The vice president and treasurer of Somerville Hospital has been named Radcliffe College's interim vice president of finance and administration, Radcliffe President Linda S. Wilson announced yesterday. The post has been vacant for three months.

A. Keene Metzger '67, who graduated from Harvard Business School and attended Harvard Divinity School, will fill the post vacated by Nancy J. Dunn in December.

Metzger is "clearly qualified," said Radcliffe spokesperson Michael A. Armini.

While he has no experience working in higher education, Metzger spent 16 years at Somerville Hospital and has served as the director of finance for a non-profit employment and training program in Boston and as a senior accountant with Coopers & Lybrand.

Dunn, who left the college after a seven-year term to become chief financial officer for the Washington-based World Wildlife Fund, continues to serve as Radcliffe's treasurer and member of its Board of Trustees. She was one of four high-level Radcliffe administrators to step down since June.

"This particular position was the most important to fill, and it has been done in a very expeditious manner, "Armini said. "We are very pleased that the position was filled in three months."

Armini said Metzger has been hired on an interim basis, though the position could become permanent at a later date.

"It's a decision that Radcliffe will make," Armini said.

Metzger said his appointment is only temporary for now because Radcliffe is currently involved in a "strategic planning process."

"I have every hope and expectation that the position will become permanent," he said.

According to the description of the post published on Harvard University's employment opportunities Web site, the position has a "defined term of at least 18 months and not more than two years."

Making the job temporary leaves open the possibility that Radcliffe's bureaucratic hierarchy may be restructured as a result of the ongoing talks between Harvard and Radcliffe.

Wilson and members of the Radcliffe Board of Trustees have been in closed-door discussions with Harvard about a possible merger between the two schools for more than a year.

"We may have an announcement about that--it could be tomorrow, it could be in six months," Armini said yesterday.

Metzger said he accepted the job despite the fact that he was not given any detailed information about the ongoing secret talks between Harvard and Radcliffe. He said he is aware that theboard is involved in talks.

Even with its vacancies, Radcliffe has stillbeen able to carry out its mission to "advancesociety by advancing women," Armini said.

Metzger, who is leaving the Somerville Hospitalafter 16 years, said he is excited to join theinstitution.

"Radcliffe is in a really strong position. I amreally impressed by its finances," Metzger said."It's a very appealing position. Radcliffe is sucha well-run organization."

Wilson welcomed the new vice president in astatement yesterday.

"Metzger's impressive professional backgroundand his knowledge of the Radcliffe and Harvardcommunities make him an ideal candidate for thisimportant position," she said.

The president of both the Somerville HomelessCoalition and Shortstop, Inc., a shelter forhomeless adolescents, Metzger, 52, lives inCambridge.

--Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to thereporting of this story.