Steven Bliss

School Business Administrator

Managing finance and operations in private and public schools

I am a seasoned School Business Administrator, with proven track record in all aspects of finance and operations in a variety of school settings. Specifically, I have more than 20 years of direct experience in both private and public day and boarding schools, both domestic and international.

I have extensive experience in both academic settings and in investment banking. I have been a member of leadership teams at complex, high-performing organizations, as well at schools facing daunting economic and performance challenges. As a senior administrator I developed and managed multi-million dollar budgets and supervised as many as 300 employees, and have overseen all aspects of finance and operations including budget development, contract negotiation, supervision and evaluation, grant writing, procurement, capital project management, pension-benefit plan administration, and financial modeling.

I have a commitment to define and implement transformative organizational practices, and am squarely focused on effective program development and implementation using measurable outcomes. These include financial modeling and quantitative analysis. Additionally, I have demonstrated the highest standard of care and compassion in working with students and families from all socio-economic backgrounds.

Skills & Accomplishments

  • Handled collective bargaining and financial modeling
  • Lead complex, high-performing school systems
  • Extensive experience with diverse student/family populations
  • Developed and managed multi-million dollar budgets
  • Commited to defining transformative business office practices
  • Managed procurement and support services
  • Thorough understanding of labor and employment law
  • Responsible for policy research and development .
  • Provided targeted staff development opportunities
  • Superior speaking, writing, and presentation skills

See what collegues have to say:

Laura Dayal

Steve negotiated a new three-year contract over many weekends with the union. It is notable that his relationship with union members remained strong throughout the negotiation process, and that with his legal acumen he added protections for both parties. That document is testament to the unrivaled time and attention Steve gives to his work.  READ MORE

Denise Lonergan

Mr. Bliss assumed the responsibility for managing all grants. This is a time consuming task, since there are three distinct school districts. It was, however, a vital step to ensure effective management. I have worked closely with him on many committees. Steven’s communication skills are excellent, and he has displayed outstanding organizational and leadership skills.  READ MORE

Mary Wolff, Chair

   Steve is extremely knowledgeable, and possesses strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills; he excels at budget development and oversight. His management style fosters collegiality and encourages new ideas; at the same time, he is focused and decisive.   READ MORE

Keith Kaplan, NBCT and Association President

(Steve’s) humanity has also been evident even when he has had to let an employee go. Even when a member of our union has had issues, he has treated the employee with respect and made sure that I knew that he knew the strengths of that employee and the devotion of that employee to the job and the individual children.   READ MORE

Richard Robinson, Committee Chair

Steve has led more than 300 employees, not to mention 16 committee members on three separate and sovereign committees, with inspiration, unflagging enthusiasm, and an air of such supreme confidence and competence that he earned the deepest respect and admiration from stakeholders in every group…  READ MORE

Walter Cuenin, Pastor

Steve was directly responsible for management of a highly visible seven building campus. In totality, he was solely responsible for budgets in excess of $8M. Utilizing a highly effective management strategy grounded in an acute ability to work collaboratively with others and optimize time efficiency, Steve masterfully handled all facets of his job.   READ MORE

Interested in learning more about how I could help you?

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