Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Job Title: Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Location: The Emery/Weiner School
Reports To: Head of School
Classification: Exempt
Status: Full-Time
Start Date: 2027-2028 School Year

Position Overview

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a strategic member of The Emery/Weiner School’s senior leadership team and serves as the institution’s principal financial and business advisor. The CFO is responsible for ensuring the school’s long-term financial strength, operational effectiveness, and responsible stewardship of its resources in support of its mission and strategic priorities.

Working closely with the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and senior leadership team, the CFO provides strategic leadership across financial planning, budgeting, accounting, risk management, business operations, technology, and auxiliary services. The CFO brings a forward-looking perspective to organizational decision-making, balancing the school’s educational mission with sound financial and operational practices.

The CFO will also provide executive oversight of the school’s Business Office, Technology team and SAGE Dining partnership, ensuring these functions are strategically aligned with the school’s priorities, financially responsible, operationally effective, and responsive to the needs of students, faculty, staff, and the broader school community.

The ideal candidate will be an experienced and collaborative financial leader who combines sophisticated financial acumen with strategic vision, sound judgment, strong communication skills, and a genuine commitment to education. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating at both the strategic and operational levels and will bring an entrepreneurial, solutions-oriented approach to strengthening the school for the future.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Financial Leadership

• Serve as the school’s principal financial strategist and trusted advisor to the Head of School, Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, and senior leadership team.
• Develop and execute a comprehensive financial strategy that supports the school’s mission, strategic plan, enrollment objectives, and long-term sustainability.
• Provide leadership in assessing the financial implications of strategic opportunities and challenges, including enrollment trends, tuition strategy, compensation, staffing, facilities, capital investments, technology, and program development.
• Lead the annual operating budget process and develop multi-year financial forecasts, scenarios, and models to support informed institutional decision-making.
• Establish and monitor financial performance indicators and provide regular analysis and recommendations to the Head of School and Board leadership.
• Maintain a clear understanding of the school’s financial position, liquidity, reserves, investments, debt, cash flow, and long-term financial obligations.
• Ensure that the school’s financial resources are managed prudently and strategically, balancing current operational needs with long-term institutional sustainability.
• Identify opportunities to improve revenue, manage costs, increase efficiency, and strengthen the school’s overall financial position.
• Provide clear, timely, and accessible financial reporting to the Board, Finance Committee, Head of School, and other appropriate stakeholders.

Financial Operations & Stewardship

• Oversee all aspects of the school’s financial operations, including accounting, accounts payable and receivable, payroll, cash management, budgeting, financial reporting, internal controls, and audit processes.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and timeliness of financial records and reporting.
• Establish and maintain strong financial policies, procedures, controls, and systems that protect school assets and promote accountability.
• Oversee the annual audit, tax filings, regulatory requirements, and other financial compliance obligations.
• Manage relationships with external auditors, accountants, attorneys, investment advisors, banks, insurance providers, and other professional partners.
• Review and oversee major contracts, vendor relationships, financial commitments, and capital expenditures.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of financial systems and processes and lead improvements that increase efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
• Ensure compliance with applicable accounting standards, laws, regulations, and best practices for independent schools and nonprofit organizations.

Operational & Business Oversight

• Provide executive oversight of the school’s Business Office, Technology team and SAGE Dining partnership, establishing strategic priorities, financial expectations, performance measures, and accountability while ensuring these functions effectively support the school’s mission and operations.
• Partner with school leadership and external service providers to evaluate operational effectiveness, manage costs, negotiate contracts, and identify opportunities to improve the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of technology, dining, and other business services.
• Develop and maintain an enterprise-wide approach to financial and operational risk management, identifying emerging risks and recommending appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Participate actively in institutional planning, crisis management, capital planning, and other strategic initiatives.
• Bring a continuous-improvement mindset to the school’s business and administrative operations.

Board & Governance Partnership

• Serve as a key strategic partner to the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee, providing the financial insight and analysis necessary for effective governance.
• Prepare and present comprehensive financial materials, forecasts, analyses, and recommendations for Board and committee meetings.
• Partner with Board leadership on long-term financial planning, institutional risk, capital planning, investment strategy, and financial sustainability.
• Communicate complex financial matters in a clear, concise, and accessible manner to individuals with varying levels of financial expertise.
• Build trust through transparency, thoughtful analysis, sound judgment, and consistent follow-through.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead the finance function with a focus on excellence, accountability, service, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership and support to the Technology team and establish clear expectations, priorities, and performance measures.
• Build strong working relationships across all areas of the school and foster a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility.
• Recruit, develop, mentor, and retain talented professionals.
• Establish clear goals and performance expectations while creating an environment in which team members are empowered to contribute and grow.
• Serve as a visible, accessible, and collaborative member of the senior leadership team.
• Model the highest standards of integrity, discretion, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field required; MBA, CPA, or other advanced professional credential strongly preferred.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in finance, accounting, business operations, or a related field, including experience at the executive or senior leadership level.
• Demonstrated success leading financial strategy and operations within a complex organization; experience in an independent school, nonprofit, educational institution, or mission-driven organization is strongly preferred.
• Sophisticated understanding of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, accounting, cash management, internal controls, risk management, and organizational finance.
• Experience working effectively with a Board of Trustees, Finance Committee, or comparable governing body.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate multi-year financial strategies and translate financial data into meaningful organizational insights and decisions.
• Experience overseeing or partnering with technology, dining, facilities, human resources, or other operational functions is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience managing significant vendor relationships and negotiating contracts and service agreements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic-thinking abilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility with a broad range of stakeholders, including trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, vendors, and community members.
• High level of integrity, discretion, confidentiality, and professional judgment.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated commitment to organizational excellence, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Familiarity with independent-school financial models, tuition and enrollment economics, endowment management, nonprofit accounting, or related practices is preferred.
• Commitment to the mission and values of The Emery/Weiner School and an appreciation for the role of pluralistic Jewish education in developing students and strengthening community.

About The Emery/Weiner School

The Emery/Weiner School is a private, college-preparatory middle and high school offering an exceptional education in a supportive environment, framed by and infused with pluralistic Judaism. Our unique, inclusive culture values diversity and encourages students to pursue a wide range of academic, athletic, and artistic interests while developing a strong sense of self and community. Small class sizes allow for talented teachers to help students grow in confidence and competence. Emery students graduate with a profound sense of moral self-reliance, empowered to advocate for themselves and others.

Interested applicants should send cover letter, resume, and 3-5 references to employment@emeryweiner.org.