Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
NYU Abu Dhabi seeks a Chief Financial Officer to lead financial strategy, planning, and operations for the university. Reporting to the COO, you will oversee budgeting, treasury, risk management, and business partnerships.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Define and execute NYUAD’s long term business and financial strategy, aligning resources with academic, research, and operational priorities
- Serve as the chief financial strategist to the COO and Vice Chancellor, providing fiscal and operational insights
- Oversee governance frameworks ensuring compliance with UAE laws, NYU global policies, and partnership agreements
- Lead the development and monitoring of multi year operating and capital budgets, integrating data analytics and scenario modeling
- Partner with Government Partners to negotiate, report, and manage the annual funding envelope
- Oversee liquidity management, endowment performance, banking relationships, and capital financing strategies
- Lead enterprise risk management and ensure adherence to internal controls and investment policies
- Oversee controllership, accounting, and business operations to ensure accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in compliance with GAAP
- Drive integration of business systems across NYUAD and the global NYU network
- Represent NYUAD in fiscal and business discussions with NYU New York, Government Partners, external auditors, and financial institutions
- Lead and inspire a high performing business and finance organization, mentor senior leaders, build succession pipelines
- Establish governance frameworks, business policies, and internal controls; drive continuous improvement through Lean and digital transformation
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field
- 15+ years of progressively senior leadership experience in complex, global, or higher education environments
- Proven experience in strategic financial planning, business operations, risk management, and stakeholder engagement at an executive level
- Demonstrated success managing large scale budgets (>$500M), investments, and capital projects
- Exceptional strategic, analytical, and communication skills
- Expertise in financial modeling, scenario planning, and investment management
- Strong leadership presence and ability to influence at Board and government levels
- Proven ability to operate across cultures and institutions with diplomacy and integrity
- Advanced proficiency in Oracle or similar enterprise business systems
Full Job Posting
Position Summary
- New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is partnering with Isaacson, Miller to conduct this search.
- NYUAD seeks to appoint a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) reporting to the Chief Operating Officer.
- The CFO serves as the senior executive responsible for ensuring financial sustainability, operational effectiveness, and strategic alignment of all business and financial resources with NYUAD’s academic and institutional mission.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Business and Financial Leadership: Define and execute NYUAD’s long term business and financial strategy, aligning resources with academic, research, and operational priorities.
- Serve as the chief financial strategist to the COO and Vice Chancellor, providing fiscal and operational insights to drive institutional decision making.
- Oversee governance frameworks ensuring compliance with UAE laws, NYU global policies, and partnership agreements.
- Business Planning, Budgeting, and Forecasting: Lead development and monitoring of multi year operating and capital budgets, integrating data analytics and scenario modeling.
- Partner with Government Partners to negotiate, report, and manage the annual funding envelope.
- Treasury, Investment, and Risk Management: Oversee liquidity management, endowment performance, banking relationships, and capital financing strategies.
- Lead enterprise risk management and ensure adherence to internal controls and investment policies.
- Financial and Operational Infrastructure: Oversee controllership, accounting, and business operations to ensure accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in compliance with GAAP and audit standards.
- Drive integration of business systems across NYUAD and the global NYU network.
- Strategic Partnerships and Institutional Relations: Represent NYUAD in fiscal and business discussions with NYU New York, Government Partners, external auditors, and financial institutions.
- Leadership, Culture, and Capability Development: Lead and inspire a high performing business and finance organization, mentor senior leaders, build succession pipelines.
- Policy, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement: Establish governance frameworks, business policies, and internal controls; drive continuous improvement through Lean and digital transformation.
Qualifications
- Required Education: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field.
- Preferred Education: Doctoral degree, PhD or Executive MBA with specialization in Strategic Finance, Business Leadership, or Global Management.
- Required Experience: 15+ years of progressively senior leadership experience in complex, global, or higher education environments.
- Proven experience in strategic financial planning, business operations, risk management, and stakeholder engagement at an executive level.
- Demonstrated success managing large scale budgets (>$500M), investments, and capital projects.
- Exceptional strategic, analytical, and communication skills.
- Expertise in financial modeling, scenario planning, and investment management.
- Strong leadership presence and ability to influence at Board and government levels.
- Proven ability to operate across cultures and institutions with diplomacy and integrity.
- Advanced proficiency in Oracle or similar enterprise business systems.
- Preferred Experience: 2+ years of Senior leadership experience at a global university, research institution, or multinational organization in the GCC.
- Direct experience working with government entities and joint venture governance frameworks.
About NYUAD
- NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program.
- NYUAD, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai form the backbone of NYU’s global network university.
- NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing.
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