Description

The Jacobs School of Music seeks a strategic, collaborative, communicative, and forward-thinking Assistant Dean of Finance (ADF) to provide executive leadership across the School's financial functions. The ADF reports to the IUB Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration with a secondary reporting and daily relationship to the David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean of the Jacobs School of Music. As a key member of the School's strong leadership team, the ADF ensures the highest standards of fiscal integrity, administrative excellence, strategic planning, and resource stewardship in support of the School's mission.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Operates effectively in a large, multifaceted artistic and academic environment; foster a culture of transparency and accountability; communicates clearly to varied audiences; and guides the Jacobs School of Music through evolving financial, operational, and budgetary challenges.
• Leads the development, implementation, and assessment of the School's short- and long-term financial and budgetary strategies to ensure stewardship, transparency, and alignment with academic priorities.
• Provides regular, data-driven analysis and decision support to the Dean, associate deans, chairs, and directors.
• Establishes and maintains strong internal controls, compliance systems, and financial reporting processes.
• Identifies revenue opportunities, emerging economic trends, and financial risks; develop proactive strategies to strengthen the School's financial position.
• Works in collaboration with Indiana University Foundation (IUF) colleagues and others, ensure effective use of IUF funds, departmental reserves, and diversified revenue streams, including tuition, gifts, grants, and artistic revenues.
• Oversees the School's operating budget, resource allocation processes, financial forecasting, and cash-flow optimization.
• Ensures financial systems, policies, and practices are efficient, modernized, and aligned with university standards and best practices.
• Explores strategic opportunities for centralization of administrative and financial functions while remaining sensitive to the needs and operations of departments, programs, and other administrative units.
• Partners with HR leadership on workforce planning and financial implications of staffing models, including compensation and resource distribution.
• Provides financial projections to support capital project prioritization. Serve as financial liaison for the School with the campus and Capital Planning and Facilities.
• Maintains effective accounting practices, grant administration procedures, and compliance with fiscal policies across departments.
• Leads the Finance Office, guiding staff in the realms of financial policies and procedures as well as resource management strategy. Serve as supervisor, mentor, and champion of the team and their work.
• Serves as a trusted advisor to Dean and Jacobs leadership team, helping integrate academic and administrative planning.
• Builds strong, collaborative relationships with academic units and departments, other schools within Bloomington campus, university financial and administrative offices, and external peer colleges.
• Using these relationships, work with Associate Deans (ADs), department chairs, program directors, and staff to optimize financial operations that increase efficiencies while minimizing negative impacts. Ensure regular communications across the School related to such optimizations.
• Communicates complex financial and operational information clearly to diverse audiences in and out of the School, fostering transparency and shared understanding.
• Champions a positive, inclusive, and accountable organizational culture; mentor, develop, and support a team of financial and administrative professionals.
• Represents the School in campus- and university-wide committees, budget forums, and strategic planning initiatives.
• In partnership with the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, participate formally in campus-level planning and strategic discussions whenever relevant.
• Advances the School and the campus's capacity for analytics, reporting, and data-informed decision-making.
• Promotes financial literacy and skill-building among department chairs, directors, and administrative and budgetary staff.
• In collaboration with campus, provide increased learning opportunities related to campus-wide and all-funds finances.
• Ensures training build foundational knowledge and skills for all in the School. Build onboarding pathways for staff finance-related roles across the School.
• Implements modern financial systems and tools, including opportunities involving automation, AI-enabled processes, or shared-service models, to increase efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
• Oversees regular evaluation and improvement of financial, operational, and budgetary performance, ensuring practices remain aligned with institutional goals including university and industry standards.

Requirements

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required

• Bachelor's degree in finance, business, or related field.
  Preferred
• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, higher education leadership, or related field.
  WORK EXPERIENCE

Required

• 4 years related experience
• 1 year of management experience

Preferred

• 5 years of related functional experience.
• 3 years of management experience in related field.
• 10-12 years of progressively responsible fiscal and administrative management experience, preferably in a complex or decentralized academic organization
• Experience in higher education financial management and/or academic administration.
• Familiarity with academic program financial planning and research administration.
• Experience with large, multi-unit budgets, complex funding models, and multiple revenue streams.
• Experience with an artistic, performing arts, or music organization.
• Experience as a musician or performing artist is preferred.

SKILLS

Required

• Proficient communication skills.
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills.
• Effectively coaches and delivers constructive feedback.
• Instills commitment to organizational goals.
• Demonstrates excellent judgment and decision-making skills.
• Effective conflict management skills.
• Builds and manages effective teams.
• Effective leadership skills.
• Ability to represent the School with external constituents.
• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion.
• Experience using large-scale financial platforms in and/or for a variety of financial operations.
• Advanced ability to interpret financial documents from an accounting, policy, and practice perspective.
• Experience in project management, user-testing, and implementation and/or development of financial structures, policies, and procedures.
• Intermediate accounting skills and an understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Ability to mine data from multiple sources and integrate into usable formats.
• Ability to clearly present material and make it accessible to a variety of audiences.
• Ability to understand and interpret financial policies, regulations, and pertinent state/federal laws.
• Advanced knowledge of financial statements and different budgetary models; ability to apply in different situations.
• Knowledge of human resources laws and procedures as related to managing staff; knowledge and understanding of the importance of mentors and mentorships.
• Demonstrates ability to create workable solutions from broad concepts and ideas, projections, forecasting, and long-term planning.

Preferred

• Demonstrated experience leading organizational change, implementing new systems, and driving operational transformation.
• Demonstrated success in financial strategy development, budget management, and operational leadership.
• Experience supervising teams and promoting a collaborative and high-performing work.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills with the ability to translate complex information for varied audiences.