Financial and Operations Manager - School of Professional and Continuing Education

About the role

JMU's School of Professional & Continuing Education (SPCE) fosters learning across lifespans through transformative education and enrichment. SPCE offers a range of programs, including youth camps, adult degree completion, professional and workforce development, and lifelong learning, as well as partners with academic units across JMU to support a number of online or off-campus degree and certificate programs.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for the School of Professional & Continuing Education’s (SPCE) self-supporting financial and operational portfolio.
• Serve as the school’s chief financial and operations strategist, shaping long-term fiscal planning, resource allocation, and operational effectiveness in alignment with JMU’s mission and SPCE’s strategic plan.
• Directs the development, implementation, and monitoring of multi-million-dollar operating and program budgets across SPCE and university partner colleges.
• Designs sophisticated financial models and scenario-planning tools to guide strategic decision-making and enrollment planning.
• Serves as a key member of the SPCE senior leadership team, delivering timely and actionable fiscal intelligence to inform immediate decisions and long-range strategies.
• Partners closely with the SPCE’s Dean and Associate Dean and partner Deans to evaluate program and partner budgets for sustainability and return on investment, ensuring alignment with JMU’s strategic and financial objectives.
• Ensures compliance with all state, federal, and university fiscal regulations while establishing and continuously improving internal controls and auditing processes.
• Functions as SPCE’s chief fiscal officer, coordinating and evaluating complex budgets across multiple funding streams and university partners.
• Advises program directors and academic leaders on financially sound practices to support enrollment growth and long-term program viability.
• Develops and communicates financial policies and procedures that meet state, federal, and JMU requirements, ensuring transparent and timely dissemination to stakeholders.
• Leads the preparation of high-level financial reports, forecasts, and technical analyses for internal and external stakeholders.
• Provides strategic oversight for SPCE’s operations and facilities, supervising 2 full-time staff positions, by providing leadership, coaching, and professional development opportunities.
• Ensures the operations team proactively identifies and addresses facility and operational needs to support program and operational excellence.
• Oversees key HR and operational processes, including ePARs, PARs, and PAWs for instructor and staff compensation.
• Buils a culture of accountability and continuous improvement, empowering staff to streamline processes and enhance service delivery across the school.

Qualifications

• Fiscal management experience, including reporting, audits, reconciliation, and budgeting.
• Exceptional skills in Excel, data management, and forecasting.
• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and visual).
• Strong attention to detail, and ability to present complex data to multiple stakeholders.

Additional Considerations

• Experience in higher education.
• Experience with state purchasing systems and regulations.
• Experience with PeopleSoft Student Administration, HR, and Finance.