Position Title: Director of Finance
Reports To: President
FLSA Status: Exempt
Annual Contract: Full-time 40 hours per week, 52 Weeks per Year
Salary Pay Range: $80,000 - $100,000 - Dependent upon qualifications
Posting Date: March 02, 2026
Application Deadline: March 16, 2026, or until filled
Start Date: As soon as possible
General Position Summary:
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University seeks a visionary, ethical, and strategic leader to serve as Director of Finance. Reporting to the President, the Director of Finance is responsible for maintaining the financial integrity of the University in support of its vision and academic mission.
The Director of Finance serves as a member of the President’s Executive Council and provides “hands-on” leadership for the management of financial and business affairs. This position includes overall administration of the budget process in conformity with the University strategic plan: maintenance of internal accounting controls; development of financial policies and procedures; procurement of goods and services; management and administration of long-term debt including bonds; and restructuring the institutions financial and accounting systems.
With a total current staff of three in the Business Office. The Director of Finance will directly supervise the Lead Accountant, Staff Accountant, and Grants Compliance Administrator. The Director of Finance will interface and present regularly to the University leadership and the Board of Regents. As the key financial leader advising the President and Board of Regents, the Director of Finance will provide collaborative and critical insight and analyses to support strategic planning, goal setting and key policy decision making.
Key Responsibilities:
Key Responsibilities for this role include oversight and administration of all financial operations on campus, including hands-on detailed assessment, development and integration of systems, and thorough accounting and financial reporting. The Director of Finance will also represent the University in off campus community and local business circles.
· Develop and administer University policies related to business and analyze and recommend changes in fiscal policies related to correlated fields
· Coordinate preparation and administration of the University budget. Monitor the annual operating budget.
· Provide leadership to the campus budgeting and planning process
· Participate in general strategic and administrative planning as a member of the President’s Executive Council
· Provide accountability to the President and Board of Regents
· Provide analysis and interpretation of the University fiscal and business affairs for the President and other officers of the University
· Supervise the operation and personnel of the Business Office
· Manage accounting and other financial services including general ledger, financial reporting, accounts receivable and payable, cashiering, loan collections, investment accounting, fixed asset accounting, travel, credit card purchases, etc
· Manage the purchasing function and procurement of goods and services
· Work with independent accountants in preparation of the annual audit
· Manage banking relationships regarding short-term borrowing and other banking services not related to long-term debt financing
Minimum Qualifications:
· Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or Business Administration
· Minimum of 7-10 years of increasingly responsible senior management or higher education experience
· Knowledge of fund accounting and ability to perform financial analysis
Preferred Qualifications:
· Master’s degree or CPA
· Minimum of 7 years of experience in higher education
· Proficient in GAAP
· Mastery of automated systems and computer software applications to financial analysis is expected
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required:
The ideal candidate will be strategic and results driven, with strong “hands-on” and “go getter” leadership skills. As a seasoned financial leader of integrity, it is necessary that the Director of Finance must possess the following:
· Impeccable verbal and written communication skills
· Strong relationship building capabilities
· An entrepreneurial approach to seeing and analyzing financial opportunities
· Flexibility and adaptability to shifting priorities or needs
· Impactful and influential decision-making abilities
The successful candidate will have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to interact in a collegial manner with faculty, staff and students. The Director of Finance will be a forward-thinking executive with strong business acumen, good judgment and attention to detail with the ability to grow along with the University.
The ideal candidate will be a professional who embraces a team environment, serves as a resource for many individuals and groups within the institution, and works with colleagues in a spirit of partnership, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility. The Director of Finance will demonstrate the ability to lead and mentor a team, build trust, and possess skills to create and maintain effective relationships with a broad range of internal and external constituents.
In addition to the outstanding leadership and strategic planning skills, the Director of Finance should expertise in the following:
· Ability to initiate change with an inclusive style that fosters team building
· Demonstrate success in planning, managing, and using resources
· Provide evidence of an entrepreneurial organization with an eye to new opportunities and emerging challenges
· Have broad experience in managing finance (accounting, budgeting, control, and reporting) for a complex organization, preferably in higher education
· Have an in-depth understanding of strategic financial analysis and best business practices
· Possess knowledge and in-depth experience with not-for-profit accounting
· Prove ability to create and develop multi-year financial models and forecasts
· Significant understanding of federal and state compliance and other regulatory issues and enforcement requirements
· Knowledge and experience planning and supporting capital project development, facilities, maintenance, and purchasing departments
· Ability to incorporate strategic goals into a coherent financial plan
· Knowledge of the current issues and unique financial challenges facing higher education institutions
· Knowledge of building and technology systems
Work Environment:
· Office environment
Reportability:
· Reports to the University President
Supervision:
· Lead Accountant
· Staff Accountant
· Grants Compliance Administrator
Application Process:
Please submit either a hard or electronic copy of a cover letter, an updated resume, unofficial transcripts, and a completed LCO Ojibwe University job application (available online at www.lco.edu/employment) to the address directly below. All materials should be submitted in a single packet. Only applications containing all the items noted above, fully completed, will be considered.
Hand-delivered application packages will be accepted at the University until 4:30 pm on the deadline date; mailed applications must be received by the deadline date and emailed application packages must be received by 11:59 pm on the deadline date.
Human Resources
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
13466 W Trepania Road
Hayward, WI 54843
Phone: 715-634-4790
Fax: 715-634-5049
Email – hr@lco.edu
All materials submitted will become property of the University and will be retained for one (1) year from the application deadline.
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University encourages applications from all peoples and sources; however, we follow an Indian preference policy when hiring.
“The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University mission is to provide Anishinaabe communities with post-secondary and continuing education while advancing the language, culture, and history of the Ojibwe.”