Director, Budget Operations and Planning

About the role

The George Mason University Office of the President works with senior administration and stakeholders from across the institution to establish and advance the university’s vision, strategic goals, and priorities. The Director, Budget Operations and Planning serves as a key strategic advisor to the President, providing high-quality budget and financial analysis to support data-informed decision-making on matters of significant institutional impact.

Responsibilities

• Leads the implementation of divisional budget planning, fiscal operations, and forecasting processes in collaboration with EA’s senior leadership, the Provost Office, and other university leaders;
• Designs and manages planning processes with clear deliverables, training, and communications to ensure consistency and transparency across EA units;
• Ensures the accuracy, quality, and timeliness of budget information and strategic advice related to multi-year plans, annual budgets, and forecasts;
• Creates and updates unit-specific and EA division-wide financial dashboards for ease of reporting and understanding financial, budget, and personnel metrics;
• Pairs with unit leaders to align financial resources with unit-level goals and Presidential priorities;
• Oversees all EA unit budgets across multiple funding sources, ensuring effective and forward-looking budget management, monitoring, and reporting.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related field or the equivalent education and experience;
• Experience in fiscal planning, budgeting, management, or strategic finance roles;
• Experience managing or advising on budgets in a complex organization;
• Demonstrated experience supporting executive-level decision-making through reporting and analysis;
• Experience effectively presenting and communicating key financial data to senior management, boards, or other outside partners;
• Experience in higher education, public sector, or nonprofit institutions, especially those with complex funding streams (e.g., tuition, state appropriations, grants, auxiliary services);
• Proficiency with financial systems, reporting tools, dashboards, and Microsoft Excel or other data analysis tools;
• Ability to exercise sound judgment; maintain confidentiality and ensure transparency and accountability in financial decisions;
• Ability to shape and execute financial strategies that align with organizational goals and drive long-term success.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field;
• Experience working directly with senior leadership to inform strategic resource allocation;
• Participation in large-scale budget and financial transformation efforts;
• Experience working with Ellucian Banner (ERP);
• Knowledge of budgeting, fiscal planning, and forecasting principles in complex, multi-unit organizations;
• Understanding of financial regulations, compliance standards, and internal control practices;
• Skill in developing and managing multi-source budgets, including operating, and project-based funding;
• Skill in evaluating performance metrics and identifying budget and operational risks, with a focus on continuous improvement;
• Ability to conduct high-level resource analysis, interpret trends, assess risk, and develop data-informed recommendations;
• Ability to demonstrate agility in navigating change, maintaining effectiveness under pressure while adapting to shifting priorities and demands;
• Ability to balance multiple responsibilities and deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail;
• Demonstrated skill in leading process improvements, streamlining systems, and managing change within financial operations.