Chief Financial Officer, Lindenwood Education System (LES)
Job Description
Full job description
Please visit the link
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for more information on the position. Do not use the apply button on this page. For further consideration, materials should be submitted in PDF format and emailed to LESCFO@topgunventures.com with the position title in the header. Application deadline is May 15th, 2025. You will be contacted via email by the Senior Partner in charge of this search if there is mutual interest.Materials to be submitted include:
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A cover letter summarizing key reasons for applying and how this role will fit your career aspirations as well as the needs of the organization
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An updated CV/resume
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A statement affirming your desire to relocate vs. commute for this role. In the latter case, please comment on your ability to spend significant time (70%) working onsite with the CEO/President and peers at Lindenwood University campus (nearest airport St. Louis, MO)
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Salary/compensation expectations
Please include any critical questions related to the position in your initial response to be answered during a subsequent screening interview.
Job Title: Chief Financial Officer, Lindenwood Education System (LES)
Reports To: LES President/CEO
Positions Supervised: None
Job Summary
The LES Chief Financial Officer is responsible for providing strategic financial leadership across the enterprise, including Lindenwood University, Dorsey College, and Ancora Education. This position oversees the integration and optimization of financial operations across all institutions while maintaining appropriate institutional independence and compliance with relevant regulations.
Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities
The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
Strategic Financial Leadership
- Develops and executes an enterprise-wide financial strategy aligned with LES growth objectives
- Identifies and implements financial synergies across institutions while respecting institutional autonomy
- Creates multi-institution financial models and forecasting frameworks
- Leads strategic financial investment strategies and planning for future acquisitions and growth
- Provides financial guidance for cross-institutional initiatives
- Develops enterprise-wide financial policies, standards, and best practices
- Leads financial due diligence for mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships
- Aligns financial strategy with evolving regulatory and industry landscapes
Financial Operations & Integration
- Establishes enterprise-wide financial systems and processes
- Oversees consolidated financial reporting across all institutions
- Implements shared services opportunities in financial operations
- Develops and monitors enterprise-wide financial metrics
- Creates frameworks for resource allocation across institutions
- Manages enterprise-wide banking relationships and capital structure
- Optimizes liquidity and cash management strategies to maximize efficiency
Fundraising, Financing & Capital Strategy
- Develops and executes comprehensive financing strategies, including traditional and innovative funding sources
- Leads efforts to secure and manage debt financing, bond issuances, and credit facilities
- Cultivates relationships with private investors, venture capital, and private equity partners for growth initiatives
- Oversees endowment management and investment strategies in alignment with institutional goals
- Structures and negotiates financial transactions to support expansion and strategic initiatives
- Evaluates and optimizes tuition financing models and revenue diversification strategies
Risk Management & Compliance
- Ensures compliance with multi-state regulatory requirements
- Maintains appropriate financial controls across the enterprise
- Oversees enterprise-wide risk management strategies
- Ensures proper financial governance across all institutions
- Manages relationships with external auditors at the enterprise level
- Oversees tax strategy and compliance across all entities including maintaining 501 c (3)
Performance Optimization
- Identifies and implements cost savings opportunities across institutions
- Develops shared procurement strategies
- Creates financial benchmarking across institutions
- Implements best practices in financial management
- Optimizes capital allocation across the enterprise
- Manages enterprise-wide investment strategies
- Enhances financial reporting analytics for data-driven decision-making
Leadership & Communication
- Partners with institutional CFOs to ensure alignment
- Presents enterprise financial performance to the LES Board
- Communicates financial strategy to stakeholders
- Develops and maintains investor relationships
- Serves as a financial spokesperson for LES
- Engages with governmental and private entities on funding and regulatory matters
Key Relationships
- Reports to LES President/CEO
- Works closely with institutional CFOs
- Partners with other LES C-suite executives
- Engages with institutional presidents/CEOs
- Interfaces with LES Board of Directors
- Manages external relationships with financial institutions, investors, and regulatory agencies
Performance Metrics
- Enterprise Financial Performance: Achieve and exceed EBITDA, revenue growth, and profitability targets
- Successful Integration Initiatives: Implement financial synergies and shared service improvements
- Cost Optimization Achievements: Drive efficiencies in resource allocation and financial operations
- Compliance & Risk Management: Maintain full regulatory compliance and strong internal controls
- Innovation Implementation: Introduce and champion financial systems and digital transformation initiatives, leveraging external best practices and personal experience
- Stakeholder Satisfaction: Enhance transparency, trust, and confidence among board members, investors, and institutional partners
- Fundraising & Capital Strategy Execution: Successfully secure financing for growth and long-term sustainability
Job may require other duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications – An equivalent combination of education, training and experience will be considered. Additional requirements may be designated by position.
- Master’s degree in business administration, finance, or related field
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive financial leadership experience including at least 3 years as CFO
- Experience directly managing multi-entity organizations
- Strong background in M&A, fundraising, and capital markets
- Experience leading bond financing, private investor relations, and private equity funding
- CPA preferred
- Experience in and appreciation for the higher/continuing education sector preferred
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities – May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform this job competently
- Exceptional strategic thinking and planning capabilities
- Strong understanding of higher education finance
- Experience with multi-state operations
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Proven leadership in change management
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Experience with enterprise-wide systems implementation
- Understanding of educational technology and innovation
Work Environment – Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job’s functions.
- Regular travel to institutional locations
- Flexible work arrangements as needed
- Standard executive-level availability requirements
- Regular Board and committee meeting attendance
Physical Abilities – The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job’s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- Ability to work effectively at a computer for extended time daily
- Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function
Equal Opportunity Employer
Lindenwood University is an Equal Opportunity employer. The University complies with appropriate federal, state, and local laws and provides equal employment opportunities and access to educational programs without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected status to all qualified applicants and employees. Lindenwood University is committed to a policy of non-discrimination and dedicated to providing a positive discrimination-free educational work environment.
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