Keystone College seeks an experienced and entrepreneurial leader in finance framework development and culture to serve as its next vice president of finance and administration. The anticipated start date is spring 2026, and the position is on-site.
Responsibilities of the Position
Reporting directly to the president and serving as a member of the president’s cabinet, the vice president for finance and administration (VPFA) serves as the senior administrative official responsible for providing administrative leadership, oversight, and direction to the college’s business and financial operations. The VPFA has direct oversight of the accounting, financial aid, human resources, payroll, dining services, and facilities and maintenance departments. As the college is a subsidiary of the Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER), the WIER chief financial officer (CFO) will provide broad oversight of Keystone College’s finances through the VPFA, including review of financial reports, budgets, risk management functions, compliance, investment oversight, resource deployment, and shared services.
Key Responsibilities:
- Develop financial plans and strategies to support the college’s goals, including identifying opportunities to create value and improve financial strength. Monitor both short and long-term internal and external financial and operational developments to ensure that forecasts are current and accurate.
- Direct and supervise all financial control activities to ensure the soundness of all college financial processes, ensure compliance with GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards for external financial statements, and ensure compliance with tax filings and regulatory requirements.
- Prepare and present monthly and annual financial statements, reports, presentations, and necessary correspondence related to the college’s financial oversight and management. Report the college’s financial condition to the board of trustees, regulatory authorities, investment partners, the college president, and administration on a regular basis.
- Oversee and ensure the timely completion of annual financial audits.
- Develop and maintain the college’s plan for capital expenditures.
- Provide financial information and reporting to WIER as outlined by the WIER CFO.
- Organize, coordinate, and supervise the development of the college’s budget with timely presentations to the board of trustees for approval.
- Develop procedures that integrate business and strategic planning into the annual budget process, ensuring that organizational needs are identified and priorities are established as part of the financial plan.
- Manage cash flow, resolve priorities relating to cash allocation with senior staff, and manage cash reserves to maintain sufficient operational liquidity.
- Direct and coordinate the college’s debt financing and debt service payments with creditors and external agencies.
- Ensure regular review of the performance of the college’s endowment.
- Work with the college’s investment advisor and the finance and investment committee of the board of trustees to execute approved changes in asset allocation of the investment portfolio.
- Coordinate the college’s purchasing activities, including contract management, risk management, and insurance coverage.
- Ensure that the college complies with all financial regulatory, legal, administrative, contractual, procedural, accounting, and accreditation standards.
- Establish, coordinate, maintain, and systematically review the process for financial evaluation of the college’s instructional and non-instructional programs and activities.
- Serve as a resource to college personnel in determining the cost-effectiveness of current and proposed initiatives.
- Provide oversight and advice regarding the college’s financial risk.
- Work collaboratively with senior staff and functional directors, serving as an internal consultant and advisor.
- Evaluate the finance department structure and team to continuously improve the group’s efficiency and effectiveness, and provide individuals with professional and personal growth, emphasizing opportunities (where possible) for individuals.
- Serve as the primary legislative liaison relating to college financial matters.
- Represent the college to the government and funding agencies.
- Support the strategic planning process with the president, cabinet, and the board of trustees.
- Participate as a collegial and active member in cabinet initiatives.
Qualifications and Characteristics of the Successful Candidate
A bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field and significant, progressively responsible financial and administrative experience in higher education is expected. Candidates should possess a strong knowledge of nonprofit accounting, accounting standards, and regulatory accounting, as well as an understanding of capital markets and investment strategies. They should also possess outstanding written and oral communication skills, as well as strong technical skills in fiscal services, including familiarity with budgeting software, and experience in developing and implementing fiscal policies. Advanced degrees and professional certifications (e.g., MBA, MAcc, CPA, or CMA) and experience with financial aid are strongly preferred.
In addition to the qualifications stated above, key stakeholders identified the following capabilities and attributes of a successful candidate:
- Ethical and trusted, serving as a principled steward of institutional resources.
- Strategic yet practical, balancing long-term vision with operational execution.
- Financially astute, with expertise in audit, compliance, accreditation, and reporting.
- Collaborative and communicative, building strong relationships across trustees, faculty, and staff while translating complex concepts clearly.
- Innovative and entrepreneurial, identifying opportunities for sustainability, growth, and creative problem-solving.
- Inclusive and equity-minded, ensuring decisions reflect access, fairness, and transparency.
- Adaptable and resilient, able to lead through transition, change, and evolving institutional structures.
- Invested in people, mentoring staff, strengthening teams, and fostering a culture of trust and accountability.
History of the Position
Since March 2024, Jay Clayton has served as CFO consultant, leading Keystone College’s strategic finance operations. In this role, he guided the campus through evaluating, preparing for, and ultimately completing its merger with WIER. He also oversaw the reconciliation of liabilities, ledgers, and audits, ensuring compliance and transparency in financial reporting. Additionally, he continues to represent the college in its interactions with federal regulatory officials.
The merger was a critical step as the institution addressed its Middle States accreditation show-cause status. While significant progress has been made, the college remains under show-cause through the current review cycle, with outstanding issues including the adoption of a conflict-of-interest policy for the new entity, launching a CFO search, strengthening board oversight, and stabilizing enrollment.
With the merger completed in May 2025 and accreditation reaffirmed in February 2026, the college has partnered with Spelman Johnson to conduct a national search for the next vice president for finance and administration.
Opportunities and Challenges of the Role
The next vice president of finance and administration will step into a pivotal moment in the college’s life. Emerging from challenge with renewed purpose, the campus is ready to imagine what comes next—boldly, collaboratively, and with a steadfast commitment to student success. Launching a new strategic planning process in the fall of 2025, the VPFA will serve as both architect and catalyst, helping to design the systems, strategies, and culture that will carry the institution into its next chapter. This is more than a leadership role; it is an opportunity to shape a lasting legacy of resilience, innovation, and excellence that will empower the college community for generations to come.
In transitioning to Keystone College, the VPFA will encounter the following opportunities, priorities, and challenges, as shared by key campus stakeholders:
- Foster a campus-wide ethos of ethics, compliance, transparency, and collaboration in all financial and administrative practices.
- Strengthen communication and accountability in compliance, reporting, and financial operations.
- Develop and evaluate financial and administrative policies, including implementing a transparent, shared-governance-based annual budget process.
- Modernize organizational systems and structures by assessing current operations and proposing sustainable models that effectively support the college’s human capital.
- Leverage technology strategically to enhance systems, reporting, benchmarking, and forecasting capabilities.
- Work closely with the board of trustees, particularly as liaison to the finance committee, providing comprehensive and timely financial reporting.
- Lead capital asset management and project planning, including oversight of the state-funded new library project.
- Collaborate closely with the WIER leadership on long-term financial planning, reporting, and strategic partnerships in areas such as shared services and human resources support.
Measures of Success
The items listed below will define the VPFA’s success throughout the first year of employment:
- Ensure the college’s annual financial audits and regular reporting to the board of trustees, WIER, and state and federal accrediting bodies are thorough and completed in a timely manner.
- Through transparency, responsiveness, and collaboration, build confidence and credibility with the cabinet, trustees, faculty, staff, and students.
- Lead a transparent and efficient budget process, introduce creative financial strategies, and explain data in ways that inform decision-making.
- Develop and strengthen policies, systems, and processes; advance technology to improve campus operations; and ensure well-managed facilities.
- Steward capital resources with long-term sustainability in mind.
- Develop, support, and motivate a finance and administration staff while fostering a positive, accountable, and growth-oriented culture.
- Remain highly engaged across campus, approachable, and proactive in listening, problem-solving, and sharing information.
Overview of the Department
The division of finance and administration at Keystone College is responsible for the following specialized functions and services:
- Accounting
- Dining Services-Sodexho
- Human Resources
- Payroll
- Facilities and Maintenance
- Director
- Housekeepers
- Grounds
- Maintenance Technicians
Technology
General Ledger: Jenzabar and Microsoft Excel
Financial Modeling: Microsoft Excel
Accounts Payable: Jenzaber
Student Information System: Jenzabar
Human Resources: Jenzabar HR & Flock
Fiscal Year
June 1 – May 30
Institutional Overview
Founded in 1868 and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Keystone College has advanced from being an excellent junior college that granted associate degrees to a fully accredited and well-respected institution, offering associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees. Located in La Plume, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the Endless Mountains, Keystone’s 276-acre campus is just 20 minutes north of Scranton and a few hours away from major cities such as New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Nearly 700 students join the beautiful campus from nearby states such as New York, New Jersey, and Maryland, as well as nationally and internationally.
Keystone College entered into a merger agreement with the Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER) on August 16, 2024. The merger transaction closed on May 30, 2025. Keystone is a wholly owned legal subsidiary of WIER and retains the authority and discretion in all matters related to the operation of the college, including those concerning the college’s academic independence. Additionally, Keystone has the financial authority to operate the college strictly in accordance with the annual budget.
The Student Body 2024
Total Enrollment: 714
Undergraduate: 676
Graduate: 38
Male: 43%
Female: 57%
American Indian or Alaska Native: 0.8%
African American/Black: 18.8%
Asian: 0.7%
Hispanic/Latino: 11.3%
Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander: 0.3%
White: 56.4%
Two or More Races: 3.8%
Unknown: 6.9%
Non-Resident: 1%
Institutional Leadership
John F. Pullo, Sr
John F. Pullo, Sr. was named the twelfth president of Keystone College on May 19, 2023, becoming the first alumnus to serve as president. Pullo served as interim president for the 2022-23 academic year.
A Keystone alumnus, Pullo is a member of the College’s Board of Trustees and served as board chair from 2018 to 2020. He is the founder and CEO of Chartwell Strategies, LLC, a strategic advisory services and consulting firm formed in 2018. Prior to founding Chartwell, he spent 35 years at Gentex Corporation, a global leader in personal protection for defense and security personnel, where he held various senior positions in business leadership, corporate development, research and development, business development, and operations.
Pullo’s industry experience prior to Gentex includes 12 years with the Swedish conglomerate Sandvik AB, where he held key management positions at both the corporate and divisional levels.
Pullo holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wilkes University and a master of business administration with a concentration in operations management from the University of Scranton. He received a master’s degree in technology management from the University of Pennsylvania, conferred jointly by the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Wharton School.
The Washington Institute for Education and Research
The Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation registered in the District of Columbia and organized for charitable and educational purposes. WIER envisions a universal connection among people built on the five core principles of peace, development, community and citizenship, character, and stewardship. WIER was founded by Dr. Ahmed Alwani in 2023 and supports nonprofit educational institutions whose programs align with this vision, aiming to make these principles a reality.
WIER currently supports the following organizations:
Application
Review of applications will begin immediately, and continue until the position is filled. To apply for this position, please click the Apply button, complete the brief application process, and upload your resume and a position-specific cover letter. Applicants needing reasonable accommodation to participate in the application process should contact Spelman Johnson at 413-529-2895 or email info@spelmanjohnson.com.
Visit the Keystone College website at https://www.keystone.edu/
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