Senior Budget Analyst

About the role

Serve as a financial partner to a high-growth startup operation within a prestigious university structure. Manage complex revenue models, enrollment-driven budgeting, and rapid financial analysis to support real-time decision-making in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop, monitor, and manage operating budgets for SU Global administrative units and academic programs, including enrollment-driven revenue projections and variable expense modeling.
• Lead the annual budget planning process for SU Global in coordination with academic units and the University Budget Office, incorporating growth targets, market analysis, and strategic initiatives.
• Create and maintain complex financial models to project tuition revenue based on enrollment forecasting, retention rates, and pricing strategies across multiple program modalities (fully online, hybrid, accelerated).
• Analyze program-level profitability by tracking direct and indirect costs against revenue, providing recommendations to optimize financial performance.
• Prepare budget adjustment requests and reforecasts throughout the fiscal year to reflect enrollment shifts, program launches, marketing investments, and operational changes.
• Monitor expenditures against budget, identifying variances and working with program managers to implement corrective actions.
• Support leadership with financial analysis for new program feasibility studies, partnership evaluations, and strategic investments.
• Serve as the primary financial liaison between SU Global and enrollment management, translating enrollment data into financial projections and budget implications.
• Monitor tuition revenue performance in real-time, analyzing enrollment trends, student progression, course loads, and cohort behavior to forecast revenue with precision.
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools that provide leadership with current financial performance metrics, enrollment KPIs, and variance analysis.
• Partner with enrollment teams to model financial impacts of marketing campaigns, admission strategies, scholarship programs, and pricing changes.
• Manage financial planning for student financial aid, scholarships, and discounting strategies to support enrollment goals while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports for SU Global leadership showing revenue performance, expense trends, and forecast accuracy.
• Ensure accurate financial transactions and compliance with University policies, regulatory requirements, and best practices for online education finance.
• Process and reconcile financial transactions using PeopleSoft Financials, ensuring proper chartstring allocation and documentation.
• Manage financial aspects of contracts with third-party vendors, technology partners, and academic service providers, coordinating with Procurement and University Counsel.
• Coordinate payroll allocations for faculty teaching online courses and staff supporting multiple cost centers.
• Liaise with central finance offices including the Comptroller’s Office, Bursars Office, Disbursements, and General Accounting to resolve payment issues, process journal entries, and maintain accurate financial records.
• Support audit activities by providing documentation, responding to inquiries, and implementing recommendations.
• Monitor compliance with revenue recognition policies specific to online education delivery models and payment plans.
• Serve as the primary financial contact for SU Global program directors, administrative leaders, and support teams, providing guidance on budget management, financial processes, and resource allocation.
• Translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for non-finance stakeholders operating in a fast-paced environment.
• Conduct training sessions and create resources to build financial literacy among SU Global teams, enabling decentralized decision-making within established guardrails.
• Partner with academic units across 13 schools and colleges to understand program-specific financial needs and constraints.
• Respond to financial inquiries through the Budget Office ticketing system with urgency and accuracy.
• Present financial performance updates in leadership meetings, providing context and recommendations.
• Build collaborative relationships with stakeholders to foster data-driven financial decision-making aligned with SU Global’s growth mission.
• Support special projects, strategic initiatives, and process improvement efforts as SU Global evolves and scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field required.
• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in budget analysis, financial planning, or financial operations, preferably in higher education, online education, or high-growth organizations.
• Experience with enrollment-driven revenue models, tuition forecasting, or student financial operations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work in fast-paced, entrepreneurial environments with competing priorities and evolving objectives.

Skills

• Advanced Excel: financial modeling, pivot tables, formulas, visualization.
• Experience with PeopleSoft or similar ERP systems.
• Create dashboards/reports using Excel or Tableau.
• Financial forecasting and scenario planning.
• Budget development, monitoring, variance analysis.
• Revenue recognition and enrollment-based modeling.
• Higher ed funding models and tuition structures.
• Program profitability and cost analysis.
• Data-driven decision-making with attention to detail.
• Identify trends, patterns, and risks proactively.
• Creative problem-solving.
• Synthesize information into actionable recommendations.
• Excellent communication skills; explain financial concepts to non-finance audiences.
• Build relationships cross-functionally.
• Influence and educate stakeholders on best practices.
• Entrepreneurial mindset; comfortable with ambiguity and change.
• High urgency and accountability.
• Flexible with shifting priorities.
• Proactive problem-solver.
• Thrive in collaborative environments.
• Mission-driven; committed to student success.
• Working knowledge of University policies, procedures, and financial systems.
• Understanding of higher ed regulatory environment including Title IV compliance.
• Grant funding and contract review experience preferred.