Associate Vice President of Financial Planning, Data, and Analysis

Overview

Lesley University is seeking an experienced financial leader to join our team as the Associate Vice President of Financial Planning, Data, and Analysis (AVP). This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic thinker and change agent to serve as the architect of financial models in collaboration with the CFO, playing a key role in shaping the university’s financial future. Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the AVP will be responsible for developing and managing financial models, leading the university’s annual budget process, and overseeing financial analysis and key metric reporting.

The AVP will collaborate with university leadership to ensure the institution’s financial health through data-driven decision-making, revenue and expense analysis, and the development of financial reporting improvements. This role will also serve as the primary liaison for the university’s financial systems, ensuring system integrity and seamless integration with financial platforms. Key responsibilities include leading the budget preparation process, providing timely financial reports to senior leadership, evaluating program sustainability, and identifying opportunities for operational efficiencies.

Additionally, the AVP will work closely with the Associate VP of Finance/Controller to support financial close processes and prepare for audits and external reviews.

Note:

The following responsibilities are included in the role description above.

• Lead the university’s annual budget process and budget preparation.
• Develop and manage financial models and provide timely financial reports to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with university leadership to support data-driven decision-making and financial reporting improvements.
• Evaluate program sustainability and identify opportunities for operational efficiencies.
• Serve as the primary liaison for the university’s financial systems, ensuring system integrity and integration with financial platforms.
• Support financial close processes and prepare for audits and external reviews in coordination with the Associate VP of Finance/Controller.

• A Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or data analytics; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of financial experience, with a minimum of five years in a leadership role.
• Strong technical and professional accounting skills, with expertise in financial modeling and data analysis.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and data mining, with experience using Workday Adaptive and Colleague preferred.
• Familiarity with ERP systems, budgeting, and forecasting tools.
• Ability to independently lead projects accurately and on time is required.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills, with the ability to engage with all levels of university leadership.
• A track record of driving financial and operational change, identifying inefficiencies, and implementing improvements.
• A collaborative mindset and ability to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution.

Located in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Lesley University is highly regarded for its graduate and undergraduate programs in the human arts of education, the arts, and applied social sciences. Lesley fosters a highly creative environment in which innovative ideas thrive, theory is integrated with practice and its 6,400 students and 90,000 alumni are empowered to improve and enrich communities.

We offer a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, life, and long-term disability insurance. In addition, we offer significant paid time off, a generous retirement plan, and tuition programs that enable employees and their dependents to expand their knowledge and skills.

Lesley is committed to the ongoing pursuit of strategic diversity initiatives that help to position diversity, equity, and inclusion as fundamental to institutional and academic excellence  doing so, Lesley strives for a campus culture and community that fosters a true sense of belonging for all, provides opportunity for everyone to participate equally and fully in the Lesley experience,…