Vice President for Administration and Finance/COO

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Job description

Truman State University-Missouri’s only public liberal arts and sciences university-seeks a strategic and collaborative leader to serve as Vice President for Administration and Finance/Chief Operating Officer (VPAF/COO). As a key member of the President’s Executive Leadership Team, the VPAF/COO will be responsible for advancing operational excellence, guiding long-range planning, and fostering a campus environment that supports student success, faculty and staff effectiveness, and the University’s mission.

History of Truman

Founded in 1867, Truman State University (Truman; the University) has evolved through several name changes, each reflecting a new institutional mission. In 1985, when the passage of Missouri House Bill 196 changed the University’s mission from an open-enrollment, regional, multipurpose university to Missouri’s only statewide public liberal arts and sciences institution, the University’s name was Northeast Missouri State University. In 1996, the name of the University was changed to Truman State University to reflect that mission. Since its founding, Truman has maintained a strong focus on student-centered learning. Every part of the student journey is designed to help Truman graduates meet the challenges of the modern world and pursue lives filled with rewarding work.

A vibrant community of teacher-scholars engaged with an academically talented student body, Truman is a residential university providing its approximately 3,900 students with a distinctive blend of liberal arts and sciences and professional programs. Truman is nationally recognized for the quality of educational opportunities it offers and the pathways it has developed from college to career. The institution is committed to a strong focus on high-impact learning experiences, and more than one-third of Truman’s undergraduates go on to pursue graduate education. Truman is consistently ranked among the nation’s best colleges. For 29 consecutive years, U.S. News and World Report has recognized Truman as the No. 1 public university in the Midwest Region. Other accolades include Fiske Guide to College magazine, which, for 10 consecutive years, ranked Truman as one of the top 10 public schools as a “Best Buy” based on academic quality and affordability, and Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges” for undergraduates to earn their college degree. In addition to its commitment to excellence, the University promotes a welcoming culture that puts people first and supports students, faculty, and staff.

Truman Today

Located in Kirksville, Missouri, Truman State University plays a vital role in the thriving regional center of northeast Missouri. The campus spreads across 180 acres and is recognized as a Tree Campus USA School. As a nationally recognized public liberal arts and sciences university, Truman is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). Across an expansive academic portfolio that includes the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies, Truman offers 51 undergraduate majors, 74 undergraduate minors, two undergraduate certificates, and various micro-credentials. Truman also offers 13 master’s degree programs and two graduate certificates. Outside the classroom, the Truman Bulldogs compete at the NCAA Division II level in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Truman offers 16 Division II sports teams, as well as eSports and intramural athletics.

Leadership

Dr. Sue Thomas, the President of Truman State University, has led the institution since 2016. President Thomas is an appointed commissioner of the Midwestern Higher Education Compact, Chair of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Council of Presidents, and also serves on the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development Commissioner’s Advisory Group. She previously served as Chair of the Council on Public Higher Education and President of the Board of Directors of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. President Thomas has built a strong senior leadership team, and the VP/COO will be joining a collaborative and collegial executive leadership body.

For more information about Truman State University, please visit www.truman.edu.

Mission Statement

The mission of Truman State University is to offer an exemplary undergraduate education to well-prepared students, grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, in the context of a public institution of higher education. To that end, the University offers affordable undergraduate studies in the traditional arts and sciences as well as selected pre-professional, professional, and master’s level programs that grow naturally out of the philosophy, values, content, and desired outcomes of a liberal arts education.

Vision Statement

Truman will demonstrate its public liberal arts and sciences mission by developing educated citizens needed to protect our democracy and offer creative solutions to local, state, national, and global problems. It will do so through transformative experiences that foster critical thought, daring imagination, and empathetic understanding of human experiences at home and around the world. Truman graduates will be citizen-leaders committed to service; globally competitive; able to thrive in the complexities of an advanced, technical, and multicultural world; and inspired to live healthy and meaningful lives.

Strategic Plan – The Three Overarching Commitments

The grounding for Truman’s strategic plan is three overarching commitments:

  • Organizational Excellence
  • Student Success and Achievement
  • Professional and Societal Impacts

These three commitments are the basis for realizing Truman’s mission and vision.

About Kirksville, Missouri

Nestled in the heart of northeast Missouri, Kirksville has practically everything you need within easy reach: restaurants, farmers’ market, nightlife, local festivals, outdoor concerts, and historical points of interest. Founded in 1842 as the county seat for Adair County, Kirksville serves as the center for the region’s business, industry, retail, health care, education, and recreation activities.

Three large conservation areas in the region offer opportunities to explore nature within a 15-minute radius, including fishing, hiking, kayaking, and swimming. Kirksville offers the best of both worlds, with its friendly atmosphere and convenient location within easy driving distance of several major cities, including Columbia, Kansas City, and St. Louis. Kirksville is connected to Chicago (ORD) by Contour Airlines (www.contourairlines.com), with direct flights twice daily.

For more information about Kirksville visit www.visitkirksville.com.

Vice President for Administration and Finance/Chief Operating Officer

The VPAF/COO serves as a key member of the President’s Executive Leadership Team and will collaborate with executive leadership in creating and maintaining essential services, infrastructure, and a physical environment that robustly supports the needs of the University through strong stewardship of resources and effective collaboration with faculty and staff. The VPAF/COO will function as a generalist and have the ability to deal with a wide array of issues in a collegial manner while maintaining a focus on institutional priorities. The VPAF/COO also serves as the primary liaison to state/other agencies and the community for operational and functional matters.

Specifically, the VPAF/COO provides leadership for the University’s financial, human resources, facilities, and operational functions, ensuring effective stewardship of resources and alignment with institutional priorities. As such, the VPAF/COO is responsible for advancing operational excellence, guiding long-range planning, and fostering a campus environment that supports student success, faculty and staff effectiveness, and the University’s mission.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Budget

  • Develop and oversee operating budgets for Education & General, Auxiliary, and Restricted areas totaling $122.7 million. Responsible for financial projections, state budget requests, and related reporting.

Leadership

  • Provide comprehensive leadership and management for the Comptroller, Director of Human Resources, Director of the Physical Plant and their respective units of Business Operations, Human Resources, and Physical Plant and Facilities Construction. Foster teamwork, accountability, and creative problem-solving across all units.
    • Business Operations: Responsible for the Business Office, including accounting, accounts payable, accounts receivable, collections, financial statements, and budget control.
    • Human Resources: Responsible for the Human Resources Office including payroll, benefits, and employment services.
    • Physical Plant and Facilities Construction: Responsible for the entire physical plant operations including custodial, grounds, trades, maintenance and repair, and capital construction. This includes over two million square feet of academic and auxiliary facilities.

Strategic and Institutional Research and Planning

  • Oversee performance improvements by working closely with the President to guide the implementation of the strategic plan, as well as ensure accreditation compliance.
  • Engages in evidence-based decision-making through the systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of data concerning students, faculty, staff, and operations.

Risk Management & Compliance

  • Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (safety, labor, environmental, etc.) and manage operational risks, including emergency preparedness.

Qualifications

  • A master’s degree in a discipline relevant to the position.
  • Progressive leadership experience within a complex organization with increasing scope and responsibility.
  • Demonstrated experience in simultaneously managing multiple large-scale projects and facilities operations.
  • Ability to manage complex initiatives.
  • Significant business acumen and judgment; substantial experience in budget planning and financial administration.
  • Relevant experience in the broad range of functions reporting to the position.
  • Ethical and strategic decision-maker with an openness to change and innovation.
  • Strategic planning skills.
  • Proven experience in long-range planning.
  • Excellent ethics, communication, analytical, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
  • Sophisticated understanding of the role of metrics in informing decision-making and driving institutional performance.

Compensation

Compensation will be commensurate with experience and include a base salary and a competitive benefits package.

How to apply

To make a nomination, provide a referral, or for additional information, please use the contact information below. While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested individuals are encouraged to submit their materials as soon as possible for full consideration as review of submitted materials will begin immediately. The start date is negotiable.

To apply, please submit a resume and/or vita, and cover letter, to: [email protected].

Ken Carrick, Partner

980.296.5401

Janny DeLoache, Associate Partner

704.377.7828

Truman State University is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring, promotion, or any other employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal or Missouri law. We are committed to fair and equal treatment in all aspects of employment. Inquiries about these policies may be directed to the Institutional Compliance Officer, 660-785-4354, and [email protected].

Truman is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate form or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources, McClain Hall 101, 100 E. Normal, Kirksville, MO 63501, 660-785-4031 or [email protected]

At Truman, students pursue top-rated programs and an amazing educational value. And with our focus on the liberal arts and sciences, our majors and programs ensure all of our students receive a well-rounded education so they can make a difference in their careers, their communities, and the world. Located in Kirksville, a welcoming college town in the northeast corner of Missouri, Truman is best known for attracting highly motivated students looking for rigorous academic programs and a supportive and friendly learning environment.