Academic Career & Executive Search is pleased to assist Cleary University in its search for Chief Financial Officer. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and screening and interviews may begin immediately. For best consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible and no later than November 6, 2026. This position may be filled before the best consideration date.

Cleary University seeks a strategic and entrepreneurial Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to guide the financial strategy of a growing and rapidly evolving private university based in Howell, Michigan. With another year of growth and fall 2026 enrollment reaching an all-time high of approximately 1,200 students, the University continues building on this significant financial and enrollment momentum, enjoying another profitable fiscal year in 2025–26, and a clean audit with no findings. 

In recent years, Cleary has strengthened its financial foundation, doubled enrollment, and developed a distinctive reputation for accelerated degree pathways serving working adults. These offerings have generated thousands of incremental enrollments with a 78% retention rate and a strong job placement rate, reflecting the strength of Cleary’s workforce-aligned model and its growing regional reputation.

Building on this progress, Cleary is advancing a set of strategic initiatives requiring financial leadership, analysis, and investment, including:

These initiatives are part of The Fourth Wave, Cleary’s recently approved 2025–2028 strategic plan, which establishes a roadmap for the University’s next phase. As Cleary scales its adult and online programs while reinvesting in its residential campus, the incoming CFO will bring rigorous financial analysis to decisions around segment-level economics, pricing and discount strategies, capital deployment, program expansion, and new ventures. The role offers the opportunity to help build the financial framework needed to support an increasingly complex and evolving institution.

Reporting directly to President Alan Drimmer and serving as a key member of the executive leadership team, the CFO serves as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the President, bringing sophisticated financial insight, sound judgment, and an enterprise-wide perspective to consequential decisions about the University’s future. 

This is a senior-level strategic leadership role with responsibility for Cleary’s overall financial strategy, capital and debt structure, long-range financial planning, major financial modeling, banking strategy, real estate considerations, and the financial evaluation of growth initiatives and new opportunities. Working closely with the President and Board, the CFO will help assess opportunities and risk, evaluate alternative scenarios, and provide the financial strategy and analysis necessary to support major institutional decisions and advance the University’s long-term priorities.

With the Controller overseeing the Business Office and day-to-day financial operations, the CFO will have the capacity to focus significant attention on forward-looking financial strategy and institutional decision-making while maintaining appropriate oversight of the University’s overall financial function.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished, collaborative financial executive who combines strategic perspective with the ability to work effectively in a lean, entrepreneurial environment. The CFO must be comfortable operating at the highest levels of institutional leadership while remaining sufficiently hands-on to engage deeply when circumstances require. The successful candidate will also share Cleary’s commitment to practical, career-focused education for working adults and diverse student populations.

This is an on-site position with responsibility for the Controller and Business Office. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 
Candidates for the CFO position will also be expected to:

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 

Or

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

About the Institution

Cleary University is a private institution founded in 1883 with a long-standing commitment to innovation, applied learning, and entrepreneurship in business education. Located in Howell, Michigan, the University offers associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree programs designed to prepare students for immediate and sustained success in a rapidly evolving workforce. Cleary’s main campus is in Livingston County, with an additional education center in Detroit that extends its reach into one of the region’s major economic hubs.

At the core of the academic experience is The Cleary Mind™, a distinctive, data-informed curricular framework focused on developing eight attributes most valued by employers: critical thinking, problem solving, ethics, creative thinking, communication, persuasion, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Fully integrated across the curriculum and co-curricular experience, The Cleary Mind™ reflects Cleary’s commitment to aligning academic programs with workforce needs and ensuring graduates are prepared to succeed and lead in dynamic organizational environments.

Cleary serves a vibrant, career-focused student population, including traditional undergraduates as well as working professionals pursuing hybrid and fully online programs. Traditional undergraduate students may live in university residence halls, off-campus housing, or commute from home. The University’s emphasis on small class sizes, personalized support, and strong industry alignment fosters meaningful student engagement and career readiness. Cleary’s athletic teams, known as the Cougars, are an integral part of campus life, competing at the NAIA level as a member of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference.

Learn more about Cleary University at www.cleary.edu.

Living in the Area

Cleary’s main campus is in Howell, Michigan, part of Livingston County, one of the fastest-growing regions in Southeast Michigan. Howell offers a blend of small-town charm and access to major metropolitan opportunities, situated halfway between Detroit and Lansing, within easy driving distance of Ann Arbor, and less than an hour from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, providing convenient regional and national connectivity.

The region is known for its highly ranked public schools and family-friendly communities; abundant outdoor recreation, including lakes, parks, and trails; and a revitalized historic downtown featuring restaurants, arts venues, and year-round community events. Residents also benefit from proximity to major employers and innovation hubs across Southeast Michigan. 

The area offers a high quality of life, combining affordability, safety, and natural beauty with convenient access to the economic, cultural, and educational assets of Michigan’s leading cities. 

Learn more about the region at www.livgov.com.

To Apply 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and screening and interviews may begin immediately. For best consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible and no later than November 6, 2026. This position may be filled before the best consideration date.

Please apply through the application link and do not email applications. 

Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include a cover letter and curriculum vita. Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially.

Inquiries, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Inquiries and questions: Please send to ClearyCFO@acesrch.com
Nominations and referrals: Please send the nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to nominations@acesrch.com

Institutional Information 
Cleary University is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. Cleary strongly believes that workforce diversity creates an environment in which its employees can thrive. Cleary understands and embraces the variety through which people gain experiences whether through professional, personal, educational, or volunteer opportunities. Cleary University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.