University of Vermont
Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation
🇺🇸
Hybrid - Burlington, VT
🕑
Full-Time
💰
$160K - $195K
💻
Finance
🗓️
June 17th, 2026
Edtech.com's Summary
The University of Vermont is hiring an Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation. This role leads the development and recommendation of financial strategies through advanced modeling and analysis, partnering with academic and administrative units to support institutional financial sustainability and decision-making.
Highlights
- Shape institutional financial strategy using advanced financial modeling and data analysis.
- Collaborate with academic and administrative units to inform resource allocation, revenue generation, and operational efficiency.
- Analyze institutional financial performance, auxiliary operations, and academic unit financial structures.
- Translate complex financial and operational data into actionable insights for executive leadership.
- Provide enterprise-level financial advisory support without managing transactional finance or budget execution.
- Minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field; master's preferred, with seven or more years of relevant financial leadership experience in higher education.
- Expertise in higher education financial structures such as responsibility-centered management and resource allocation models.
- Proficiency in working with large, complex financial datasets and budget systems for forecasting and scenario analysis.
- Strong ability to communicate complex financial concepts to non-financial executives and influence decision-making.
- Anticipated pay range of $160,000 to $195,000 per year.
Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation Full Description
Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation
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The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category legally protected by federal or state law.
For information on safety and security at the University of Vermont, see the annual security report by clicking on the Clery Act button in the sidebar menu.
Finalists for positions at UVM may be subject to a criminal background check.
For classified staff positions, actual hiring pay dependent on current competitor market conditions, comparable campus peer(s) at time of hire, and candidate’s experience level and length.
Be sure to carefully review and update your application information before submitting an application!
Position Details
Advertising/Posting Title | Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation
Posting Summary | The Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation reports to the Vice President for Finance, Administration & Human Resources (VPFAHR) and serves as a senior leader responsible for shaping institutional financial strategy through advanced financial modeling and analysis and interpretation of complex institutional data.
Working in partnership with academic and administrative units across campus, the Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation develops and recommends financial strategies that inform resource allocation, revenue generation, operational efficiency, and long-term financial sustainability. This role translates complex financial and operational data into actionable insights for executive leadership and plays a key role in analyzing institutional financial performance, auxiliary operations, academic unit financial structures, and emerging financial risks.
The position operates in a highly complex environment where financial problems are often undefined, cross-functional, and require careful navigation of competing institutional priorities. The Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation is responsible for building credible scenarios, stress-testing assumptions, evaluating tradeoffs, identifying financial risks, and developing data-informed recommendations that directly support senior leadership decision-making.
This role does not manage transactional finance, accounting operations, or budget execution functions. Instead, it provides enterprise-level financial insight, modeling, and advisory support to advance institutional priorities and financial sustainability.
The position operates with a high degree of autonomy and regularly engages with senior leadership across academic and administrative units to influence financial decision-making and institutional planning.
Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience) | Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field; master’s degree preferred. Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in higher education finance, institutional budgeting, financial planning and analysis, strategic finance, or related financial leadership roles. Ability to understand and assess the efficacy of operations within individual academic or administrative units to identify, communicate, and model potential cost-savings opportunities. Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining, and applying advanced financial models to support institutional or enterprise-level planning and decision-making. Significant experience interpreting complex financial, operational, and organizational data and translating analysis into strategic recommendations for senior leadership. Deep understanding of higher education financial structures, including resource allocation models, responsibility-centered management or incentive-based budget models, and major revenue and expenditure drivers. Experience working with large, complex financial datasets and budget systems to support forecasting, scenario analysis, and financial decision-making. Proven ability to engage effectively with senior executives and influence financial decision-making in a complex, decentralized organization. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and evolving financial environments. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex financial concepts clearly and credibly to non-financial executive audiences.
Desirable Qualifications |
Anticipated Pay Range | $160,000-195,000
Other Information |
Special Conditions | A probationary period may be required, This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with an option to split time between campus and elsewhere, in accordance with the university telecommuting policy, Background Check required for this position
FLSA | Exempt
Union Position | No
Posting Summary | The Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation reports to the Vice President for Finance, Administration & Human Resources (VPFAHR) and serves as a senior leader responsible for shaping institutional financial strategy through advanced financial modeling and analysis and interpretation of complex institutional data.
Working in partnership with academic and administrative units across campus, the Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation develops and recommends financial strategies that inform resource allocation, revenue generation, operational efficiency, and long-term financial sustainability. This role translates complex financial and operational data into actionable insights for executive leadership and plays a key role in analyzing institutional financial performance, auxiliary operations, academic unit financial structures, and emerging financial risks.
The position operates in a highly complex environment where financial problems are often undefined, cross-functional, and require careful navigation of competing institutional priorities. The Executive Director for Financial Strategy and Innovation is responsible for building credible scenarios, stress-testing assumptions, evaluating tradeoffs, identifying financial risks, and developing data-informed recommendations that directly support senior leadership decision-making.
This role does not manage transactional finance, accounting operations, or budget execution functions. Instead, it provides enterprise-level financial insight, modeling, and advisory support to advance institutional priorities and financial sustainability.
The position operates with a high degree of autonomy and regularly engages with senior leadership across academic and administrative units to influence financial decision-making and institutional planning.
Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience) | Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a closely related field; master’s degree preferred. Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in higher education finance, institutional budgeting, financial planning and analysis, strategic finance, or related financial leadership roles. Ability to understand and assess the efficacy of operations within individual academic or administrative units to identify, communicate, and model potential cost-savings opportunities. Demonstrated experience developing, maintaining, and applying advanced financial models to support institutional or enterprise-level planning and decision-making. Significant experience interpreting complex financial, operational, and organizational data and translating analysis into strategic recommendations for senior leadership. Deep understanding of higher education financial structures, including resource allocation models, responsibility-centered management or incentive-based budget models, and major revenue and expenditure drivers. Experience working with large, complex financial datasets and budget systems to support forecasting, scenario analysis, and financial decision-making. Proven ability to engage effectively with senior executives and influence financial decision-making in a complex, decentralized organization. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to operate effectively in ambiguous and evolving financial environments. Demonstrated ability to communicate complex financial concepts clearly and credibly to non-financial executive audiences.
Desirable Qualifications |
Anticipated Pay Range | $160,000-195,000
Other Information |
Special Conditions | A probationary period may be required, This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with an option to split time between campus and elsewhere, in accordance with the university telecommuting policy, Background Check required for this position
FLSA | Exempt
Union Position | No
Posting Details
Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.
Position will be posted for a minimum of one week, after which it is subject to removal without notice.
Job Location | Burlington, Vermont, United States
Job Open Date | 06/16/2026
Job Close Date (Jobs close at 11:59 PM EST.) |
Open Until Filled | No
Job Open Date | 06/16/2026
Job Close Date (Jobs close at 11:59 PM EST.) |
Open Until Filled | No
Our Common Ground Statement
The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. Staff play a critical role in this effort and the successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM’s mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through the execution of their job duties.
The University of Vermont is a welcoming, educationally purposeful community committed to creating an inclusive environment that embraces intellectual diversity and global perspectives. We seek to prepare students to be accountable leaders who will bring to their work a grasp of complexity, effective problem-solving and communication skills, and an enduring commitment to learning and ethical conduct. Members of the University of Vermont community embrace and advance the values of Our Common Ground: Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Openness, Justice, and Responsibility. Staff play a critical role in this effort and the successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to UVM’s mission and advancing Our Common Ground values through the execution of their job duties.
Position Information
Position Title | Fiscal Ops & Bus Mgmt PC5 X
Posting Number | S6142PO
Department | VP Finance & Administration/11000
Position Number | 00027890
Percent of Full-Time | 1.0
Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE | 37.5
Term (months per year) | 12
Posting Number | S6142PO
Department | VP Finance & Administration/11000
Position Number | 00027890
Percent of Full-Time | 1.0
Standard Hours at 1.0 FTE | 37.5
Term (months per year) | 12
Supplemental Questions
Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
Documents Needed to Apply
Required Documents
- Resume
- Cover Letter/Letter of Application
Optional Documents
©2019 The University of Vermont – Burlington, VT 05405 – (802) 656-3131
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