Vice President of Finance and Accounting

• Administrator:   President & CEO
• Preferred Experience:   Minimum of six years of experience in financial leadership roles with a proven track record of leading teams, managing nonprofit financial operations, and driving financial performance.
• Education Required:   Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or closely related field.
• Education Preferred:   Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Master’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration
• Overtime Status:  Exempt, not eligible for overtime
• FTE and Benefits:  1.0 FTE, eligible for full employment benefits
• Preferred Start Date:   December 16, 2024

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Vice President of Finance & Accounting (“Vice President”) is the financial leader of the Montana State University Alumni Foundation (“Alumni Foundation”), reporting directly to the President & CEO and collaborating closely with the university. The Vice President is responsible for maximizing the Alumni Foundation’s financial performance, safeguarding its assets, delivering operational efficiencies, and managing the finance and accounting staff. The Vice President is a member of the Alumni Foundation Leadership Team, advising on financial and compliance matters while contributing to organization-level decision-making.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. STRATEGY AND LEADERSHIP
   • Maximize the Alumni Foundation’s financial performance and asset growth through the recommendation and implementation of strategic, proactive asset growth initiatives including cost-savings and revenue-generating opportunities.
   • Work with the CEO and Leadership Team to develop and execute financial strategy and the overall strategic plan for the organization.
   • Contribute to organizational-level decision-making as part of the Leadership Team.
   • Advise the CEO and Leadership Team on financial matters including budgeting, forecasting, and risk management.
2. OPERATIONAL FINANCE
   • Manage and develop a team of 7-10 including general ledger accounting and reporting, budgeting, treasury, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fund administration, and gift processing.
   • Manage and streamline a financial infrastructure that supports scalability and efficiency including financial systems, processes, and staffing.
   • Review and revise financial and accounting policies, drafting new policies as needed.
   • Build relationships with key campus partners to ensure effective collaboration and integration with the university on financial and compliance matters.
   • Coordinate closely with the university on campus capital projects to ensure alignment on total project cost, cash flows, and financing.
3. FINANCIAL PLANNING AND ANALYSIS
   • Provide financial insights and analysis to support decision-making on growth initiatives, operational improvements, and other key decisions.
   • Develop and maintain revenue, expense, and capital budgets and forecasting models.
   • Monitor financial performance by analyzing key metrics, identifying trends, monitoring budget variances, and implementing corrective actions.
   • Create financial models, analyses, and pro formas to make recommendations in support of organizational decision-making.
4. TREASURY
   • Manage relationships with banking institutions, including securing and monitoring debt financing arrangements.
   • Execute all investment transactions on behalf of the Board of Governors Investment Committee including completion of new investment subscriptions and account documentation, executing trades, and transfers between the investment pools.
   • Serve as a voting member of the Gift Acceptance Committee and partner closely with Estate, Trust, and Gift Planning team on accepting and liquidating complex assets.
5. ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING
   • Oversee all financial reporting, ensuring compliance with GAAP and other regulatory standards, for the Alumni Foundation, its subsidiaries, and its retirement plan.
   • Facilitate an annual independent audit of the Alumni Foundation’s financial statements, ensuring an unqualified opinion and on-time delivery to the university.
   • Prepare and present financial performance reports to the Leadership Team and the Board of Governors.
6. TAX
   • Safeguard tax exempt status.
   • Research and understand the tax impact of potential transactions.
   • Manage external tax preparer to ensure accurate and timely filing of federal and state returns for all entities and the employee retirement plan.
7. RISK MANAGEMENT, CONTROLS AND COMPLIANCE
   • Ensure the Alumni Foundation meets compliance requirements for all applicable federal, state, and other regulatory bodies including the IRS, Secretary of State, Department of Labor & Industry, and the Office of the Commissioner of Securities & Insurance to maintain the Alumni Foundation’s reputation and good standing as it relates to matters of finance, accounting, and asset management.
   • Ensure a strong system of internal control is in place to mitigate fraud, operational risks, reputational risk, and ensure compliance with financial regulations.
   • Ensure consistent compliance with organizational policies within the Alumni Foundation.
8. BOARD SUPPORT
   • Finance Committee: serve as the primary staff liaison to support agenda development, budget and debt reviews, and effective financial monitoring.
   • Governance & Audit Committee: serve as the staff liaison for the external financial statement audit, IRS Form 990, and board-approved financial policies.
   • Investment Committee: serve as a non-voting, ex-officio committee member as well as the primary staff liaison to support agenda development and ensure investment actions are executed.
   • Provide financial training for the Board of Governors with new member orientations, training on financial statements, Form 990, financial policies, and other financial matters as warranted or requested.
9. Affect and maintain a professional, proactive, positive, highly collaborative, and performance-centric work environment.
10. Fulfill other responsibilities and duties as assigned by the President & CEO.

Duties and responsibilities may change at any time.

SPECIAL SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

1. In-depth knowledge of non-profit Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
2. Proficient in financial software and systems including financial reporting and data analytics platforms.
3. Prior experience with Blackbaud Financial Edge and Raiser’s Edge preferred.
4. Ability to work as a hands-on individual contributor as well as a manager.
5. Highly organized, ability to act quickly while maintaining attention to detail.
6. Ability to constantly re-prioritize a wide variety of questions, tasks, and issues.
7. Proven track record of ethical and strategic leadership, collaborative problem solving, and positive program and personnel management and supervision.
8. Excellent personal computer skills with ability to analyze financials, create original documents, perform varied research and communicate electronically.
9. Ability to analyze facts and circumstances and arrive at sound conclusions and decisions.
10. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, donors, various University personnel, service providers, and the public.
11. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to make effective public presentations.
12. High standard of professional ethics.

ABOUT MSU AND THE ALUMNI FOUNDATION:

The Montana State University Alumni Foundation exists to serve one mission, to "cultivate lifelong relationships and secure private support to advance Montana State University."  In addition to raising private support for the university, the MSU Alumni Foundation also manages the endowment, a $178 million pool of more than 1,200 investment funds that provide perpetual support to the university. Growing the endowment is the best way to ensure that Montana State University remains healthy, strong, competitive and able to fulfill its land-grant mission into the future.

BENEFITS:

The MSU Alumni Foundation offers a comprehensive benefit package which includes medical, dental, and vision insurance (all of which are 90-100% employer-paid for employee-only coverage), 403(b) retirement plan with 7% employer contribution, up to 5 weeks’ paid time-off, 11 paid holidays, tuition assistance and more. 

APPLICATION AND RECRUITMENT:

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter, a resume, and three professional references online. Recruitment will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Compensation will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The MSU Alumni Foundation is an equal employment opportunity employer who believes that diversity, equity and inclusion allow us to better serve our students and communities and are critical to supporting the mission of Montana State University as a land grant institution.