What are the responsibilities and job description for the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO) position at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School?
Job Title: Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO)
Department: Finance
Reports to: President
Classification: Exempt
Schedule: Year-round
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, a Jesuit, college-preparatory, co-educational school for grades 9-12 seeks a Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO). The CFAO serves as a key strategic partner to the President, the Principal, Board of Directors, and Leadership Team, overseeing the financial, operational, and administrative functions of the school. Reporting to the President, the CFAO ensures the school’s financial health and operational excellence while aligning resources to support the school’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. The School has a $20M endowment portfolio and a $10M budget.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Department: Finance
Reports to: President
Classification: Exempt
Schedule: Year-round
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, a Jesuit, college-preparatory, co-educational school for grades 9-12 seeks a Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO). The CFAO serves as a key strategic partner to the President, the Principal, Board of Directors, and Leadership Team, overseeing the financial, operational, and administrative functions of the school. Reporting to the President, the CFAO ensures the school’s financial health and operational excellence while aligning resources to support the school’s mission, vision, and strategic goals. The School has a $20M endowment portfolio and a $10M budget.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Financial Management
- Develop and implement the school’s financial strategy in collaboration with the Leadership Team and the Board.
- Manage long-term planning, including forecasting, capital planning and endowment management.
- Provide regular financial reports to the school’s President, Finance Committee, and Board, offering insights and recommendations for financial planning and risk management.
- In collaboration with the President and the Board of Directors, guide the school through sustainability planning with modeling and forecasting of alternative scenarios.
- Prepare and manage the annual operating budget, ensuring alignment with the school’s goals and priorities and the sustainability planning.
- Establish financial aid policies that align to both the school’s sustainability needs and the school’s mission of serving low-income students.
- Manage the Controller and accounting processes to maintain effective accounting practices, and to prepare and communicate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements precisely and in a timely manner.
- In collaboration with the Controller, ensure timely completion of fiscal financial audit including managing the timing and engagement terms.
- Ensure compliance with all financial regulations, accounting standards, and audit requirements.
- Maintain an effective internal control environment.
Human Resources and Organizational Leadership
- In collaboration with the President and other school leaders, develop and implement human capital strategy to ensure effective resource deployment to meet the school’s goals and strategy.
- Lead efforts for long-range people planning, compensation benchmarking, and succession planning.
- Provide leadership and guidance on HR policies, staff recruitment, professional development and performance management.
- Ensure the school’s compliance with federal, state and local legal requirements by staying abreast of existing and new legislation; enforcing adherence to requirements; advising management on legal obligations; ensuring enforcement of school policies; and updating policies as needed.
- Provide oversight, review, and negotiation of benefit plans on an annual basis or as needed. Lead long-term planning initiatives to ensure long-term sustainability of benefit offerings.
- In conjunction with the Human Resources Director, provide on-going education and communication with employees regarding their total compensation and benefits.
- In coordination with the Director of Human Resources, oversee all areas of recruitment and employment offers.
Technology Oversight
- Serve as a senior liaison for the Managed Services Provider (MSP), including service agreements, performance evaluations, and escalation protocols for IT issues.
- Establish metrics and reporting processes to assess the effectiveness of the school’s technology initiatives and MSP performance.
- Provide oversight on the management of the school’s technology infrastructure, ensuring it supports academic and administrative goals.
- Advocate for and drive the collaboration between the school administration and the Director of Technology to develop initiatives to integrate new and existing technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency, teaching, and learning outcomes.
- Oversee the procurement, deployment, and maintenance of the school's technology assets, including student devices, faculty laptops, classroom technology and network infrastructure.
- Establish metrics and reporting processes to assess the effectiveness of the school’s technology initiatives and MSP performance.
- Collaborate with the Director of Technology to develop and oversee technology budgets ensuring alignment with the school’s strategic goals and financial plan.
- Ensure the school is compliant with data privacy laws, cybersecurity protocols, and that it stays abreast of technology related regulations and best practices.
- Oversee IT disaster technology planning to ensure the continuity of technology services in the event of emergencies or outages.
Facilities Management
- Oversee the current year and five-year operating and capital expenditures planning for the grounds and facilities.
- In collaboration with the Director of Facilities, ensure all preventive and unplanned maintenance for building systems is performed through cost effective service contracts and service orders.
- Oversee the sourcing, procurement and budgeting of renovation and new construction projects the school considers.
- Collaborate with the Director of Facilities to manage vendor relationships, contracts, and procurement processes to ensure cost effectiveness and quality.
- Develop and execute a succession plan for the Director of Facilities and maintenance staff.
- Ensure campus facilities are safe, functional, and conducive to the educational mission, including oversight of maintenance, renovations, and new construction projects.
Risk management
- Review School contracts for compliance and financial requirements.
- Monitor and oversee insurance needs and policies for the school. In consultation with the School’s insurance provider, determine sufficiency of property and liability and other coverage as well as adequate protection for students, employees, directors, and officers.
Other
- Attend and participate in School-related professional associations such as CASBA, JSN Business Managers, Cristo Rey Network Business Managers, etc.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree required, master’s degree or CPA preferred.
- Strong understanding and demonstrated leadership in not-for-profit financial and operations management.
- Minimum ten years senior management experience in not-for-profit organization, preferably an educational institution.
- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
- Adept at leading change and driving continuous improvement.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate financial data and concepts to diverse stakeholders.
- Commitment to ethical leadership and to the mission, values, and goals of Cristo Rey, with a willingness to participate in adult faith formation.
Compensation: Full-time, year-round position with competitive salary and benefits.
Anticipated Start Date: Spring/Summer 2025
To Apply: Please submit a cover letter and resume to: jobs@cristorey.net or visit www.cristorey.net/careers
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Founded by the Jesuits in 1996, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School provides a Catholic, college preparatory education and professional work experience to students from Spanish-speaking families across the southwest side of Chicago who, because of limited financial means, would otherwise be unable to afford it. To make the school both affordable and sustainable, Cristo Rey pioneered the Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) model for inner-city education that has inspired a national network of 37 schools serving low-income communities across the
country. The CWSP enables all students to earn a majority of their annual tuition by working one school day a week in an entry-level position for a corporation in the Chicago area.
Jesuit Schools Network and Cristo Rey Network
Cristo Rey is sponsored by the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), the largest religious order in the Roman Catholic Church, and is well known in the United States with over 50 high school and 28 colleges and universities. Cristo Rey is a member of the Jesuit Schools Network, the national association of Jesuit schools in the United States and Canada. Additionally, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School is a member of the Cristo Rey Network, the national association of schools operating on the Cristo Rey model. Currently, there are 37 high schools serving 10,000 students throughout the country that are associated through the Cristo Rey Network and operate using the educational model named for the first school in Chicago.
