The School Georgetown Preparatory School is a Jesuit, Catholic college preparatory school for young men. On the beautiful 93-acre campus in North Bethesda Maryland, about 380 day and 120 boarding students in grades 9 through 12 from 20 states and 20 countries have access to transformative experiences in the classroom and on the athletic field while they deepen their faith, build lasting friendships, strengthen their leadership, and develop a lifelong commitment to service and brotherhood.
In 2027 the school will have been independent of Georgetown University for a century, having started the combined pursuit of educational excellence over 130 years prior. During that time the educators and leaders have continually returned to the Ignatian principle of Cura Personalis, a cornerstone of Jesuit education, formation, and ministry meaning “care for the whole person.” As the school’s President, Rev. Father Van Dyke is leading a community built to recognize, nurture, and respond to the unique gifts, needs, and challenges of each individual. To ensure that each element of the school has the support required to fulfill that vision, the school is reinvesting in the leadership of the business office. To learn more about the school and the Prep community, visit www.gprep.org
The Opportunity The school is seeking a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to provide financial expertise and implement a responsive set of systems and approaches to serve the administration of the school. The CFO will oversee all financial matters including forecasting, budgeting, accounting, reporting, and compliance.
Working closely with Senior Leadership and the Board of Trustees, the CFO will play a necessary and important role in the mission of the school by ensuring that the financial infrastructure, strategies, and resources are in place to support and sustain the high-quality educational experience that Prep is known for. This role requires a leader who can align financial and operational strategies with the school’s core values and mission.
At the direction of the President, the CFO works in close collaboration with the Headmaster, Chief Operating Officer and other senior colleagues to ensure that the school’s financial and operational objectives are consistently achieved. With the mandate to innovate on the business office systems and processes and configure the business office personnel to match the future needs of the organization, the CFO anticipates needs and provides access to information and insights for effective decision-making at the school. This person directly manages a team of three people who execute the accounting and finance functions. The CFO retains responsibility for financial legal affairs, compliance, and risk management. The person in this role will manage vendor relationships executing on key functions including financial investments, credit card purchasing and processing, and other outsourced functions within finance.
In support of the governance and fiduciary responsibilities of the Georgetown Preparatory School Board of Trustees, the CFO provides timely and accurate analysis and reporting, as well as financial forecasts.
The Candidate The successful candidate will take a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the work, building relationships and implementing best practices in the systems that support efficient school operations. This position requires superb management and organizational skills. The successful candidate will be a team player who is happy and effective focused on delivering an exceptional education and student and family experience. The CFO will demonstrate personal accountability and operate with integrity and humility.
Essential Responsibilities Include:
Fiscal Management and Accounting ? Manage daily financial operations, including accounting functions and payroll. ? Ensure the coordinated stewardship of the school's financial resources, including treasury management and cash flow forecasting. ? Supervise business office personnel and oversee the full spectrum of accounting functions, ensuring smooth, accurate, and efficient administration of funds. ? With input from Senior Leadership develop, refine, and implement the annual operating budget, gathering input from all relevant stakeholders. ? Maintain proper cash reserves, managing endowment funds and operational cash flow in line with established financial expectations. ? Prepare long-term financial forecasts and projections, including maintaining the school’s financial model to provide actionable financial insights to senior managers and the Board of Trustees in evaluating and supporting strategic initiatives. ? Ensure the preparation of accurate and timely financial reports, including income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements, for internal and external stakeholders.
Strategic leadership, advisory and planning ? Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership team and partner with the President and Senior Leadership team on all financial matters. ? Advise the President, Headmaster, Chief Operating Officer and Board of Trustees on financial policies and financial decisions. ? Serve as a staff liaison to the school’s investment fund manager, and the finance committee of the board. ? In close collaboration with the Chief Operating Officer, support the planning, execution, and financing of major construction projects. ? Coordinate with the Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Headmaster to establish and regularly assess fundraising and enrollment revenue goals. ? Partner with the Advancement team on the financial aspects of fundraising, including providing timely and accurate financial information for donor communications. ? Oversee the annual financial audit and 403(b) audit processes, ensuring full compliance with applicable regulations.
Personnel Management ? In coordination with outside counsel and the Human Resources Director, ensure that the school's personnel policies support its programs and that the school's actions regarding hiring, compensation, training, promotion, and separation conform with state and federal requirements, and are in line with the school's strategic goals. ? In close collaboration with the Human Resources Director, ensure that the retirement plans, health and disability insurance, and other benefit programs are brokered, designed, and funded in alignment with the school’s financial priorities. ? Provide appropriate and timely information to the Headmaster and Chief Operating Officer for salary comparisons, both internal and external, including the coordination of the preparation of employment contracts. In collaboration with the Human Resources Director, regularly assess market conditions to propose updated employee salary scales.
Compliance and Risk Management ? Establish a regular process for review, update, and consistent application of appropriate internal controls, policies, and financial procedures. ? Lead initiatives to ensure financial data security and implement robust protections and protocols for protecting sensitive information handled by the business office and vendors. ? Maintain the school's insurance coverage, liability, and risk-related policies and controls. Work with insurance advisors and brokers to ensure adequate, appropriate, and cost-effective insurance is in place. ? Develop and execute financial contingency plans for various crisis scenarios to ensure business continuity. ? Serve as a resource to help the Chief Operating Officer mitigate liability exposure through policies, procedures, training, audits, investigations, and engineered solutions. ? Ensure timely and accurate submission of all required financial reports and compliance filings. ? Keep informed about emerging financial risks and regulatory changes affecting the educational sector.
Qualifications The ideal candidate will be an experienced executive and a team player who possesses: ? Education and experience equivalent to a master's degree in accounting, business, finance, or a related field; additional certifications preferred. ? Experience in or knowledge of independent schools, nonprofit fund accounting, and relevant GAAP guidance are beneficial. ? At least five years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer or Business Officer, with significant managerial experience is strongly preferred. ? Advanced Excel and analysis skills, prior experience working across technology platforms, and a strong working knowledge of business accounting policies, procedures, practices, and financial software programs strongly preferred. ? Demonstrated effectiveness working with trustees, employees, and external constituents.
? Experience working with external auditors, implementing internal controls, and managing compliance-related issues. ? A commitment to the mission of the school and a demonstrated ability to manage and execute all duties through a collaborative approach that supports the comprehensive needs of the school’s leadership, governance, employees, and stakeholders.
The salary range for this role is $225,000-$245,000 depending upon relevant experience. The School’s comprehensive benefits include health, dental, and vision services coverage, as well as a 403(b) retirement matching program, paid time off, and eligibility for tuition remission that applies to employee dependents enrolled at the school. Georgetown Preparatory School is an equal opportunity employer.
Interested candidates, please contact Narwhal Talent Partners: Peter G. Hamilton | (617) 620-9268 Christian G. Henry | (857) 285-3364 search@narwhaltalent.com All inquiries are treated as confidential.
