Position Announcement

Washington State University (WSU), a distinguished and comprehensive public research university with multiple campuses, seeks to hire a highly skilled, innovative and experienced leader to serve as Vice President for Finance and Administration (VP). The successful candidate will oversee a portfolio that includes: Finance; Facilities Services; Public Safety; Real Estate and External Business Operations; and Finance and Administration Resource Planning & Internal Affairs; over 600 full-time staff; and an annual operating budget of approximately $65 million and capital budget of $311.7 million (during the most recent biennium). This position is an opportunity for a dynamic and engaging leader to direct an organization that is essential to the growth and success of the university as it seeks to be one of the nation’s leading land-grant universities, preeminent in research and discovery, teaching, and engagement.

Founded in 1890 in Pullman, WSU is Washington’s land-grant university with an overarching mission of improving the quality of life for all citizens — locally, nationally, and globally. WSU is committed to innovation and excellence in research and scholarship. WSU has a current enrollment of over 29,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and approximately 6,500 faculty and staff at its five campuses (Pullman, Spokane, Tri-Cities, Vancouver, and Everett), as well as its numerous other locations across the State of Washington and online through its Global Campus.

It is a time of transition and excitement at WSU as Dr. Kirk Schulz was recently selected to be the university’s 11th president and will assume this position in June 2016. President Schulz will be joining the university after serving as President and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University since 2009. He will be leading a university that has achieved significant accomplishments over the last several years, including the creation of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine on the Spokane campus; successful completion of a $1 billion capital campaign; growth in overall university enrollment from 24,396 in fall 2007 to 29,686 in fall 2015; and, an increase of students who self-identify as students of color from 14 percent in fall 2007 to 29 percent in fall 2015. The university also thrived during tough economic times that included a 52 percent cut in state operating funds over a four-year period. WSU completed approximately 20 major construction projects across its campuses and research and extension centers. Annual research and development expenditures grew by over 56 percent from approximately $213.2 million in 2007 to nearly $333.1 million in 2015, moving WSU into the top 11 percent of public research universities for research funding.

WSU is looking for a VP who will continue to execute on WSU’s many initiatives and provide leadership and vision during WSU’s next phase of growth and success. Consequently, the VP will need to be a seasoned leader with a track record of success in complex environments and have an affinity and talent for collaboration. He or she will bring enthusiasm and capacity both to leading a large, multi-faceted operation and playing a strategic role in the advancement of the university’s goals and vision for the future. The VP will face the following opportunities and challenges:

• Provide visionary and strategic leadership while expertly managing a complex organization
• Continue to refine the relationship between Pullman and other campuses to leverage efficiencies and support autonomy
• Champion the transition of financial and HR systems to ensure a solid infrastructure
• Continue to execute an aggressive program of strategic investment in capital infrastructure across the university’s multiple locations
• Continue to foster a culture of community and collaboration

WSU has retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist in this search. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and resumes with cover letters should be submitted via the Isaacson, Miller website for the search: www.imsearch.com/5815. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Julie Filizetti and Lindsay Gold Isaacson, Miller 1000 Sansome Street, Suite 300 San Francisco, CA 94111 Phone: 415.655.4900 Fax: 415.655.4905

 

Washington State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action educator and employer. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability, and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.