptitude for hands-on work (answer own phone, write own letters, build own spreadsheets, dig into the general ledger when needed, etc.)
- Familiarity with regulations, both existing and pending, that govern areas overseen by the Business Office.
- Familiarity with physical plant management, including financing, real estate development, construction, maintenance, and day-to-day operations.
Ellis’ Director of Finance and Operations is expected to be a team player who is honest, results-oriented, confident, innovative, self-directed, well-organized, and fair. Strengths include a commitment to both financial sustainability and Ellis’ strong equity and inclusion stance.
BA required, with an MBA or CPA a plus.
To apply for the DFO position, please send the following materials to DFOcandidate@theellisschool.org:
- a cover letter indicating why you are interested in and qualified for the position.
- a current resume.
- the names, contact information, and relationship to you of three references. (The school will obtain permission from you before contacting references.)
Also, please state your availability. Your application will be acknowledged.
Preference will be given to candidates whose materials are received by April 29, 2022.
The application must be submitted by the actual candidate. Applications submitted by employment websites will not be considered.
No calls or surface mail, please.
Thank you for your interest in The Ellis School.
