Job Description

Position Overview:

The Associate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Medical School and Office of Academic Clinical Affairs reports directly to the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the Medical School, with a dotted line to the Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations, and serves as a key member of the senior leadership team for the health sciences enterprise, collaborating closely with University Finance and Budget leadership; clinical department chairs and basic science department heads; University of Minnesota Physicians leadership; health system and hospital partners; campus and central university leaders. The AVP/CFO also represents the Medical School and OACA within University-wide financial leadership councils and external financial and regulatory forums, as appropriate, and has overall responsibility for financial strategy, management, reporting, and analysis for the Medical School and OACA, including academic departments (clinical and basic science), institutes and centers, clinical service lines, Dean’s Office operational units, research administration financial oversight, faculty and physician compensation modeling, and long-term financial planning and capital strategy. The AVP/CFO ensures financial operations align with institutional strategy, regulatory requirements, and evolving healthcare and research funding landscapes.

The AVP/CFO will join UMN at a time of both transition and opportunity for the healthcare enterprise. In January 2026, the University, Fairview Health Services, and M Physicians reached a mediated 10-year agreement that will take effect in January 2027. The agreement—which replaces a prior agreement set to expire in 2026—includes significant investment in clinical facilities and academic medicine, as well as sustained funding for the Medical School. That same month, Dr. Carol Bradford was appointed Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean of the Medical School (EVPHA/Dean). The position scope— which includes an elevated title spanning the health affairs enterprise—reflects a strategic shift toward a more integrated leadership model, combining medical school oversight with enterprise-wide health system governance to strengthen alignment across clinical, academic, and research missions during this period of organizational transformation. Learn more here.

In this context, the AVP/CFO will be expected to address the following key set of opportunities and challenges, working closely with Medical School and University leadership to successfully:

Develop, socialize, and execute an integrated enterprise financial strategy

The AVP/CFO will serve as the central financial strategist for the Medical School, responsible for developing, socializing, and executing a comprehensive enterprise-wide financial strategy that advances and sustains the institution’s clinical, research, and education missions. This leader will guide long-range financial and capital planning, multi-year forecasting, and sustainability modeling across all fund types, ensuring alignment between financial resources and institutional priorities. Acting as a trusted advisor to the EVPHA/Dean and liaising effectively and transparently with senior university leadership, the AVP/CFO will provide proactive financial analysis and counsel to inform decision-making related to program expansion, clinical growth, research investment, and faculty recruitment, while identifying and mitigating risk and ensuring long-term financial resilience.

Provide oversight and leadership for budget and financial operations

The AVP/CFO will oversee the development, execution, and monitoring of annual operating and capital budgets, while routinely analyzing and communicating monthly and quarterly financial performance to highlight trends, risks, and opportunities. They will coordinate sophisticated financial modeling across clinical revenues, research funding, faculty practice operations, and educational programs, ensuring leaders have timely, accurate, and actionable information. In parallel, they will strengthen internal controls and enhance financial reporting systems to improve transparency, accountability, and decision support. The AVP/CFO will spearhead process improvement initiatives designed to streamline operations, reduce administrative burden, and foster a data-informed culture across the organization. Integral to this work is maintaining strong financial controls, integrity of reporting, and full compliance with University, state, federal, and regulatory requirements. Ensure funds flow alignment across the clinical enterprise In close partnership with M Physicians and clinical leadership, the AVP/CFO will play a central role in advancing funds flow and compensation models that support the long-term health of the clinical enterprise. This includes oversight of complex financial modeling for faculty and physician compensation, such as recruitment and retention pro formas, incentive structures, and staffing expansion analyses. The AVP/CFO will support value-based care initiatives and help the organization navigate an evolving healthcare reimbursement environment. In addition, they will collaborate in the negotiation and evaluation of clinical and academic partnership agreements, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and financial sustainability.

Align financial planning with academic and research priorities

The AVP/CFO will provide strategic oversight and guidance related to research funding, grant administration financial structures, and associated compliance requirements, and will align financial planning with academic priorities, faculty development goals, and departmental growth strategies, ensuring resources are deployed effectively to support excellence across the academic enterprise. Central to this work is integrating financial decision-making across the education, research, and clinical missions, reinforcing a holistic and mission-driven approach to resource stewardship

Lead, develop, and support a high-performing finance organization

The AVP/CFO leads a complex, decentralized, and matrixed finance organization and will oversee finance directors and department-level financial leaders serving the Medical School and OACA. To be successful, they will foster a collaborative, transparent, and service-oriented culture while mentoring and developing talent to strengthen enterprise-wide financial expertise. Building trusted partnerships with operational, clinical, research, and administrative leaders will be essential to advancing shared goals and enabling informed decision-making across the institution.

Leverage technology to drive change management and systems optimization

The AVP/CFO will assess financial systems, business processes, and data structures, implementing modernization and standardization initiatives where appropriate to improve efficiency, consistency, and insight. Leveraging technology and analytics, the role will enhance forecasting accuracy, reporting clarity, and operational effectiveness. Given the scale and complexity of the organization, the leader must excel at managing complex change initiatives that require broad stakeholder engagement, consensus-building, and clear communication.

Effectively advocate on behalf of UMN with external partners and stakeholders

The AVP/CFO will be a key leader for the University and will represent the Medical School and OACA in discussions with state agencies, healthcare partners, and other external stakeholders, articulating complex financial information in clear, strategic, and accessible terms. This includes supporting financial presentations to governance bodies and advisory groups and contributing to productive relationships that advance institutional priorities and long-term financial health.

Qualifications
Required Qualifications and Characteristics

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:

Advanced degree (MBA, MHA, or related field) and/or CPA certification;
Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible financial leadership experience in a complex healthcare, academic health center, or similarly large matrixed organization;
At least 8 years of experience leading financial teams;
Demonstrated experience in academic medicine, faculty practice plans, or health systems;
Expertise in operating and capital budgeting, long-term financial planning, and financial modeling;
Experience in physician compensation modeling and clinical funds flow structures;
Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change and implement financial improvement initiatives; Exceptional written and oral communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts for non-financial leaders; and
Proven ability to build trust and collaborative partnerships across decentralized environments
Preferred Qualifications

Extensive experience in medical school financial management;
Deep knowledge of healthcare reimbursement systems, research funding structures, and regulatory compliance; and
Experience leading hybrid or distributed teams.