Building the Future of Higher Education: Succession Planning and Workforce Development in Finance and Accounting

Thomas Burns - York College of Pennsylvania
Sue Maloney - Baker Tilly US, LLP

The higher education administration landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, accelerated by the post-COVID-19 environment. Finance and accounting professionals in higher education are facing unprecedented challenges in recruiting and retaining talent. With the rise of remote work, many professionals now seek greater flexibility and new opportunities outside traditional higher education pathways. Simultaneously, institutions are grappling with limited upward mobility, lack of clear career progression and the generational shift in workforce expectations. Succession planning and workforce development have become critical components of sustaining operational continuity, ensuring institutional knowledge transfer and cultivating leadership for the future.

This session will explore the importance of proactive workforce development and strategic succession planning in higher education administration. We will examine the challenges universities face in recruiting and retaining finance and accounting talent, focusing on the impacts of remote work and shifting career expectations. Attendees will gain insights into innovative strategies for fostering talent development, enhancing career mobility and ensuring leadership continuity in the financial and operational sectors of higher education.

By the end of the session, finance and accounting professionals will be equipped with actionable strategies to address talent shortages, build robust development pipelines and create an organizational culture that values growth, flexibility and retention.

Learning Objectives

  1. Identify key workforce challenges: Understand the unique post-pandemic challenges in recruiting and retaining finance and accounting professionals in higher education, including remote work dynamics and the lack of upward mobility.
  2. Recognize the importance of succession planning: Learn why succession planning is critical for maintaining operational continuity and leadership stability within finance and administrative functions.
  3. Explore talent development strategies: Discover practical approaches to workforce development, including mentorship programs, career progression frameworks and leadership cultivation to retain top talent and build a sustainable workforce pipeline.
  4. Leverage remote work and flexibility: Gain insights on how higher education institutions can embrace the new mobility of remote work to attract and retain talent, while maintaining institutional mission alignment.
  5. Design effective succession plans: Learn how to create and implement succession plans that ensure knowledge transfer, skill development and leadership continuity for future financial and administrative leaders.

CPE Available

  • 1 Credit: Personnel/Human Resources