September 1, 2024
Vice President for Finance and Administration
The United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia seeks to fill the position of Vice President for Finance and Administration. The role is based in our New York office and reports to the President.
Founded in 1922, the United Board is a nongovernmental organization dedicated to promoting whole person education in Asia through scholarships, fellowships, training, professional development, project grants, and general support. Incorporated in New York, the United Board has offices in New York City and Hong Kong with a consultancy office in Chennai, India. It is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in the United States and as a public charity in Hong Kong.
The United Board supports education that develops the whole person—intellectually, spiritually, and ethically, drawing strength from its Christian identity and values and partnerships with Asian colleges and universities. It aims to address the diverse challenges and opportunities in higher education in Asia, collaborating with institutions that offer multidisciplinary education and respect for diverse religious and cultural traditions. The United Board’s ecumenical and inclusive approach primarily involves Christian institutions but extends to others sharing its educational commitment. Funding comes from contributions from individuals including alumni of its programs, foundations, and endowment income.
For more information about the United Board, please visit www.unitedboard.org.
Position Overview:
The Vice President for Finance and Administration is responsible for overseeing the financial management, accounting, and administrative operations for the United Board, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, and a consultancy office in Chennai, India. The United Board’s FY25 annual operating budget is approximately $11M, with a permanent staff establishment of 22 and an endowment of $160M (FY24 market value). We work with 225 higher education institutions across 25 countries and regions in Asia. This role requires a strong and versatile professional who can manage multiple responsibilities across finance, administration, and governance areas.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Management
- Oversee all financial operations, including accounting, payroll, investments, and budgetary controls for the New York and Hong Kong offices, with a focus on streamlining business and financial practices and optimization of technology.
- Prepare and manage the annual budget in collaboration with the President.
- Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting, including quarterly financial statements and management reports.
- Manage endowment spending in compliance with the Board’s policies and monitor investment performance.
- Develop, implement and periodically review our Investment Policy and strategy to reflect secular market trends and our organizational needs.
- Develop and manage our spending policy based on both total return and income
- Assist the Investment Committee in establishing and monitoring comprehensive investment performance metrics for the Investment consultant and third-party investment managers, including industry standards and peer-group comparisons.
- Assist the Investment Committee in establishing high level risk management guidelines, including concentration risk and what-if scenario analysis and stress testing.
- Oversee and optimize cash and liquidity management.
- Lead annual comprehensive due diligence review of our Investment Consultant’s end-to-end Investment Process, including documentation.
- Implement and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard the organization’s assets.
- Provide accurate and timely financial and administrative service support to other teams across the organization.
Administrative Leadership
- Develop, update, and execute organizational administrative policies and procedures.
- Collaborate with the Director of Administration (Hong Kong) on personnel and benefits matters for both New York and Hong Kong offices.
- Assume overall supervision and operations of the New York office in the absence of the President who is primarily located in Asia, including overseeing facilities, procurement, equipment, and personnel matters.
Governance and Compliance
- Act as executive liaison to committees including Investment, Finance and Administration, Compensation, and Audit.
- Serve as the main representative of management working with the auditor on annual audits.
- Prepare reports, documents for the meetings of the abovementioned committees and the Board of Trustees, including performance reporting of our endowment and oversight of minutes.
- Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, relevant laws, regulations, United Board policies and industry best practices, including timely submission of IRS reports and other statutory filings.
Strategic Planning and Risk Management
- Work closely with the President, and/or relevant Trustees to develop and implement financial and budgetary strategies.
- Assess and manage organizational risks, particularly in financial and operational areas.
- Provide strategic input on financial planning and resource allocation to support and align with the United Board’s mission and growth.
External Parties Liaisons
- Manage relationships with external partners, including service vendors, commercial banks, auditors, legal counsel, investment advisors, and custodial banks.
- Represent the organization in financial and administrative matters with external stakeholders.
Team Management
- Directly supervise one full-time staff member and an executive assistant who partially supports other financial responsibilities, including preparation of investment schedules.
- Foster a collaborative work environment and promote professional development within the finance and administration team.
Required Qualifications:
- An MBA or a Master’s in accounting or any business-related field is required, with 7-10 years of substantive experience in finance and administration. CPA preferred. A holder of BA in accounting or a business-related field with 12-15 years of substantive experience in finance and administration may be considered in exceptional cases.
- Strong accounting, finance, management, and organizational skills.
- An understanding of non-profit regulatory and accounting practices in the U.S.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders across cultures.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency in financial management software, database and Microsoft Office suite.
- Proficiency with technology and experience working with IT and other consultants.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience or familiarity with international operations (Asia) and multi-currency financial management.
- Experience in the nonprofit or education sector.
- Some knowledge of grant management and reporting.
This position requires a highly organized, detail-oriented individual with the ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution in a small, dynamic nonprofit environment.
The annual salary range for the New York City-based position is $200,000 to $250,000, and benefits are highly competitive.
How to Apply:
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information of three references electronically to: VPFASearch@unitedboard.org by Monday, October 14, 2024. Applicants not invited for an interview six weeks after the application deadline should assume that we are not proceeding further with their candidacy.
The United Board is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or national origin. We embrace diversity, with the expectation that all candidates will embrace and support the organization’s mission and values, regardless of religious affiliation.