Chief Financial Officer Stephen Gaynor School

Chief Financial
Officer
Leadership Opportunity
Summer 2013
Stephen Gaynor School
New York, New York
292 students
Early Childhood–8th Grade
stephengaynor.org
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THE POSITION
Stephen Gaynor School in New York City seeks an experienced Chief Financial Officer to
provide strategic support and sound financial management to help the School fulfill its mission.
The School occupies an important niche among New York City’s schools, educating struggling
yet intelligent students who need a level of expert guidance and personal attention that
mainstream schools simply don’t provide. Stephen Gaynor School has a clear objective: “Enable
children with learning differences to reach their full potential.” Stephen Gaynor School is
located in exceptional, state-of-the-art facilities on West 90th Street in Manhattan, between
Amsterdam and Columbus avenues, a short walk from Central Park.
Stephen Gaynor School was founded in 1962 by two
visionaries – Miriam Michael, a psychologist, and Yvette
Siegel, an educator – who understood the need for a school
for bright students with learning challenges. In 2012-13, the
School enrolled nearly 300 students from all five boroughs
of New York City as well as communities throughout New
York, New Jersey and Connecticut, reflecting their racial,
religious, cultural and economic diversity; in 2013-14,
enrollment will increase to 328 students.
THE MISSION
A pioneer in special education,
the Stephen Gaynor School is an
independent Pre-K, Elementary
and Middle School for bright
students with different learning
styles. Stephen Gaynor provides
a rich, rigorous and nurturing
environment in which students
gain the skills and confidence
necessary to learn, grow and
reach their full potential.
In 1994, Miriam Michael’s grandson, Scott Gaynor, left a
successful business career to become Stephen Gaynor School’s
Head of School. Working with the Board of Trustees, he set the
school on a course of unprecedented growth and development. In
2006, the school moved into its current location, a new 30,000square-foot facility on the Upper West Side. In 2009, the school
purchased the adjoining building, adding 50,000 square feet and
two years later, the Early Childhood Center opened for children
ages 3 to 6. Last year, the school unveiled new facilities,
including a new middle school, a cafeteria, and studios for fine
arts and photography, representing the second of four phases that
will ultimately include an advanced science laboratory, a music
studio, a state-of-the-art theater, and a rooftop athletic field.
Throughout the many changes, the school has retained its familial
atmosphere and individualized approach.
THE SCHOOL
The Stephen Gaynor School enrolls bright children with learning differences, with average to
above-average intelligence, who face challenges stemming from language-based learning
differences. The student-teacher ratio is 3:1 and class sizes average 11 students with two
teachers. Students receive remediation in the areas in which it is needed and have the chance to
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nurture skills in which they excel. With small
classes, a challenging curriculum, and strong
partnerships among parents, teachers, and students,
the Stephen Gaynor School gives students the tools
they need to reach their goals. Well-educated and
dedicated faculty provide an individualized
curriculum tailored to the specific needs of each
student and provide a variety of experiences
available beyond the classroom – art, music, drama,
photography, athletics, computer technology, and a
variety of afterschool programs.
Detailed
information about the curriculum is available in the Academics section of the school website,
stephengaynor.org.
The School attracts outstanding faculty and practitioners and is recognized for training and
mentoring undergraduate and graduate special education teachers of exceptional caliber. Head
teachers hold graduate degrees in special education and assistant teachers are enrolled in
master’s degree programs. Students have access to a range of specialists including speechlanguage pathologists, occupational therapists and reading and math specialists who provide
support in and out of the classrooms during the school day. Specialists teach science, physical
education, adaptive physical education, music, art, photography, computer skills, and library
skills. Passionate about education, these teachers are committed to fulfilling the mission to
provide a highly individualized education to every student. With a wide range of professional
development opportunities, the school ensures students benefit from the most innovative
methods and fresh ideas, and the faculty enjoys the
satisfaction of continued self-enrichment.
Stephen Gaynor School
Grades: Early Childhood – 8th grade
Current enrollment: 292
Faculty: 120
Faculty with advanced degrees: 92%
Student-Teacher ratio: 3:1
Students of color: 15%
Operating budget: $15.1 million
Indebtedness: $15 million
Endowment: $1 million
Annual giving (2011-12): $1.2 million
Parent participation in giving: 60%
The Stephen Gaynor School also operates the Community
Learning Center (CLC), a yearlong, after-school reading
remediation program for at-risk public school children.
Currently, CLC enrolls more than two dozen first- and
second-graders from two public schools in the immediate
neighborhood. CLC provides students with a level of
individual attention that’s not possible in their own school
environment and helps put them on a path to continued
academic achievement. In only its fifth year, the CLC
already shows impressive results and the teachers see
students transform from shy and hesitant learners to proud
achievers eager to continue their educational journey.
Stephen Gaynor School is a non-profit, independent school
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governed by a 14-member Board of Trustees. The school is accredited by the New York State
Association of Independent Schools. See two inspiring 50th Anniversary videos at
https://stephengaynor.org/giving/gala/gala2013.
FACILITIES
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 A 30,000-square-foot building on West 90 Street, constructed in 2006, that includes 18
spacious classrooms ideal for group and individual instruction, a full-size junior varsity
basketball court, common learning areas, and spaces for science, art, photography, and
music instruction
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 A 50,000-square-foot facility on West 89 Street – the former Claremont Riding
Academy stables – currently featuring the middle school, studios for fine arts and
photography, a cafeteria, and the Early Childhood Program space; to ultimately include a
science lab, state-of-the-art theater, classrooms, rooftop field, library, and a music studio
FINANCES, DEVELOPMENT AND ADMISSIONS
The Stephen Gaynor School is well-managed financially. The
annual operating budget is $15.1 million and the School
carries debt of approximately $15 million. The endowment
stands at $1 million. For the 2012-13 school year, tuition is
$52,100.
The School’s Annual Fund and gala raise roughly $1.2 million
a year. Additionally, the School has conducted periodic capital
campaigns to fund its expansion.
Admissions are robust, with approximately 300 applications
submitted each year for 65 available spaces. Increased
demand has fueled the School’s growth from 120 students,
when the institution was located on West 74th Street, to its
2013-14 forecast of 328 students and projected enrollment of
380 students once the West 89th Street facility has been
completed.
THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
The Stephen Gaynor School seeks a Chief Financial Officer who will help the Head of School
and Board of Trustees consolidate the tremendous growth of the School in recent years and
institute appropriate management procedures, policies and controls. The last seven years of
growth has required the School to examine its structure, reassign certain responsibilities, and
establish and communicate clear policies and procedures that represent best practices. The new
CFO will be the catalyst in this analysis, and the title of CFO is purposeful. It recognizes the
enormous growth at Gaynor and the need to expand the duties of what is now an accounting
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office into a strategic role with high visibility, freeing up the Head of School to focus more on
general leadership, strategy and external relations.
The position reports to Dr. Scott Gaynor, Head of School. Dr.
Gaynor has presided over the School’s massive growth while
maintaining its distinct culture. Prior to becoming Head of School,
Dr. Gaynor, worked at JP Morgan Chase. He holds a B.A. from
the University of Vermont, an MBA from NYU’s Stern School of
Business, and an Ed.D. from Teachers College of Columbia
University. He is currently the vice-president of the New York
State Association of Independent Schools (NYSAIS). Dr. Gaynor
receives high marks from faculty and staff for being a generous
and understanding boss, a good listener, a thoughtful decisionmaker, and a fair and logical person.
The new CFO will take many financial and administrative tasks off of Dr. Gaynor’s plate,
including oversight of the School’s budgeting process and financial reporting. The CFO’s reach
will also extend into areas such as cash and asset management, information technology,
purchasing, financial aid, facilities, human resources and general administration. The new CFO
can assume that additional help in the financial affairs of the School will be possible in due time.
The two key objectives behind the creation of this role are to provide the necessary infrastructure
for a much larger and complex organization and to allow Dr. Gaynor to devote himself to general
leadership of the institution, implementation of the School’s new five-year strategic plan,
articulation of the School’s purpose and direction, and securing financial support to help the
School fulfill its mission.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to embracing the mission of the School, supporting its Head and leadership, and
representing the school at professional and public forums, the new CFO is responsible for the
following:
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Supervising the work of the School business office and using standard accounting and
bookkeeping procedures, keeping an accurate continuous record of the cash and financial
position of the School and managing the financial operation of the School
Preparing monthly operating statements for the Head of School and the Board of Trustees
Providing monthly reports of expenditures for each budget center within the School
Overseeing planning and preparation of the annual budget process
Overseeing financial investments in conjunction with the Investment Committee
Securing an annual audit of the School’s financial records and financial positions
Overseeing all School purchasing, banking activities, payroll and benefits program
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Overseeing the management and maintenance of all facilities
Creating and overseeing an on-going equipment replacement program
Arranging bids and developing specifications for all outside contractual work
Overseeing the work of all outside contractors to ensure compliance with contractual
agreements and budgetary restrictions
Managing risk at the School to ensure the safety of personnel and students in their use of
the facilities
Assisting the Head of School with decisions regarding salaries and benefits for all
personnel
Developing, maintaining and reporting all required environmental, health and
maintenance standards as required by law and working with the administration to ensure
compliance with all regional, state and federal regulations and laws as they impact the
School
DESIRED E XPERIENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS
 Seven to ten years of senior management experience in finance within a school, nonprofit or for-profit organization
 Extensive cash and asset management experience
 Experience working with a broad and diverse range of constituents/stakeholders
 Ability to assess and manage direct reports and their staffs
 Superb oral and written communications skills
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
 A flexible thinker
 A good listener
 A problem solver
 A systems creator
 Technologically oriented
 Process oriented
 A collaborative team player
Compensation package will be highly competitive and commensurate with experience.
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TO APPLY
Submit electronically and as separate documents the following materials:
 Cover letter expressing interest in the CFO position
 Current résumé
 List of 5 references with name, phone number, and email address of each to:
John G. Clark
Senior Search Consultant
CARNEY, SANDOE & ASSOCIATES
44 Bromfield Street, Boston, MA 02108
john.clark@carneysandoe.com
802-380-4406
Skype: providence51
Stephen Gaynor School is an Equal Opportunity Employer