Chief Financial Officer

Location: The Bronx

DEERFIELD ASSOCIATES has been retained by Riverdale Country School, located in the Bronx, New York, to conduct a national search for a Chief Financial Officer.

Riverdale Country School is a Pre-K through Grade 12 independent school in New York City committed to empowering lifelong learners by developing minds, building character, and creating community in order to change our world for the good. Riverdale seeks to reflect that belonging is the foundational core of community building in how we work collaboratively and support the school's mission and empower all community members to thrive in mind, character, and community.

Riverdale enrolls about 1,300 students who collectively reside in 117 different zip codes. The school is located on 27.5 acres and includes two campuses. The Pre-K through grade 5 campus is located on 8 acres along the Hudson River with the middle and high school campus located on a historic and spacious campus of 19.5 acres with sweeping views of Van Cortlandt Park.

The total campus physical plant includes 19 buildings not counting residences. The school is entering the phase of starting several new significant building projects.

Chief Financial Officer

Riverdale Country School is seeking an experienced, energetic, collaborative professional with exceptional financial and analytical skills and deep-rooted experience in business and finance matters for the position of Chief Financial Officer.

The Chief Financial Officer reports directly to the Head of School to support the mission and values of the school by providing direction for long-range strategic planning and financial leadership within the Riverdale community. The CFO will lead the Business Office staff in day-to-day functions, which include responsibility for all aspects of accounting, financial reporting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and benefits, and an annual audit, while also ensuring the implementation and maintenance of internal control systems, including fiscal policies and procedures to comply with GAAP and applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.

This senior leadership position also manages and oversees Human Resources, Auxiliary Programs and Technology. This role also works closely with and supports the Board of Trustees and senior leadership team in issues pertaining to the financial governance of the School and is responsible for preparing, reviewing, and submitting the annual budget. The Chief Financial Officer will serve as a staff liaison to board committee meetings and provide timely and accurate analysis and reporting when requested.

The position requires interaction and teamwork with the head of school, senior administrators, local community members, faculty members, staff, vendors and the Board of Trustees. The successful candidate will manage and lead a team of professionals and support staff of 8 - 10.

This opportunity is available immediately and will be filled following a comprehensive national search and the candidate of choice is identified.

Key Relationships:

• CFO reports directly to: Kari Ostrem, Head of School
• Direct reports to the CFO:
• Business Office staff (including the Controller), Director of Human Resources (payroll and benefits), Director of Auxiliary Programs, and Chief Information and Technology Officer.
Other key relationships.
• The CFO partners closely with school leaders, including the Assistant Head of School of Strategy and Operations, Associate Head of School/Lower Division, Assistant Head of School/Middle School Division, Head of Upper School, Associate Head of School for Enrollment and External Affairs, and the Chief Development Officer.
• Other crucial constituencies include the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, parents, students, and alumni.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a highly collaborative working relationship with the Head of School to ensure cohesive messaging of the head's institutional strategic goals and objectives, including alternatives and their financial implications, for consideration by board committees and other constituencies.
• Oversees the development, administration, and reporting on the operating budget to Riverdale's Board of Trustees, the auditors, federal, state, and local authorities, rating agencies and bond information agencies, donors and various Riverdale administrative offices.
• Assumes administrative responsibility for the school's endowment, providing appropriate information on invested funds and implementing decisions of the Board Endowment Committee; coordinates with the endowment consultants, investment managers, and custodian(s) implementing effective endowment allocations, performance, and reporting.
• Organizes and coordinates agendas and meeting material for the Finance/Audit Committee, Investment Committee.
• Collaborates with general counsel regarding all financial Risk Management matters.
• Collaborates with other school administrators to manage positive relations with the Bronx, one of five boroughs of New York City.
• The…