Description

Department Information

The IU Bloomington Office of Finance, Administration, and Budget uses ethical, innovative, and sustainable business practices to ensure financial integrity, policy compliance, consistent accounting, and managerial consulting.

The IU Bloomington College of Arts + Sciences lives our mission through multidisciplinary initiatives that educate students and generate compelling, forward-looking research and creative activity. 

We create the leaders, thinkers, doers, and citizens who will rise to this century’s challenges.

Job Summary

The Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) College of Arts & Sciences seeks a strategic, collaborative, and forward-thinking Assistant Dean of College Finance (ADCF) to provide executive leadership across the College’s financial functions. The ADCF reports to the IUB Vice Chancellor for Finance with a secondary reporting and daily relationship to the Executive Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. As a key member of the College’s senior leadership team, the ADCF ensures the highest standards of fiscal integrity, administrative excellence, strategic planning, and resource stewardship in support of the College’s teaching, research, and service mission.

The role requires a leader who can operate effectively in a large, decentralized academic environment; foster a culture of transparency and accountability; communicate clearly to varied audiences; and guide the College through evolving financial, operational, and budgetary challenges.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and assessment of the College’s short- and long-term financial and budgetary strategies to ensure stewardship, transparency, and alignment with academic priorities.
• Provide data-driven analysis and decision support to the Dean, associate deans, chairs, and directors.
• Establish and maintain strong internal controls, compliance systems, and financial reporting processes.
• Identify revenue opportunities, emerging economic trends, and financial risks; develop proactive strategies to strengthen the College’s financial position.
• Working in collaboration with Indiana University Foundation (IUF) colleagues and others, ensure effective use of IUF funds, departmental reserves, and diversified revenue streams, including tuition, gifts, grants, and externally funded research.
• Oversee the College’s operating budget, resource allocation processes, space and capital planning, financial forecasting, and cash-flow optimization.
• Ensure financial systems, policies, and practices are efficient, modernized, and aligned with university standards and best practices.
• Explore strategic opportunities for centralization of administrative and financial functions while remaining sensitive to the needs and operations of departments, programs, and other administrative units.
• Partner with HR leadership on workforce planning and financial implications of staffing models, including compensation and resource distribution.
• Provide financial projections to support capital project prioritization. Serve as financial liaison for the College with Capital Planning & Facilities.
• Maintain effective accounting practices, grant administration procedures, and compliance with fiscal policies across departments.
• Lead the College Finance Office, guiding staff in the realms of financial policies and procedures as well as resource management strategy. Serve as supervisor, mentor, and champion of the team and their work.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to Executive Dean and Executive Associate Dean, and a central member of the College’s executive leadership team, helping integrate academic and administrative planning.
• Build strong, collaborative relationships with academic units and departments, College schools, other schools within Bloomington campus and at other IU campuses, university financial and administrative offices, and external peer colleges.
• Using these relationships, work with Associate Deans (ADs), department chairs, program directors, and staff to optimize financial operations that increase efficiencies while minimizing negative impacts.
• Ensure regular communications across the College related to such optimizations.
• Communicate complex financial and operational information clearly to diverse audiences in and out of the College, fostering transparency and shared understanding.
• Champion a positive, inclusive, and accountable organizational culture; mentor, develop, and support a team of financial and administrative professionals.
• Represent the College in campus- and university-wide committees, budget forums, and strategic planning initiatives.
• In partnership with the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, participate formally in campus-level planning and strategic discussions whenever relevant.
• Advance the College and the campus’s capacity for analytics, reporting, and data-informed decision-making.
• Promote financial literacy and skill-building among department chairs, directors, and administrative and budgetary staff.
• In collaboration with campus, provide increased learning opportunities related to campus-wide and all-funds finances.
• Ensure training build foundational knowledge and skills for all in the College. Build onboarding pathways for staff finance-related roles across the College.
• Implement modern financial systems and tools, including opportunities involving automation, AI-enabled processes, or shared-service models, to increase efficiency and reduce administrative burden.
• Oversee regular evaluation and improvement of financial, operational, and budgetary performance, ensuring practices remain aligned with institutional goals including university and industry standards.

Requirements

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

EDUCATION

Required: Bachelor's degree in finance, business, or related field.

Preferred: Master’s degree in business administration, public administration, higher education leadership, or related field.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Required: 5 years of related functional experience and 3 years of management experience in related field.

Preferred: 10–12 years of progressively responsible fiscal and administrative management experience, preferably in a complex or decentralized academic organization.

• Experience in higher education financial management and/or academic administration.
• Familiarity with academic program financial planning and research administration.
• Experience with large, multi-unit budgets, complex funding models, and multiple revenue streams.