Opportunity and Challenge Profile

Oakland University

Search for Vice President for Finance and Administration
and Treasurer to the Board of Trustees

Rochester, Michigan

Oakland University cultivates the full potential of a diverse and inclusive community. As a public doctoral institution, we impact Michigan and the world through education, research, scholarship and creative activity. – Mission of Oakland University

Oakland University (OU), a public doctoral research institution in southeastern Michigan seeks a transformative, collaborative, and forward-thinking leader to serve as its next Vice President for Finance and Administration. (“VPFA” or “CFO”) and Treasurer to the Board of Trustees. Oakland University has embarked on an ambitious plan to advance the institution and enhance its financial stability for the future, within a rapidly changing environment for higher education. Together with President Ora Pescovitz, and an engaged senior leadership team, the VPFA will have a tremendous opportunity to help to shape OU’s future through strong fiscal stewardship, ingenuity, and leadership. Serving as the senior fiscal steward of resources at OU, the VPFA is a key member of the university’s senior leadership team and President’s Strategy Council with responsibility focus for budget development and management, strategic financial and resource allocation planning, fiscal operations, treasury management, campus facilities and operations, and public safety.   The university is in a period of transformation and will need a strategic leader to assess the financial management of the university to align with the institution’s enrollment management goals, manage risk effectively, and to facilitate and capitalize on opportunities for continued and new avenues of revenue generation.

Founded as Michigan State University-Oakland in 1957 following the unique donation of the vast Matilda and Alfred Wilson estate to support higher education, Oakland University has grown into a student-centered R2 research institution with a global perspective. Operating independently since 1970, the University serves an increasingly diverse student population. Through outreach initiatives such as the Pontiac Initiative and other key partnerships, OU serves as a strong steward of place for its surrounding communities. The university enrolls more than 17,000 students, offers more than 146 bachelor’s degree programs and 134 doctoral, master’s degree and certificate programs. The university employs over 900 full and part-time faculty who are represented by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). The represented faculty includes more than 640 full-time faculty. Additionally, the university employs over 30 medical school faculty and over 200 non-bargained part-time faculty in any given semester. As outlined in the university’s 2025 strategic plan, efforts are underway to enhance student success, grow research and scholarly activity, advance diversity, equity and inclusion, and expand the institution’s visibility regionally, nationally, and globally. Oakland University’s FY 2020-2021 annual expenditures totaled $338.1 million, and the university has an endowment of approximately $147 million.

As the chief financial officer of the University, the VPFA oversees a broad portfolio, including facilities and campus master plan, providing leadership and direction for the units, programs, and services in the Office of Finance and Administration. The areas reporting to this position include the controller’s office, investment and treasury management, budget and financial planning, finance and administration, facilities management, and the university’s police department. The VPFA reports to the President and also serves as the Treasurer to the Board of Trustees. The VPFA will bring an entrepreneurial mindset and strong financial acumen to address a set of key opportunities and challenges and ensure the university’s ongoing success. The VPFA will adopt a transparent, straight forward and inclusive decision-making style, with the ability to explain financial policy clearly and understandably to a variety of audiences. The successful candidate will have experience in a senior-level financial and operating position in higher education or within a complex organization, and ability to work effectively with faculty and staff within a unionized environment.

Oakland University has retained the services of Isaacson, Miller—a national executive search firm—to assist in conducting this important search and to help identify outstanding candidates. All confidential inquiries, nominations/referrals, and resumes with cover letters should be directed to the search firm as indicated at the end of the document.

TO APPLY

Oakland University has retained Isaacson, Miller to assist in this search. Please direct all inquiries, nominations, referrals, and applications in strict confidence to:

Pam Pezzoli, Partner

Neeta Mehta, Managing Associate

Isaacson, Miller

www.imsearch.com/8323

Electronic submission is strongly encouraged.

Creating and maintaining a diverse, equitable and inclusive campus is a strategic priority for Oakland University. We are seeking applications from individuals who are interested in and committed to supporting and advancing our DEI institutional values. Oakland University encourages all qualified applicants to apply and be assured that there shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin or ancestry, age, height, weight, familial status, marital status, disability, creed, sexual orientation, veteran status or other prohibited factors in employment, admissions, educational programs or activities.

Oakland University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work-life balance.