Chief Financial & Operations Officer (CFOO)

The New Canaan Country School, an independent, co-educational day school for students in Beginners (age 3) through Grade 9 from Fairfield and Westchester counties, is seeking an experienced, energetic, collaborative professional for the position of Chief Financial & Operations Officer starting July 1, 2025.

The Chief Financial & Operations Officer (CFOO) is responsible for the management of the financial and business operations of the school, including the Horizons Student Enrichment Program (“Horizons”), working in partnership with the Head of School. In this strategic leadership role, the CFOO will be responsible for developing and implementing financial strategies, managing budgets, and ensuring operational efficiency while driving business growth and achieving organizational goals. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in finance and operations with a proven track record of successful strategic leadership. The Chief Financial and Operations Officer plays a crucial role in shaping the future direction and success of the organization.

REPORTING STRUCTURE:

The CFOO reports directly to the Head of School and is a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team. This position requires partnership with the Head of School, Senior Leadership Team, faculty, staff, vendors and the Board of Trustees, as the CFOO is the Senior Leadership Team member assigned to the Finance, Investment and Audit & Risk Board Committees. The CFOO is responsible for the oversight, management and strategic planning of several functional areas: Finance, Campus Facilities, Safety & Security, Transportation, Food Services, Auxiliary Programs and the Health Office. The following positions report directly to the CFOO:

• Controller overseeing all business office functions
• Director of Operations overseeing facilities, transportation, housing, and safety & security
• Director of Community Engagement overseeing auxiliary programming, health office, and food service
• Associate Director of Administrative Services providing support to finance and operations
• Prospective Human Resources Director

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Working in partnership with the Head of School, the CFOO provides strategic leadership for the school (and Horizons) and ensures all non-academic related activities support the school’s mission and strategic vision. The CFOO provides leadership for the business office and develops and implements policies and strategic initiatives that support the school’s strategic plan and ensures the financial sustainability and operational efficacy of the school. The CFOO keeps school leadership apprised of the financial condition of the school, preparing and presenting budgets, financial statements, investment and capital project reports for the Head of School and Board of Trustees, and is responsible for establishing, maintaining and renegotiating key vendor partnerships that support finance, accounting, human resources, facilities, security, technology, risk management, food service, auxiliary programs and other school operations. This position participates actively as a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team and ensures coordination between other leaders and the school’s business operations departments.

ABOUT NEW CANAAN COUNTRY SCHOOL:

Founded in 1916, New Canaan Country School is an independent, co-educational day school for students in Beginners (age 3) through Grade 9. With approximately 550 students and 100 faculty, the student to faculty ratio is 5.5:1. The school draws from 18 towns and provides dedicated bus service to Fairfield and Westchester counties. 

The mission of New Canaan Country School is to create an active, joyful learning environment where children are challenged to think deeply, question confidently, and act generously so that they may lead lives of impact and purpose. The school values community, courage, curiosity and kindness, and respects childhood as an integral part of life. 

A unique aspect of NCCS is the existence of the flagship Horizons Student Enrichment Program, founded in 1964 and now offered at more than 70 sites nationwide. The mission of Horizons is to transform the lives of underserved children and youth through year-round academic and enrichment programs to inspire learning, encourage success, and close the opportunity gap. Horizons At NCCS serves 400 kindergarten through twelfth grade students from the local towns of Norwalk and Stamford annually.

The school is situated on a scenic 85-acre campus which includes 4 dedicated academic divisional buildings, a main building, 2 gymnasia, 3 libraries, a woodshop, a maple sugaring shack, a performing arts auditorium and a dining hall. It features 35 acres of woodlands and trails, a low ropes course, outdoor classrooms, athletic fields, and several playgrounds. There are spaces dedicated to student woodworking, science, robotics, engineering, maker, music, performing and visual arts, maple sugaring, innovations and community gathering. Students are distributed in the four academic buildings as follows: Early Childhood (age 3-K), Lower School (Grades 1-4), Middle School (Grades 5-6), and Upper School (Grades 7-9).

The school’s current endowment is $71M, inclusive of $8.5M dedicated to Horizons, and the operating budget is $35.5M, inclusive of $2.1M for Horizons.  The school offers $5.2M in discounted tuition (financial aid and tuition remission) and receives $2.5M in Annual Giving, inclusive of $1M dedicated to Horizons.