Pay Grade: 32E

Context of the Job:

College of Engineering has a complex financial portfolio including an operating budget in excess of $100M, $45M of research expenditures, and nearly $65M of endowment funds, gifts, and discretionary reserves. Operating in a decentralized budget model requires colleges to establish long­ range financial projections, to innovate and renew revenue streams, and to manage strategic decisions through the use of extensive business modeling.

Under the limited direction of the Senior Business Officer, the incumbent serves as the Lead Financial Officer in the College of Engineering and is responsible for the managerial oversight of the daily operations and long-term financial planning and analysis for the College. The incumbent provides counsel to the Senior Business Officer through interpreting financial data and developing complex financial models used to drive the Deans decision-making and strategic planning initiatives. The incumbent is responsible for the development of and regularly updating the Colleges five-year financial plan based on University and College policy changes. Responsible for preparing, implementing and evaluating Department budget allocations and expenditures. Works with the Senior Business Officer to develop and implement new College financial policies and procedures.Provides leadership and direction for the Colleges Business Intelligence Group including gathering, reporting and analyzing the data associated with the Colleges finances, human resources, research and students.The incumbent serves as a liaison with the Colleges Department chairs and Administrative Units, University Budget Office and other University Administrative units. The incumbent has a University-wide impact by serving on high-level University Task Forces and employment search committees and participates in other University financial meetings such as the Academic Financial Group Meeting. The incumbent supervises one Financial Analyst staff member, sets own work priorities, and exercises independent judgment in making decisions concerning financial analysis and recommendations.

Major Responsibilities:

Budget & Planning

• Develops multi-year budget plans and projections that ensure the College can effectively implement its strategic and business plans.
• Manages the daily resource and financial operations of the College. Implements the allocation decisions to units, monitoring and evaluating expenditures on College budgets and monitoring, preparing, and interpreting complex financial reports.
• Approves and processes revenue, expenditure and department budgets, budget turnaround updates, and the maintenance of accounts and ledgers, ensuring compliance with appropriate University regulations and policies, and ensures maintenance of appropriate internal controls.
• Significantly influences and contributes towards the achievements of the Colleges strategic and operational objectives by providing analytical support to solve a wide range of complex issues/problems surrounding the college enrollment, cost efficiencies, and financial and business systems.
• Prepares and reviews financial projections of outcome for selected areas, including analysis of budgetary and financial compliance. Provides recommendations and means of resolution for potential financial problems and for improving financial process and procedures.
• Works closely with the Sr. Business Officer and the Dean to set department operating budgets, undergraduate and graduate funding, temporary teaching funds and student and faculty recruiting budgets.
• Performs customized financial analyses and cost feasibility studies to facilitate decision- making and planning as requested by the Dean, Deputy Dean, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, Center Directors and the Sr. Business Officer.
• Serves as College budget and planning authority by providing guidance to Department Business Administrators and Administrative Managers for the interpretation of financial reports and data, College and University policies, and in managing costs and leveraging resources to fulfill strategic goals.
• Develops planning models to analyze financial impact of enrollment changes, new program/department creation, strategic hiring plans, fluctuations in research expenditures, capital projects and other financial scenarios.
• Analyzes space data, faculty productivity metrics, and financial considerations to support efficient space assignment decisions.
• Monitors operations to identify and mitigate financial risks and works to resolve them by developing data driven, actionable plans. Strives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of existing operations by ensuring that the appropriate policies and procedures are developed, maintained, and disseminated to College faculty and staff.
• Manages the internal and external billing of College self-supporting operations and federally approved service centers requiring analyzing market competitive pricing, federal compliance, and developing billing process and procedures.
• Works with the Sr. Business Officer and Dean to develop the Colleges yearly financial benchmark and Department level performance metrics.
• Monitors, tracks, and plans for financial commitments such as start-ups, cost share agreements, retirement payments, and strategic investments in an effort to responsibly manage available resources.
• Researches, plans for, and executes financial commitments associated with personnel appointments and salary increases.
• Tracks and processes faculty related JEDs to include sabbatical and retirement leaves, promotions, and terminations.
• Ensures consistent reporting and conformity with University fiscal policies and procedures.
• Manages a purpose code hierarchy for the College that facilitates effective financial reporting and management.
• This responsibility includes purpose code creation and the approval and management of row level security privileges for over 2,000 purpose codes.
• Interacts with Provosts Office, HR, Budget Office, and Research Office as the Colleges budget and planning lead to resolve financial problems and administrative issues.
• Processes and approves journal vouchers and budget revisions, ensuring proper revenue and expense recognition, and supervises account reconciliation.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Data Analytics

• Provides leadership and direction for the Colleges Business Intelligence Group including gathering, reporting and analyzing the data associated with the Colleges finances, human resources, research and students. This also includes the direct supervision of the Data Analyst and Academic Analyst staff positions.
• Oversees and assists in preparing data-based presentations to support strategic and operational planning and decision-making initiatives.
• Creates and manages business intelligence, data policies, procedures and standards within the College.
• Develops reports that will further the missions of the College and the University.
• Designs and implements improved methods for compiling existing information to improve reporting capability and information.
• Builds, maintains, and updates desktop databases (space database, commitment database, and Named Professor database) and web-based databases (tuition allocation model database, machine shop database, and electron microscopy facility database).
• Utilizes college data sources and university data warehouses to optimize reporting and to enable effective planning decisions.
• Writes complex queries for data extraction, ensures data integrity, performs data validation and analysis to ensure accuracy and quality of data, and presents data for internal or external review using advanced methods.
• Examines source data systems to determine data elements necessary to meet required objectives and develops routines for extracting data from data sources.
• Serves as subject matter expert on data elements and data flows; understands the flow of data within & between data sources and how it affects business processes.
• Distinguishes user requests from the underlying true needs.
• Mentors junior members in Business Intelligence team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in accounting, business administration, finance or other job­ related discipline and six years of related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to analyze financial data and prepare financial reports, gather and analyze statistical data and generate reports, statements and/or projections.
• Knowledge of computerized information systems used in financial and/or accounting applications, and computerized student information systems.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. Experience in a higher education institution and with budget modeling.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Experience with PeopleSoft Query/Financials, Cognos Report Studio and Microsoft Office software.
• Ability to effectively communicate technical concepts, both verbally and written.
• Ability to adjust to a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Intermediate knowledge of local, state and federal accounting regulations.
• Experience in supervising and managing staff; ability to supervise and train assigned staff, foster a cooperative work environment, as well as organize, prioritize and schedule work assignments.
• Ability to work independently.