Description
Columbia-Greene Community College (C-GCC), a comprehensive community college dedicated to fostering academic excellence and student success, seeks an experienced, visionary Chief Financial Officer to lead the College’s financial affairs as C-GCC continues to inspire its community and promote lifelong learning.
The Institution: Founded in 1966 and a part of the State University of New York System (SUNY), Columbia-Greene Community College is located in the beautiful and historic Hudson River Valley of New York and sponsored locally by the counties of Columbia and Greene through the Columbia County Board of Supervisors and the Greene County Legislature. The College offers quality education through its dedicated faculty, who have received high professional recognition. The institution has 43 degree and certificate programs, distinguished faculty, and a beautiful campus. C-GCC currently enrolls more than 1,300 students, offering traditional face-to-face instruction as well as online and hybrid formats. C-GCC boasts strong retention and completion rates and excellent job placement of graduates. C-GCC also partners with regional school districts to engage and enroll students through the College-in-the-High-School program. Campus life is full and varied, as exemplified by student clubs, activities, and sports. C-GCC is committed to supporting students by eliminating barriers to equity and learning, helping students identify their college readiness, and preparing students to implement change in a digital world. The College recently opened the Center for Innovation, Teaching, and Learning, as well as a high-fidelity Nursing Simulation Center.
The College is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has various program-level accreditations. The Columbia-Greene Community College Foundation, a nonprofit organization, supports the College’s strategic impact on the community through its management of approximately 80 scholarship funds while transforming the lives of traditional-age students, career changers, immigrants, struggling parents, the disenfranchised, and lifelong learners.
Sitting on 145 acres adjacent to the Olana State Historic Site, the College campus includes five academic buildings: Main Building, Arts Center, Technology Center, Professional Academic Center (PAC), and Construction Technology Center–along with a Day Care Center and Central Services Building. The Main Building houses science and nursing labs, computer classrooms, as well as learning resource and student services centers. The facility also houses a library, gymnasium, student center, and faculty and administrative offices. The Arts Center provides a creative setting to study the fine and performing arts and includes a 450-seat theater, a dance studio, classrooms, and the Foundation Art Gallery. The Technology Center is home to the College’s automotive technology and medical assisting programs. In addition, the Hudson River Environmental Field Station at Cohotate Preserve, Greene County Environmental Education Center, serves as a college laboratory and classroom as well as a study and research center. The campus atmosphere is friendly and safe. Student backgrounds and hometowns are diverse, providing a stimulating and enriching environment. To learn more about C-GCC, please visit: www.columbiagreene.edu.
The Position: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) assists the President in planning, preparing, and implementing the operating budget, multi-year financial plan, and developing policies to be recommended to the Board of Trustees. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the President’s Council, the CFO advises the President in formulating overall plans, policies, and procedures to execute the goals of the strategic plan. In addition, the CFO serves as the Treasurer to the Board of Trustees, coordinates the Board of Trustees’ Finance Committee, and prepares monthly and quarterly financial reports. This leader will work closely with SUNY, the County sponsors, the Foundation Board, and other strategic partners.
The CFO directs, supervises, and evaluates the work of their direct reports and provides leadership for the Financial Department, including Accounting, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Purchasing. They lead the development of the annual operating and capital budgets, including capital construction funds as approved through Columbia and Greene Counties and the State of New York, and oversee the preparation of financial and statistical reports required by external agencies, including SUNY. The CFO directs the development of annual changes to the schedule of tuition and fees. They offer creative and visionary ideas for long-range planning and formulate policies for developing all forms and procedures for satisfactory financial accounting. The CFO also oversees annual budget development by hosting departmental budget hearings to inform strategic budget-related decision-making and control.
Serving as an external representative of the College, the CFO attends Columbia and Greene County finance committee meetings and appropriate meetings of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors and Greene County Legislators. The CFO invests funds for the College and represents the College during internal and external audits, serving as the primary point of contact for auditing firms. The CFO also serves as the senior financial officer and advisor to the C-GCC Foundation and C-GCC Association, Inc.
Qualifications: The ideal candidate will bring experience suitable to serving at the executive level, including collaboration, excellent written and oral communication skills, unquestionable integrity, strong and demonstrative analytical skills, a proven track record of success in planning, problem solving, and the ability to think proactively, creatively, and strategically around emerging issues, trends, and community needs. They will bring a minimum of five years of experience in mid- to high-level administration with a record of leading sound fiscal operations and practices; executing strategic goals; managing teams; and improving organizational efficiencies and effectiveness. A demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is necessary for the CFO. They will have experience overseeing and/or completing organizational audits and other financial reports related to monitoring and measuring the financial environment. Preferred and favorable experiences include the ability to manage multiple projects, work with collective bargaining units, experience in higher education administration (community college familiarity is a bonus), and/or experience as a Certified Public Accountant. Qualified candidates will possess a Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, or a related field, with a Master’s degree preferred.
The Location: Located in the Hudson River Valley, Columbia-Greene Community College is surrounded by one of the Northeast’s most scenic and historic areas. Thirty miles south of Albany and 110 miles north of New York City, the landscape is dominated by the verdant Catskill Mountains to the west and the rolling Taconic and Berkshire Hills to the east. Being near the state capital and New York City, the area offers a wide variety of cultural opportunities. An area rich in the history of the early settlement of America, the legends of the Native Americans and Dutch settlers of the region often find their way into history and literature courses at the College. Columbia and Greene Counties abound in outdoor recreational resources. North Lake, Devil’s Tombstone, Lake Taghkanic, and Bash-Bish Falls all offer public campgrounds and facilities. Three major ski areas–Hunter Mountain, Catamount, and Ski-Windham–are each within a thirty-minute drive from the campus. The Hudson River and more than twenty lakes provide excellent boating and fishing activities. Nearby golf courses, tennis courts, and athletic fields are also available.
Salary: $125,000 - $145,000. The College offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical and dental insurance, short-and long-term disability, generous vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, pre-tax flexible spending accounts, retirement plans, tax-deferred compensation, as well as employee and dependent tuition waivers. PSLF waivers offered.
Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae to RPA Inc. at ColumbiaGreeneCFO@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please email Amanda O’Donnell, Vice President and Senior Consultant, or Kendra Mozug, Search Consultant, at the email address listed above. The first review of candidates will begin on June 1, 2026, and first-round interviews will commence thereafter.
Columbia-Greene does not discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, student or applicant for admission based on an individual’s race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identification, gender expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, veteran status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction or any other category protected by law. The College adheres to all federal and state civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination in public institutions of higher education.
Requirements
The Position: The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) assists the President in planning, preparing, and implementing the operating budget, multi-year financial plan, and developing policies to be recommended to the Board of Trustees. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the President’s Council, the CFO advises the President in formulating overall plans, policies, and procedures to execute the goals of the strategic plan. In addition, the CFO serves as the Treasurer to the Board of Trustees, coordinates the Board of Trustees’ Finance Committee, and prepares monthly and quarterly financial reports. This leader will work closely with SUNY, the County sponsors, the Foundation Board, and other strategic partners.
The CFO directs, supervises, and evaluates the work of their direct reports and provides leadership for the Financial Department, including Accounting, Accounts Payable, Payroll, and Purchasing. They lead the development of the annual operating and capital budgets, including capital construction funds as approved through Columbia and Greene Counties and the State of New York, and oversee the preparation of financial and statistical reports required by external agencies, including SUNY. The CFO directs the development of annual changes to the schedule of tuition and fees. They offer creative and visionary ideas for long-range planning and formulate policies for developing all forms and procedures for satisfactory financial accounting. The CFO also oversees annual budget development by hosting departmental budget hearings to inform strategic budget-related decision-making and control.
Serving as an external representative of the College, the CFO attends Columbia and Greene County finance committee meetings and appropriate meetings of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors and Greene County Legislators. The CFO invests funds for the College and represents the College during internal and external audits, serving as the primary point of contact for auditing firms. The CFO also serves as the senior financial officer and advisor to the C-GCC Foundation and C-GCC Association, Inc.
