Careers

POSITION MISSION STATEMENT

The Chief Finance and Operations Officer will develop a financial strategy that sustains our future. Careful management of new tuition revenue will need to balance against expenses for residential development and additional costs with growing enrollment. In addition, the Chief Finance and Operations Officer will examine additional approaches to generate revenue to support innovation and salary increases at the Academy, as well as necessary cost cutting measures to ensure we are efficient and prudent with state funding. The Business Office, Facilities and Capital Planning, Technology Systems, and Food Services would report to the Chief Finance and Operations Officer. The Chief Finance and Operations Officer reports to the President and is a member of the President’s Cabinet and Senior Leadership Team.

The internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) develops creative, ethical leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.  As a teaching and learning laboratory created by the State of Illinois, IMSA enrolls academically talented Illinois students (grades 10-12) in its advanced, residential college preparatory program. It also serves thousands of educators and students in Illinois and beyond through innovative instructional programs that foster imagination and inquiry (www.imsa.edu).

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive teaching and learning environment. Through a model of Equity and Excellence, IMSA has committed to advancing equity in STEM education and representation and creating a diverse, inclusive community of global citizens who can realize their full potential and execute our mission to advance the human condition.

This Equity and Excellence model is the intentional integration of Cultural Competence, Diversity, Equity, Equity-Minded Frame, Excellence and Inclusion into every facet of the Academy, with the understanding that it is an active and ongoing process involving structures, processes and people and not an isolated initiative.

This position will support IMSA's Equity and Excellence work by ensuring the delivery of quality, equitable, and inclusive support while promoting and maintaining an inclusive work environment and culture that embraces the diversity of people and perspectives collaborating at IMSA to ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific minds that advance the human condition. The Chief Finance and Operations Officer is instrumental in devising strategies to fund necessary support programs to ensure students from Culturally, Linguistically, and Economically Diverse backgrounds are successful.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The Chief Finance and Operations Officer will be responsible for, but not limited to:

• Advising the IMSA’s President and the Board of Trustees on all financial and business issues and needs
• Providing visionary, strategic, and operational leadership and management of all financial, facilities, and capital planning activities including the development and maintenance of policies, practices, procedures.
• Managing Academy's annual State appropriation budget request for both operating and capital needs
• Developing new revenue from existing and new revenue generating activities
• Establishing and maintaining a balanced budget each year while accounting for increased expenses due to inflation and cost of living adjustments
• Developing an optimal financial strategy for supporting capital development
• Engaging in partnerships that would lead to capital development opportunities
• Developing and implementing a plan for the business operations
• Establishing financial projections to support staffing as well as financial guidelines for
• Maintaining a capital maintenance plan, pursuing long-term quality while ensuring we are spending at the most reasonable costs
• Making recommendations to acquisition contracts that will fulfill our needs while also being cost
• Ensuring our personnel operations are financially efficient
• Supervising Business and Finance, Facilities and Capital Planning, Technology Systems, and Food Services
• Other duties as assigned

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work is performed in an office setting with minimal exposure to health or safety hazards. Substantial time is spent working on a computer. This role generally requires mobility, written and verbal communication, hearing and visual capabilities. However, reasonable accommodations, including assistive technology, may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform such requirements.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

This leadership position is a full-time, twelve-month, at-will position. Salary and benefits are commensurate with training and experience expected at this level of leadership in comparable institutions. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package including health and retirement benefits.

The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer providing equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion or national origin.  This policy also includes the handicapped and all disabled Vietnam era veterans.  IMSA utilizes only job-related criteria in making decisions concerning applicants and employees. 

• Senior level leadership experience in an institution of comparable complexity, dynamics, creativity and vitality
• MBA or related Master’s degree required; high level of knowledge in accounting, finance, budget and resource planning
• Extensive knowledge and experience in the principles and practices of budgeting and financial management, including modeling, analysis, projections and financing
• Experience in capital development or major projects that reflect financing and projecting new revenue against costs
• Experience in developing and maintaining multi-million dollar budgets, as well as financial audits
• Experience in staffing and managing business and facilities operations
• Proficient in the use and integration of technology for accounting, business, and operations management

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior experience in state agency, school, or not-for-profit
• Chief School Business Official Endorsement