Executive Assistant Dean & Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences in Riverside, California at University of California, Riverside
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Job Description
Overview
Job ID 37530919
Category Senior Management
Organization College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences
Department CNAS Deans Office Dept
Location Main Campus - UCR
Salary $178,500 - $285,000
Date Posted May 29, 2026
Application Deadline Open Until Filled
Schedule 8AM - 5PM
Full/Part Time Full-time(100%)
Level of Supervision General Direction
Personnel Program Code Management & Sr Professional
Other Information Qualifies for Employee Referral Bonus: No
UC Internal Job: No
Position Information
The Assistant Dean & Chief Financial & Administrative Officer (CFAO) for the College of Natural & Agricultural Sciences (CNAS) serves in a senior leadership role within one of the campus’s largest, most research-intensive, and operationally complex academic units. CNAS supports a broad portfolio of instructional, research, agricultural, and public service activities and plays a central role in the campus mission through extensive research expenditures, contracts & grants activity, Agricultural Experiment Station administration, graduate and undergraduate instructional support, and complex academic and operational funding models spanning departments, Organized Research Units, and central campus partnerships. The Assistant Dean & CFAO serves as a principal advisor to the Dean, Divisional Deans, Department Chairs, and Program Directors in the areas of strategic planning, resource management, personnel management, organizational operations, space planning and utilization, financial stewardship, and other matters critical to the mission and operational health of the College. As a member of the Dean’s senior leadership team, the position participates in strategic planning, operational decision-making, resource allocation, and development of organizational priorities and operational direction for the College. The CFAO helps ensure effective resource management, operational continuity, and organizational effectiveness across a highly decentralized environment through leadership and oversight of operational planning, financial administration, budgeting, organizational analysis, internal controls, staffing strategies, compliance activities, and implementation of operational priorities across the College. The position serves as a hands-on operational leader for the College and provides direct leadership for college-level finance, human resources, academic personnel, payroll operations through Harvest Shared Services, and college-level information technology and operational systems activities. The College’s decentralized administrative structure includes approximately 10 administrative units with operations supported by Financial & Administrative Officers (FAOs) who serve as primary financial and operational advisors to Department Chairs and Directors. While these FAOs support their respective departments, they also maintain a collaborative and dotted-line reporting relationship with the CFAO in support of collegewide coordination, implementation of campus and college priorities, stewardship of College resources, and development of consistent administrative practices across CNAS. This position spans both strategic leadership and hands-on operational management within one of the campus’s most complex academic environments. The CFAO must build effective working relationships while providing clear direction, establishing operational boundaries, resolving conflict, and helping prevent operational, financial, or personnel issues from escalating unnecessarily.The full salary range for the CFAO is $143,000 - $285,000 annually. However, the expected pay scale for this position is $178,500 - $270,000 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs.Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, we are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff.As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements. A presentation may be required as part of the recruitment process.
Requirements
Educational Requirements
| Degree | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training. | Required |
| Master's degree in a related area/or equivalent experience/training. | Preferred |
| Experience | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 10 - 15 years of related experience. | Required |
| Previous supervisory/managerial experience. | Preferred |
| Special Condition | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Must pass a background check. | Required |
| Exercise the utmost discretion in managing sensitive information learned in the course of performing their duties. Sensitive information includes but is not limited to employee and student records, health and patient records, financial data, strategic plans, proprietary information, and any other sensitive or non-public information learned during the course and scope of employment. Understands that sensitive information should be shared on a limited basis and actively takes steps to limit access to sensitive information to individuals who have legitimate business need to know. Ensure that sensitive information is properly safeguarded. Follow all organizational policies and laws on data protection and privacy. This includes secure handling of physical and digital records and proper usage of IT systems to prevent data leaks. The unauthorized or improper disclosure of confidential work-related information obtained from any source on any work-related matter is a violation of these expectations. | Required |
| Advanced skills in strategy development, systems planning and change management. |
| Excellent leadership abilities to oversee multiple functions or departments through subordinate managers. |
| Advanced knowledge of administrative management theory and ability to translate knowledge into practice. |
| Excellent ability to establish metrics for department and employee goals which measure effectiveness of contributions to efficient operations of department. |
| Advanced project management skills, including the capability to manage capital projects. |
| Excellent skills to work collaboratively and act persuasively in sensitive situations; skills in conflict management techniques. |
| Skills in establishing and implementing customer service standards. Excellent ability to establish metrics for department and employee goals which measure effectiveness of contributions to efficient operations of department. |
| Advanced knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques; human resources and risk management planning; accounting and payroll. |
| Strong knowledge of common organization-specific and other computer application programs. |
| Ability to work effectively & sometimes persuasively with all levels within the organization. |
| Progressively responsible senior level management experience. Knowledge of business & accounting operations in a large, complex, multi-faceted organization. |
| Advanced knowledge of contracts & grants administration, restricted fund management, AES/ANR funding and operations, gift and endowment stewardship, instructional and research support funding, and complex academic resource management practices. |
| Demonstrated ability to rapidly assess complex situations, synthesize operational, financial, organizational, and policy considerations, prioritize competing demands, and implement practical solutions in fast-moving and often ambiguous environments. |
| Demonstrated ability to establish operational boundaries, interpret policy in situations where guidance may be limited or conflicting, and support effective resolution of sensitive operational and organizational matters. |
| Ability to build collaborative relationships with Financial & Administrative Officers (FAOs), Department Chairs, Program Directors, and administrative leadership in support of coordinated college operations and consistent administrative practices. |
| Demonstrated ability to support organizational continuity and operational effectiveness during periods of organizational change, staffing transition, operational strain, or heightened institutional risk. |
| Advanced knowledge of compliance practices, audit coordination and response, operational risk management, and internal control principles within a complex research university environment. |
| Demonstrated ability to scope operational and information technology needs, support development of technology-enabled operational solutions, and work collaboratively with campus partners to improve access to operational data, reporting tools, and system functionality. |
| Significant knowledge of general teaching & research laboratory safety regulations & requirements. |
| Experience with the interpretation of Academic Personnel polices for a diverse group of academic appointees such as Professors, Agronomists, Cooperative Extension Specialists, Graduate Student Researchers, Teaching Assistants, Postdoctoral Scholars, Professional & Project Scientists. |
Additional Information
In the Heart of Inland Southern California, UC Riverside is located on nearly 1,200 acres near Box Springs Mountain in Southern California; the park-like campus provides convenient access to the vibrant and growing Inland region. The campus is a living laboratory for the exploration of issues critical to growing communities' air, water, energy, transportation, politics, the arts, history, and culture. UCR gives every student, faculty and staff member the resources to explore, engage, imagine and excel.
UC Riverside is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the country boasting several key rankings of which we are extremely proud.
- UC Riverside is proud to be ranked No. 12 among all U.S. universities, according to Money Magazine's 2020 rankings, and among the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, according to the 2019-20 Center for World University rankings.
- UC Riverside is the top university in the United States for social mobility. - U.S. News 2020
- UCR is a member of the University Innovation Alliance, the leading national coalition of public research universities committed to improving student success for low-income, first-generation, and students of color.
- Among top-tier universities, UC Riverside ranks No. 2 in financial aid. - Business Insider 2019
- Ranked No. 2 in the world for research, UCR's Department of Entomology maintains one of the largest collections of insect specimens the nation. - Center for World University Rankings
- UCR's distinguished faculty boasts 2 Nobel Laureates, and 13 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.
For information about our generous employee benefits package, visit: Employee Benefits Overview