Manhattanville University has hired John Groulx as its top financial officer, a cabinet-level appointment the Purchase campus says reflects its push to expand enrollment and academic programs.

Groulx started Monday, Aug. 3, as senior vice president for finance and operational innovation, according to a university press release posted on Patch. He will serve as chief financial officer and strategic advisor to President Frank D. Sánchez, overseeing finance, human resources, facilities and campus safety.

It caps a leadership refresh at the 100-acre campus on Purchase Street. Sánchez became Manhattanville's 15th president in July 2023 and sits on the board of the Business Council of Westchester. Alumnus Chris Lewis replaced Michael C. Dunn as board chair on July 1.

Sánchez called Groulx "the ideal leader" to guide the university through its current growth phase, citing his two decades in higher education finance and his track record steering institutions through change.

Groulx arrives from Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach, where he served as vice president for finance and administration. At Virginia Wesleyan he managed a $135 million endowment, helped integrate a nursing college and led the rollout of Oracle enterprise systems. Federal tax filings list his compensation there at $180,200 for the fiscal year ending June 2025.

Before that, he was director of budget and fiscal planning at Wheaton College and held senior finance roles at Malden Catholic High School, Mount Ida College and Brandeis University. He holds a master's in finance from Brandeis and a master's in public administration from the University of New Hampshire.

Manhattanville, which rebranded from Manhattanville College in 2024, enrolls roughly 2,200 students across more than 75 undergraduate and graduate programs. The university did not release specific enrollment growth figures or a timeline for new programs in its announcement.

Manhattanville's strategic plan runs through 2027, with goals centered on student achievement and raising the university's national profile.