The Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration is the chief financial officer for Arkansas State University Newport, reports to the Chancellor and is responsible for the following areas of College operations; finance and accounting; purchasing and contracting; physical plant operations and facilities planning; budget planning, preparation and control; human resources; campus information technology; security services; and bookstore and food services operations.
Essential Job Functions
Provide leadership and oversee the daily fiscal operations of the College.
Provide leadership and oversight in the collection, receiving, receipting, depositing and disbursement of all funds.
Supervises student accounts and cashiering operations.
Provide leadership and oversight in the accounting, financial and control reporting, and internal auditing, and long-term financial planning of business affairs of the College in consultation with the Chancellor.
Keep the Chancellor fully advised of the financial related matters of the College through regular reporting, meetings and conferences.
Provide leadership in the development of the College budget and controlling expenditure within the approved budget.
Provide leadership and oversight of the College's procurement process.
Procure materials and contractual services and facilities.
Provide leadership and oversight for the physical plant operations, maintenance, and College vehicles.
Support all new construction activities through contract and budget management services along with participation in conferences with the architects, engineers, and supervisors.
Administer inventory and property control programs and assist in the administration of an effective space-utilization program.
Provide leadership and oversight for the College's security program including maintenance, custodial and auxiliary enterprises.
Working closely with ASU System leaders to liaise with the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, Arkansas Department of Finance & Administration, Arkansas Legislative Council and the Arkansas legislative Audit.
Provide financial oversites for all auxiliary operations including the Bookstore and Food Services.
Prepare required reports for the Chancellor, Board of Visitors, Board of Trustees, ASU System Office, governmental grants, legislative requests, or other reporting as requested
Required Knowledge and Skills
Financial leadership: demonstrated success in strategic financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-range fiscal modeling for public higher education or similar multi-fund organizations.
Budgeting & cost management: experience managing multi-million dollar budgets, developing budget models, and implementing cost-control and resource-allocation strategies.
Internal controls & audit coordination: design/oversight of robust internal control environments, audit preparation, and corrective action plans.
Treasury & debt management: cash flow management, investment policy familiarity, debt service/covenant monitoring, and experience with bond financing preferred.
Leadership & people management: ability to recruit, develop, and lead high-performing teams; build succession plans; foster cross-functional collaboration.
Communication & stakeholder engagement: strong oral and written communication; ability to present complex financial information to trustees, faculty, staff, external agencies and community partners.
Professionalism & ethics: commitment to transparency, fiscal stewardship, and adherence to public-sector ethics, procurement, and record-keeping requirements.
Technology: proficient use of Microsoft Office (Excel advanced skills), and ability to learn and leverage institutional IT tools.
Required Education and Experience
Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration, or related field.
Demonstrated supervisory/administrative experience in finance, accounting, or fiscal management.
Preferred Education and Experience
Master's degree in finance, accounting, MBA, MPA, or related field preferred.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or similar professional credential preferred.
Prior experience with Banner or other higher-education ERP systems preferred.
College Mission and Vision
Arkansas State University Newport is a public, two-year institution of higher education that continually identifies and addresses the changing learning needs of the communities it serves. Arkansas State University Newport's vision is to empower individuals and advance communities by providing accessible, affordable and innovative learning opportunities that transform lives and strengthen the regional economy.
