Job Description
Reporting to the Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the Assistant Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis (AVP) is a proactive, collaborative, data-informed professional with a problem-solving mindset. The AVP will leverage WIT’s recent implementation of Workday Financial to develop and implement annual and multiyear financial planning processes that support strategic decision-making. The AVP will prioritize decision support by building partnerships and building a comprehensive understanding of the financial complexities and competing needs of the organization. The AVP will lead the work to develop useful and robust analyses and long-term financial models to inform discussions of critical issues.
This is a pivotal role that provides financial leadership and decision support to the executive level of WIT. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in financial strategy, a collaborative mindset, experience working at the executive/board level and a commitment to using data to support academic innovation and effective resource management. The AVP should have experience with non-profit accounting as they will work closely with the University Controller to ensure budgeting, forecasting and decision support incorporate the primary tenants of non-profit/higher education accounting rules.
Key Responsibilities:
Long range strategic financial planning
Work closely with the Senior Vice President (SVP) and CFO on budget development, long-term financial projections, pro forma planning, cost benefit analysis, program/unit performance.
Build/refine dynamic planning tools to enable scenario planning within multi-year operational and capital financial plans.
Provide decision support to academic and administrative leaders to evaluate initiatives, enrollment strategies, tuition models, and capital projects.
Support analysis on projects, programs and initiatives for which there is a financial component. Such projects may include private-partnership projects, and third party vendor partnerships.
Financial Reporting & Analysis
Ensure that academic and administrative leaders can access and effectively use key financial reports that can support daily/ongoing decision making.
Develop strong partnerships with academic and administrative leaders to supplement self-service reporting with more detailed trend analysis.
Partner with key stakeholders to develop analysis of trends within key areas, including enrollment, net tuition, auxiliary revenue, capital spending, and provide recommendations for long-range planning.
Partner with Controller to ensure that accounting standard operating procedures and internal controls (SOPIC) are supporting ongoing budgeting reporting & analysis.
Partner with technical experts to enhance and maximize use of executive and department-level reporting.
Budget Development and Ongoing Forecasting
Lead the annual budget process, including providing analysis and recommendations throughout the budget cycle to ensure sustainability and strategic alignment.
Lead in-year performance analysis, including quarterly reforecasts; identify variances and partner with academic and administrative leaders to develop tradeoff-based solutions.
Partner with Controller and accounting team to conduct quarterly financial closes, and provide year-over-year flux analysis.
Partner with Controller during annual close; create and analyze a wide range of financial statements in support of WIT’s annual core financial audit.
Community engagement & executive level communication
Present complex financial data in clear, actionable formats for a broad audience.
Build cross-functional, trusted partnerships relationships that support financial transparency and data-informed planning across the organization.
Have a collaborative, open, and inquisitive style that encourages innovation and thoughtful experimentation.
Build and nurture strong relationships with internal teams, partners, and stakeholders to facilitate proactive communication and collaboration across all financial functions.
Be an influential leader with the ability to elevate the performance of the team – individually and collectively.
Leadership & Team Development
Supervise one Senior Financial Analyst.
Serve as senior member of the WIT finance team leadership team, helping to foster a culture of service, collaboration, and excellence.
Partner with Controller to ensure that the Accounting and Financial Planning teams are aligned throughout all phases of the annual financial cycle.
Partner with other senior members of the WIT finance team to foster a culture of service, promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in resource planning and financial decision-making.
Minimum Qualifications and Skills:
Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field.
10 years of progressively responsible experience in financial services, preferably in higher education.
Strong proficiency in financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis.
Demonstrated ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial stakeholders.
Experience leading teams and managing complex financial systems and processes.
Strong interpersonal skills, collaborative mindset, and ability to build trust across departments and hierarchical levels.
High attention to detail and the ability to synthesize complex financial and operational data for executive use.
Experience managing change related to systems implementation, budget reform, or institutional transformation.
Preferred Qualifications:
Master’s degree; MPA, CPA, MBA, or similar financial certification.
Knowledge of fund accounting, GASB standards, and nonprofit financial reporting.
Experience with tuition pricing models, enrollment management, grant funding, and auxiliary operations.
Proficiency in Workday Financial Management modules, including general ledger, budgeting, reporting, and grants management.
Position Details:
At this time, the university is unable to sponsor applicants for H-1B visas.
The job grade for this position is Grade 13.
The expected wage range for this position is between $160,000 and $208,000 which reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this role.
This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule. This position is a full-time, benefits eligible position at 37.5 hours/week. Standard office environment with occasional evening or weekend work required for deadlines or board meetings.
About Wentworth:
Wentworth Institute of Technology Wentworth Institute of Technology (“Wentworth”) was founded to “furnish education in the mechanical arts. Today, almost 4,000 undergraduates pursue associate and bachelor’s degrees in 23 engineering, technology, design, and management disciplines across five schools: School of Architecture and Design, School of Computing and Data Science, School of Engineering, School of Management, School of Sciences and Humanities. In addition to offering certificate programs, graduate students may pursue 13 master’s degrees. While Wentworth offers traditional semesters, the hallmark of a Wentworth education remains the robust co-op program, offering hands-on experiences that offer depth of learning, relevant experiences, and valuable networking opportunities. More than 38 percent of the class of 2023 were offered post-graduate full-time employment by their co-op employer. This approach to professionally relevant education is uniquely woven into the fabric of Wentworth, where students are encouraged to make connections across disciplines, in classrooms, labs, and as active participants in industry.
Wentworth is a member of the Colleges of the Fenway consortium, and shares many facilities, resources, and activities with nearby institutions. With this membership, Wentworth students are entitled to register for courses with participating neighboring institutions at no additional cost. Wentworth is also a member of the Tuition Exchange, a reciprocal scholarship opportunity for the dependents of eligible faculty and staff at 645+ member schools nationwide. Wentworth earned the top spot in the latest New York Times college ranking when prioritizing earnings, economic mobility, and economic diversity among colleges in Massachusetts. The Institute’s current operating budget is $151 million, and the value of its endowment is $170 million.
Academics:
Wentworth offers 23 undergraduate and 13 master’s degree programs across five distinct Schools and through a variety of pathways: full-time, part-time, hybrid, and online. Wentworth also offers minors, dual graduate degrees, graduate certificates, and accelerated three-year undergraduate degrees along with 3+1, 4+1, and 4+2 undergraduate and graduate degree combinations.
Wentworth offers one of the nation’s most comprehensive Cooperative Education (coop) programs. Undergraduate students at Wentworth are required to complete two coop semesters to graduate. During co-op, students gain hands-on experience and put the knowledge and skills they forge in the classroom into practice while still in school. By partnering with leading industry organizations, Wentworth’s co-op program lets students find solutions to real-world problems while working in their chosen fields while fostering valuable professional connections that are crucial to success in the modern workforce. By integrating a hands-on approach into academics, in the classroom, and through coop, Wentworth prioritizes the long-term career success of our students. This close connection between academic experience and on-the-job proficiency directly translates to higher earnings and accelerated career growth.
Facilities:
The 31-acre campus in the heart of Boston boasts a tree-lined quad, modern and traditional residence halls, diverse campus amenities, the Douglas D. Schumann Library & Learning Commons, multiple computer centers, a 24-hour police department, and numerous social activities. The campus also features 60+ state of the art labs and studios including the Casella Robotics Laboratory, the state-of-the-art BOND Virtual Design and Construction Lab, and ample design studios. In fact, Wentworth has achieved an impressive 1:1 student-to-studio space ratio. In February 2024, Wentworth Institute of Technology announced a bold 10-year plan to dramatically transform its physical campus. The plan will create technologically advanced spaces for hands-on learning in preparation for STEM, design and management careers and double the public green spaces on campus, affirming Wentworth’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency. Among the plan’s highlights are new residence halls, a new athletics field house, as well as new and renovated academic spaces.
Compensation and Benefits
Wentworth Institute of Technology is committed to fair, transparent, and legally compliant compensation practices. We believe that clarity about pay structures and ranges supports equity, fosters trust, and ensures a positive workplace for all employees.
Please visit here to see the comprehensive benefits package offered to support the best experience for our employees. https://wit.edu/careers/work-wentworth
Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth
Inclusive Excellence is one of the four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Actively and intentionally cultivating a diverse and culturally competent institution where each member has the opportunity and support to reach their full potential and make contributions to our campus community and beyond is Inclusive Excellence at Wentworth.
To find out more about the Wentworth’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, please visit the website https://wit.edu/about/inclusive-excellence.
All applicants have the right to accessibility support and accommodations. To request accessibility support or accommodations, contact the Executive Director of Equity and Compliance, Catlin Wells, at wellsc1@wit.edu.
E-Verify for Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9)
Wentworth participates in E-Verify. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from your Form I-9 to records available to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States.