Ethical Culture Fieldston School

Chief Financial Officer

DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES Executive Search, Inc. has been retained by Ethical Culture Fieldston School, located in New York City, to conduct a national search for a Chief Financial Officer.

Position Summary

Since its founding in 1878, the Ethical Culture Fieldston School (ECFS) has been a beacon of progressive education in America. Known as one of New York City’s most progressive independent schools, ECFS emphasizes academic excellence, intellectual curiosity, ethics, and community service. The School educates approximately 1,700 students in Pre-K–12th Grade on two historic campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx, totaling 407,000 square feet with 16 buildings. There are approximately 11,000 alumni. The annual operating budget for the institution is $100 million and the endowment currently stands at $125 million.

Founded as The Workingman’s School by humanitarian Felix Adler, ECFS remains committed to his vision. The core of the educational program is the study and practice of ethics, where students explore and think critically about what they are learning in order to question and evaluate their own actions, choices, and decisions, as well as those of other individuals and communities. Progressive education at ECFS focuses on the whole child, ensuring that education is responsive, relevant, experiential, and playful. ECFS inspires a diverse and joyful community of passionate learners, critical thinkers, and ethical individuals who aim to make the world more humane and just. At ECFS, we don’t teach students what to think and what to question — but how to think and how to question.

Heavily influenced as well by the ideas of John Dewey and other pioneers of experiential education in the late 19th century, ECFS is notable for its democratic approach to teaching and learning. Relationships among faculty, parents, and students are open and strong, and the School is renowned for its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The School boasts the largest financial aid budget of any independent school in New York City.

The focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at ECFS creates an environment in which students can truly thrive — and one that prepares them to actively and thoughtfully engage with the world around them. DEI is central to ECFS’s mission of teaching all children to approach the world with empathy, compassion, and understanding.

The hiring range for this position is $350,000. – $425,000. When determining the salary for a position, ECFS considers factors including, but not limited to: the scope and responsibilities of the position, internal peer equity, key skills required for the role, the candidate’s work experience, education and training, as well as market and organizational considerations.

This opportunity is available immediately and will be filled upon the completion of a comprehensive search. An ideal start date would be on or before April 1, 2025.

The Chief Financial Officer is the senior-level School leader responsible for a wide range of financial services (budgeting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, general accounting), enrollment/re-enrollment services, financial aid allocation and accounting, investment management, and commercial insurance services at the School. The Chief Financial Officer reports to the Chief Executive Officer.

An overarching philosophy of creating an ethical school environment should lead the Chief Financial Officer’s decision-making. The Chief Financial Officer is responsible for directing the fiscal functions of the School in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, and other regulatory and advisory organizations and in accordance with financial management techniques and practices appropriate within the industry.

The Chief Financial Officer will oversee the services within their purview in a holistic manner, creating and maximizing linkages between departments, offices, units, and individual staff members. The Chief Financial Officer will provide leadership in defining the programmatic vision for services of cognizant responsibility. The individual in this critical role is also responsible for staffing the Trustee Finance Committee, Investment Committee, and Audit and Risk Management Committee.

Please note that this is an onsite role and not performed remotely. Ethical Culture Fieldston School retains its right to modify job duties in accordance with changing operational needs.

www.ecfs.org

Specific responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer will include:

Planning, developing, organizing, implementing, directing and evaluating the organization’s fiscal function and performance;
Supervising gift accounting, restricted fund accounting, debt accounting, and managing the annual audit and tax/compliance filings;
Developing communication materials about financial policies, administrative procedures, calendars, the financial health of the institution, role of the department, etc., for internal and external use;
Participating in the development of the School’s plans and programs as a strategic partner offering financial insights;
Evaluating and advising on the impact of long-range planning, the introduction of new programs/strategies, and regulatory changes;
Partnering with the Admissions and Enrollment Management team to align enrollment and financial strategies with the long-term educational mission of the School;
Creating and overseeing policies to help support the School’s financial health and enrollment growth, including analyzing enrollment data and recruiting goals, leading and communicating related strategic decisions, and presenting updates to the Board of Trustees as necessary;
Developing and fostering strong working relationships with other School departments to develop and promote initiatives that attract students to ECFS, including Admissions, Communications, Development, Operations, and divisional leadership;
Nurturing credibility for the Finance Department by providing timely and accurate analyses of budgets, financial reports, and financial trends in order to assist colleagues in performing their managerial responsibilities;
Developing, implementing and enforcing policies and procedures of the organization by effectively utilizing or introducing systems that will improve the overall operation and effectiveness of the School;
Establishing credibility throughout the organization and with the Board of Trustees as an effective developer of solutions to organizational challenges;
Providing technical financial advice and knowledge to colleagues;
Continually improving the budgeting process by training departmental managers on financial issues impacting budgets;
Providing strategic financial input and leadership on issues affecting the organization;
Optimizing the handling of bank and deposit relationships and initiate appropriate strategies to enhance cash position;
Developing a reliable cash flow projection process and reporting mechanism that includes a minimum cash threshold to meet operational needs;
Being a financial advisor on any contracts into which the corporation may enter;
Implementing a culture of responsive customer service and efficient management of resources;
Creating and modeling an effective, positive culture for the Finance team emphasizing professionalism, clarity, customer service, and competence;
Evaluating the Finance structure and team, planning for continual improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of the departments, as well as mentoring and providing individuals with professional and personal growth;
Fostering positive relationships with team members and various stakeholders;
Motivating and inspiring the team and coworkers to achieve goals.

The successful incumbent will possess:

Demonstrated background in finance, budgeting, investing, and cash management required;
10+ years of work experience in a financial and business leadership position;
Bachelor’s degree required, MBA and/or a master’s degree in a related field strongly preferred;
Experience in an independent secondary school, college, or university setting is preferred, though individuals with strong financial and leadership skills in a related field are encouraged to explore this high visibility opportunity;
CPA professional accreditation is a plus;
Devotion to the mission of Ethical Culture Fieldston School
Commitment to an organizational culture marked by trust, integrity, ethics, professionalism, inclusiveness, and respect for diversity in all its forms;
Demonstrated commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI)
Creativity and exceptional analytical, organizational, and project development skills;
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written to effectively initiate and facilitate discussions and present to various levels of stakeholders.;
Proven ability to serve as a critical business thinker, capable of successfully providing positive and proactive solutions to organizational challenges;
Capability of earning the respect and trust of the Chief Executive Officer, faculty, administration, staff, students, and the Board of Trustees;
Advanced technology skills including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc., and database management software;
Knowledge and experience in setting up and monitoring effective financial controls;
Proven financial modeling and forecasting skills;
Highly effective negotiation skills in developing contracts with external vendors;
Ability to motivate, mentor and manage a high-quality staff and hire new talent;
A high degree of organization, resourcefulness, and attention to detail;
The ability to collaborate and build strong relationships with faculty, administrators, and the overall community;
A positive attitude and the ability to listen effectively and be receptive to feedback;
A strong ability to multitask and shift priorities without compromising on the quality of work;
The ability to identify issues quickly and problem solve accordingly, and to remain calm in stressful situations that may arise;
The ability to handle confidential materials with discretion while maintaining a high level of integrity;
A willingness to learn and embrace new ideas and procedures and a consistent initiative to help streamline processes and improve efficiencies;
The ability to work collaboratively in group settings, as well as independently, to meet project goals and team needs;
Proficiency in utilizing and learning new technologies (i.e., Google Workspace tools);
Reliability, punctuality, and consistent attendance.

Ethical Culture Fieldston School Benefits

Ethical Culture Fieldston School offers a dynamic and supportive work environment, competitive salaries, and a generous benefits package including a retirement plan, paid vacations, and medical insurance. Ethical Culture Fieldston School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Contact Information

To explore this superb career opportunity on a highly confidential basis please send a resume, letter of interest, and list of 4 references including contact information (who will only be contacted if mutual interest is established) to: Doug Cooney, Executive Search Consultant, DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES Executive Search, Inc. 572 Washington Street, Suite 15, Wellesley, MA 02482. Telephone: 781-237-2800. Email: [email protected]