Location: The position is REMOTE, but the team wants LOCAL options in the event there are meetings, etc.

Profile: the team seeks candidates with SOLID GRANTS experience, both pre/post and Fed/Private…even better if they have higher ed, but not required. The role is managing grants through the lifecycle, dealing with HR and administration as well as budgeting/finance. So, a well-rounded business generalist with solid grants experience.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Master’s, Business or accounting preferred. A Bachelor’s degree plus substantial experience in closely related fields may substitute for a Master’s degree.
• 8+ years’ progressive work experience financial analysis and budgeting in a sophisticated office environment.
• Relevant financial acumen (budgeting, transactional support, revenue-generating activities, chart of accounts, journals, requisitions, purchase orders, procurement, and travel). Must be a subject matter expert in at least several of these functions
• Ability to build and utilize financial reports
• Advanced business analytics skills
• Ability to support the establishment and management of budgets of at between $10M and $50M
• Prior experience working with complex teams
• Strong communications and customer service skills
• Ability to engage regularly with internal and external stakeholders, including unit leads and administrators across the institution
• Ability to engage in an efficient and professional manner
• Strong organizational and time management skills; proficiency managing and prioritizing multiple tasks
• Ability to work with a variety of financial systems, with prior experience preferred in Workday, Adaptive, and Cognos
• Ability to interpret the strategic goals and plan for assigned units
• Enrollment and financial planning experience
• Revenue and expenditure analysis experience
• Prior experience with complex financial and longitudinal planning and financial forecasting
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Attention to detail
• Ability to triage and solve complex challenges and requests
• Ability to engage internal and external stakeholders
• Excellent customer service, including interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, with a mastery of excel and experience with managing and analyzing large volumes of data
• Strong analytical ability
• Service oriented, professional demeanor and a team orientation is required; i.e. avoiding “that’s not my job”
• Ability to work well under pressure, in a high paced environment, and have a sense of humor.
• Strong time management skills, with the ability to prioritize work and multi-tasking to meet deadlines.
• Ability to think outside the box and to solve problems creatively
• Preferred requirements and qualifications should be listed separately here.
• Professional accounting qualification desirable
• Experience in higher education financial administration

Strategic Financial Management

• Serve as a critical and holistic source of support for the school’s Dean’s Administrative Team by providing both financial and administrative expertise
• Serve as the senior administrative and fiscal officer for financial matters, policy development, and program evaluation for McCourt School of Public Policy.
• Lead annual budgeting and planning activities for all units within the school in partnership with the Dean and school/campus leadership, including: short- and long-term strategic planning and models for academic programs, tuition, centers, and business units; tuition and price setting analysis
• Develop financial models for gift stewardship and spending, cross-school interdisciplinary and collaborative efforts, profitability analysis, and financial performance dashboards
• Support school leadership team and program directors in conceptualizing, prioritizing, and planning new programs or program changes from the financial and business operations perspective
• Lead planning and management of new gifts in accordance with University policies and procedures, including: gift tracking, restricted funds spend review, pledge conversion review; and gift stewardship
• Direct and manage financial operations including budget development, forecasts, long range plans for achievement of the school’s academic financial goals
• Oversight for compliance with all applicable federal and local labor laws and regulations.
• Oversight for development of internal programs and policies and adherence to the University’s personnel philosophy.
• Apply analytical and planning expertise as needed in support of administrative, financial, and facilities management and program development activities.
• Work closely with senior officers from across the institution to develop university policies, procedures, and systems in a wide range of areas to make positive contributions to improve administration at Client.
• Provide creative and thoughtful leadership for the development of funding, compensation and resources allocation strategies, and policies which enable and enhance the McCourt School’s research and teaching missions.
• Administer merit review process and staff development initiatives.
• Financial oversight for the Executive Education Unit.

Enrollment Planning and Analysis

• Enrollment planning and analysis, including: collaboration with Dean, graduate program directors, and Associate Director for Finance & Operations to develop financial plans and budgets for all graduate programs within the school; manage and maintain graduate program scholarship allocation; lead graduate financial aid planning
• Manage and maintain graduate financial aid analysis

HCM Business Planning and Operations

• Responsible for directing position budget management
• Responsible for HCM business transactions financial budget review and approval.
• Work with the appropriate Vice Dean / Associate Dean / Faculty Director and Deputy SBM on finalizing faculty merit; oversight of staff merit
• Interpret and ensure all staff adhere to University personnel policies and procedures.
• Ensure school’s computing and technology needs are met. Work with Manager of Technology and UIS officials on designing and modifying school-wide information systems.
• Advise key personnel within the various departments of the School on operations and programs of an administrative nature.
• Participate in the recruitment of key McCourt leadership positions (staff) and in resource negotiations.
• Administer the flow of administrative, financial, budgetary, and statistical information and reporting for the School from various University units.
• Conduct and direct special projects, and represent the McCourt School on numerous task forces

Operations Management

• Direct responsibility for Finance and Administration, Facilities Planning and Management, and Information Technology.
• Management and oversight over space allocations, renovations, leases, and facilities in collaboration with appropriate University and campus offices, including: financial allocations and budgets; normal and deferred maintenance and renovation requests and projects, etc.
• Review, monitor, and ensure compliance for sponsored research performance within the school or unit, including: internal research awards administration; post-award financial administration; approve and plan for cost share commitments

Procurement and Financial Expenditures Analysis and Approvals

• Transactional approval up to assign system dollar threshold via assigned and relevant Workday (GMS) roles, fulfilling all transactional responsibilities within a timely fashion
• Liaise with and support financial analysts/DSBM assigned to initiate and review all school-related transactions
• As needed or on an exceptions-basis, review and ensure procurement and financial policies compliance, including: routine expenditure reporting and compliance checks; engagement with OCFO and campus offices on policy compliance, adherence with policies, and routine/direct communication with Provost Office and OCFO on all controls.

Financial Liaison and Support

• Participation and leadership in campus- and university-wide financial meetings, task forces and working groups
• Support onboarding, training, and development of assigned financial and budget analysts, including: acclimation and structural understanding of school/unit’s business model; general university and campus policies and procedures; system and functional training support and engagement; feedback on performance for annual and periodic performance reviews; and feedback/recommendations for continued optimization of university training resources and references for effective financial management and performance.
• Special assignments and collaborations with the Dean, Provost, Main Campus CFO, or OCFO