Director Budget and Financial Planning

Job Summary

The Director Budget and Financial Planning supervises, plans, and controls the university-wide budget process and the revenue enhancement and expense control initiatives through continuous improvement of existing financial budgeting and reporting practices and by enhancing financial budgeting analytics. This position works closely with key internal partners, particularly academic and administrative unit partners and makes budget policy recommendations.

Duties & Essential Job Functions

• Directs and facilitates completion of university-wide budget development by collecting, analyzing, and reporting operational data; establishing and communicating budget guidelines and instructions to departments; and overseeing budget development training.
• Oversees the financial management and analysis of budget reports on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. Compares actual operating results to the anticipated budget for revenues and expenditures.
• Develops benchmarking and metrics analysis techniques in support of revenue enhancement and expenditure control initiatives.
• Works with senior university financial leadership to help implement budget policy recommendations.
• Develops and supports automated budget system solutions and enhancements to improve university budget management and associated processes by maintaining a current understanding of industry advancements in financial budget management and associated analytic systems.
• Prepares reports and presentations for unit administrators, senior officers, and the Board of Trustees, which clearly summarize trends, forecasts, and metric analytics along with resulting recommendations.
• Assists in the development of long-term financial forecast models for strategic multiyear university financial planning to include capital and operating budgets.
• Answers budget policy and procedure questions by researching and interpreting university budget procedures and related policies; makes recommendations for improvements.
• Reviews and approves all university staff compensation adjustments to ensure budgetary funding is available.
• Serves as a collaborative financial partner to unit leadership throughout the university.
• Provides Budget Office representation as appointed liaison at designated university committee meetings.
• Plans, documents, and manages performance of direct reports.
• Provides team members with professional or technical growth through assignment, mentoring, and training.

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, finance, or a related field of study.
• 7 plus years’ progressively responsible financial analyst and financial reporting experience in a multi-cost-styled organization.

Preferred Education & Experience

• Master’s degree in finance, business, or related field of study.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge of project management techniques.
• Knowledge of customer service techniques.
• Knowledge of finance and generally accepted accounting principles.
• Knowledge of AI and a proactive interest in monitoring its evaluation to identify opportunities for integrating emerging tools into our workflows.
• Advanced knowledge of financial management solutions such as PeopleSoft and cloud-based business-planning software such as Anaplan.
• Advanced knowledge of data warehouse and business intelligence software tools, including data extraction.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills with emphasis on Excel and PowerPoint.
• Skilled in leading the budget development process, establishing organizational financial budgets, and developing analyses in a digital, complex, multi-cost-center environment.
• Skilled in project management.
• Skilled in analytical and problem-solving capabilities combined with strong leadership, negotiation, and interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines and balance multiple priorities using good judgment under pressure; results-oriented.
• Ability to pay close attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to effectively perform data extraction, manipulation, and analysis within an integrated ERP, data warehouse, and business intelligence software environment.
• Ability to synthesize analytical results in clear and concise financial reports and presentations.
• Ability to review, make recommendations, and implement process improvement across the detailed budget management process.
• Ability to work inclusively, collaboratively and effectively with others.