Columbus Academy
Columbus, Ohio
Chief Financial and Operations Officer
Start Date: July 1, 2025
Overview
Recognized as one of the best independent schools in the country, Columbus Academy is an independent, coeducational college-preparatory school serving 1,164 students from age 3 through 12th grade. Situated on a sprawling 231-acre campus, the school is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive community that nurtures the mind, body, and character of its students. The school is recognized for its rigorous academic program, commitment to moral development, and its impressive array of learning, wellness, community building, and extracurricular opportunities.
Columbus Academy seeks a seasoned and strategic professional to serve as the school’s next Chief Financial and Operations Officer (CFOO), assuming the role in July 2025. Reporting to Head of School, Melissa Soderberg, the CFOO serves as leader of all finance and operations activities, acts as a strategic thought partner to both the Head of School and Board of Trustees, and collaborates with colleagues throughout the school community as a member of the leadership team.
Responsibilities
- Financial Leadership: Provide strategic leadership, analysis, and management of finances. Establish financial and capital strategies consistent with the school’s priorities. Administer and manage all employee benefit programs including health insurance, retirement, worker’s compensation, life insurance, and other related plans. Manage insurance programs including property, casualty, medical, workers’ compensation. Ensure compliance with all local and state reporting requirements.
- Operations Oversight: Oversee all business office and operations functions, including financial reporting, payroll, HR, and facilities maintenance. Manage relationships with banks, lenders, and vendors, and ensure compliance with loan terms.
- Strategic Vision: Partner with the Head of School to build and maintain long-term financial models and operational plans that support the school’s growth, including campus development and technology improvements.
- Endowment Management: Oversee the school’s endowment, tracking funds and ensuring accurate reporting.
- Partnering with the Board: Serve as the chief staff liaison to the Finance, Investment, Facilities Committees of the Board of Trustees, managing communications and financial reporting.
- Facilities Management: Work closely with the Facilities Director to oversee the physical campus, including buildings and grounds maintenance, capital planning, and construction projects.
- Technology Integration: Drive efforts to modernize the business office with technology solutions, focusing on efficiency, transparency, and enhanced reporting systems.
- Collaboration: Partner effectively with Advancement, Enrollment Management, and other departments.
- Cultural Competency: Participate in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging professional development.
Qualifications and Personal Attributes
- Bachelor’s degree required, MBA preferred;
- 10-15 years of senior-level experience creating and executing financial planning and management strategies;
- Experience in an independent school preferred, though individuals with strong financial and leadership skills are welcome;
- Experience managing a team, setting clear goals, responsibilities, expectations, and clear methods of accountability;
- Superb communication skills; excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills;
- Demonstrated ability to understand complex subjects, distill them, and then communicate them to varied audiences;
- Experience on senior administrative teams and working with non-profit Boards;
- Demonstrated experience in measuring and improving organization-wide productivity;
- Experience in human resource management, employee benefits (including pension plans), and payroll procedures. Knowledge of business and not-for-profit accounting policies, procedures, practices, facilities, and software programs.
- Ability to think and plan strategically and creatively;
- Ability to supervise, manage, and delegate multiple functions and activities;
- Ability to remain calm, flexible, and work effectively under pressure;
- Skilled at negotiating and initiating contracts with external vendors;
- Aptitude for high customer-service standards;
- Demonstrated commitment to equitable and inclusive practices;
- A track record of strong integrity.
To Apply
Interested and qualified candidates are invited to contact the consultants in confidence. Candidates will ultimately need to submit the following materials as separate PDF documents:
- A cover letter expressing their interest in this particular position;
- A current résumé;
- A list of five professional references with name, relationship, phone number, and email address of each (references will not be contacted without the candidate’s permission).
Greg Britton
Chief Operating Officer, Search & Consulting Group
ggb@carneysandoe.com
Elyse Waterhouse
Consultant
elyse.waterhouse@carneysandoe.com
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