Job Description

Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

The Associate Chief Financial Officer – Health Academics (ACFO-UUHA) serves as a senior financial executive to the Chief Financial Officer, U of U Health with primary responsibility for oversight and stewardship of Health Academics finances, including the School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, Colleges of Health, Nursing, and Pharmacy, Health Sciences Centers and Institutes, and Health Sciences administrative units.The ACFO-UUHA leads programmatic financial strategy for Health Academics units, ensuring alignment with broader health system goals through strategic planning, transparent reporting, and effective resource allocation. The role serves as the financial counterpart to academic leadership and promotes compliance, sustainability, and integration across academic, research, and clinical domains.As a functional leader, the ACFO-UUHA provides leadership and direction for the coordinated U Health finance function serving UUHA units. The role is responsible for standardized finance service delivery and for building strong financial partnerships that support business owners and decision-making. The ACFO-UUHA works closely with system finance leaders to align support for budgeting, forecasting, financial planning, performance reporting, pro forma analysis, reconciliations, month-end activities, compliance, workforce funding, and related finance needs. Reports to the Chief Financial Officer, UU Health, and is a member of the system finance leadership team. It has high accountability to the Executive Vice President of Health Sciences, Dean of the School of Medicine, CRO/AVP Research, UU Health, CHRO,UU Health, Chief Innovation Officer, Provost, and other senior academic leaders to ensure strategic alignment and mission needs are met.

Corporate Overview: University of Utah Health is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals including a level 1 trauma center, eleven community health centers, over 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. University of Utah Health is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. In addition to our clinical delivery system, we have a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health providing education and training for over 1,250 providers annually. We have over 2 million patient visits annually and research grants exceeding $350 million. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics represents our clinical operations for the larger health system.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Academic Strategy: Partner with the EVP of Health Sciences, CFO,UU Health, deans, CRO/AVP Research, UU Health, and senior leadership to develop and execute financial strategies supporting research, graduate and professional education, and faculty development.
• Infrastructure Investment: Lead capital planning and financial modeling for Health Academics infrastructure, including laboratories, technology, and core facilities working closely with system planning and capital planning leaders.
• Research Growth: Develop and implement funding strategies to sustain and grow research programs, leveraging partnerships, philanthropy, indirect cost recovery, and external grant support.
• Faculty & Program ROI: Provide analysis and advice to senior leadership on the financial impact of academic investments, including start-up packages, endowed positions, and faculty compensation models.
• Academic Shared Services: Guide shared service financial functions supporting the academic mission, including grants administration, sponsored projects, and tuition/fee management.
• Enterprise Integration: Partner with the CFO, UU Health and ACFO to integrate academic and clinical financial planning into a unified, sustainable enterprise model that advances institutional strategy.
• Representation: Represent the Health Academics financial perspective in governance, committees, and system-level decision-making.
• Essential Functions: Enterprise Finance Touchpoints
• Budgeting: Partner with the ACFO, UU Health to provide strategic assumptions, programmatic inputs, and forecasts for the annual budget and planning cycle.
• Financial Controls: Ensure effective financial controls and compliance with federal, state, and institutional requirements, including NIH and OMB Uniform Guidance, while collaborating with the accounting division to adhere to higher education accounting standards.
• Financial Reporting: Use financial statements and cost accounting data produced by the ACFO, UU Health to inform academic strategy and operational decision-making.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Deep knowledge of higher education finance, research funding models, and academic health center operations.
• Experience in capital planning, long-range forecasting, and complex funding structures.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate financial data into actionable strategy.
• Ability to influence and build consensus in environments with shared governance and multiple stakeholders.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for audiences that include faculty, administrators, senior leaders, and governing boards.
• Demonstrated leadership in building financial systems and structures that support innovation, compliance, and sustainability.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across diverse finance verticals, particularly with enterprise accounting and corporate finance teams.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Health Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive financial leadership, with at least 5 years in an academic medical center, higher education, or research-intensive environment.
• Demonstrated experience in capital planning, research finance, and academic program financial management.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

• Master’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Health Administration, or related field.
• Experience with federal research compliance, grant administration, and sponsored project accounting.
• Experience working with faculty governance bodies and academic leadership.
• Proven record of integrating academic and clinical financial strategies.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This is a sedentary position that may exert up to 10 pounds and may lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. This position involves sitting most of the time and is not exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Physical Requirements

Carrying, Far Vision, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Reaching, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Stooping and Crouching, Tasting or Smelling, Walking