Chief Finance and Operations Officer

Position Description
Santa Catalina School is a vibrant, independent, Catholic school offering student-centered co-education to PreK through grade 8 and an all-girls’ boarding and day college preparatory upper school serving grades 9 through 12. Santa Catalina exists to develop in each student a striving for excellence, a maturing awareness of moral and spiritual values, a sense of responsible purpose, and a determination to serve the world with courage, grace, and compassion. With the cornerstones of excellence, spirituality, service, and responsibility, the school is committed to providing a supportive learning community for each student to grow in their intellectual, personal, and spiritual life, making Santa Catalina a transformational educational experience for its students.

Position Summary
Santa Catalina School, a nationally recognized PreK-12 independent, Catholic school in Monterey, California, seeks an experienced and strategic-minded professional to serve as the school’s Chief Finance and Operations Officer (CFOO). This position provides an exceptional opportunity to build on a strong almost 75-year financial and operating foundation while bringing a new level of integration across these areas of school. Reporting directly to the Head of School, the CFOO is a member of the Leadership Team. The Human Resources Generalist, Transportation Manager, Student Billing, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Controller/Accountant, Technology Support Specialist, and Director of Facilities report to the Chief Finance and Operations Officer. The school operates with robust financials of $18 million in annual revenue, $50 million in endowment/reserves, and years of excellent financial audits.

Description
The Chief Finance and Operating Officer is an important school leader and a critical strategic partner to the Head of School, the Leadership Team, and the Board of Trustees. The CFOO provides oversight and is responsible for creating, leading, and managing a comprehensive operations program that incorporates best practices in financial controls, facilities management, and technology management (in collaboration with a third-party provider). The CFOO reports to and works closely with the Head of School to establish and clearly articulate an ambitious vision for best practices in management. The program is built upon quantitative analysis, strategic decision-making, and an ethos of continuous improvement while fostering a culture that emphasizes strong financial controls, personal relationships, high-touch customer service, communication and transparency, entrepreneurism, flexibility, and collaboration.

Santa Catalina School believes that each employee makes a significant contribution to its success. That contribution should not be limited by the assigned responsibilities. Therefore, this position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the incumbent nor the organization to just the work identified. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his/her services wherever and whenever necessary to ensure the success of our endeavors.

Essential Responsibilities

• Provide counsel to the Head of School and to the Board of Trustees, and forge collaborative relationships with the chairs of the Finance, Audit, Risk, and Investment Committees
• Engage and support all members of the Leadership Team on financial and operational initiatives that impact or originate within their respective departments
• Coordinate and oversee the annual budgeting process, both operating and capital, develop financial models for planning and budgeting, lead the tuition setting process, and analyze tuition revenue
• Manage the organization’s relationship with its bankers
• Oversee all financial and investment processes, systems, and services — including the audit, benefits, tax filings, accounting, investments, and cash management
• Oversee all operational functions for the school, including facilities, transportation, technology, human resources, campus safety and security, emergency planning, risk management, contracts, and insurance
• Serve as project manager and/or advisor for capital building projects, coordinating planning and design functions among the school, architects, building contractors, and owner’s representatives in collaboration with the Head of School
• Incorporate environmental sustainability when working with the facilities director on matters related to buildings, grounds, safety, and transportation
• Develop and sustain a positive, productive, and supportive team culture
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred
• CPA, or five years of fund accounting experience preferred
• MBA, or five years of strategic planning experience preferred
• Five years of team leadership experience, including supervising managers or directors
• High proficiency using technology for financial analysis, operations management, modeling, and reporting; experience with Blackbaud’s Financial Edge desired but not required
• Demonstrated success working in educational finance preferred
• A commitment to the mission and identity of Santa Catalina School
• A desire to participate fully in the Santa Catalina community
• Successful completion of a LiveScan criminal background check as required by law

Competencies

• Outstanding interpersonal skills; approachable and welcoming demeanor with good listening, humor, tact, intuition, and confidentiality
• Cultural competence and enthusiasm for working with a diverse and dynamic community
• Knowledge of best practices and industry standards on school finance and operations
• Understanding of current challenges, trends, and issues facing independent schools
• Excellent writing, communication, and verbal skills
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills and digital literacy
• Ability to assess and respond to the needs of the school and act as a representative of the school
• Commitment to professional growth and education
• Ability to function well under stress
• Understanding of how to implement, leverage, and/or manage: internal controls, accounting and risk management policies, risk mitigation, and the audit process, including audited financial statements for nonprofits
• An ability to create and maintain positive, supportive, and trusting relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds and positions
• An ability to work as a team member to problem solve, compromise, and collaborate, bringing flexibility and the willingness to give and take direction when necessary
• Drive and self-motivation, an ability to multitask, and exceptional business judgment

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the the Human Resources Generalist, Transportation Manager, Controller/Accountant, Technology Support Specialist, and Director of Facilities
• Responsible for evaluation of all direct reports, including hiring and termination decisions in consultation with the Head of School

Working Conditions and Compensation

• Work at a desk and computer screen for extended periods of time each day
• Ability to access buildings and facilities throughout a 36-acre campus, with reasonable accommodations, in order to meet with students and faculty
• Work in a school environment with a wide variety of challenges, deadlines, and people
• Additional time is required beyond a normal day or week for evening and weekend meetings
• Santa Catalina School offers competitive insurance and retirement benefits
• Salary Range: $150,000–$190,000 annually, depending on experience and on-campus housing availability

Equal Employment Opportunity

Santa Catalina School is an equal-opportunity employer. Employment at Santa Catalina School is based solely on qualifications and competence for a particular position, without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by the law.

To Apply

Interested candidates should visit our website to complete and submit an application, resume, and cover letter:

https://www.santacatalina.org/upper-school/who-we-are/employment/staff-openings

Electronic submission of candidate papers in .pdf format is preferred.