This position will be posted until filled.  The search committee will begin reviewing applications on May 5, 2025.

Context of the Job:

The College of Earth, Ocean and Environment offers modern instruction and research facilities on both the Newark and Lewes campuses. The college is home to more than 70 professors and research scientists and 70 staff that deliver education to approximately 450 undergraduate students and 150 grad students and postdocs, and perform research all over the world. The College has annual grant expenditures totaling approximately $12 million and increasing annually. The College basic operating budget is approximately $18 million and the total annual operating budget is approximately $34 million. The college houses the world-class Irenee DuPont Mineralogical Museum, the Delaware Geological Survey, the Scientific Committee for Ocean Research, the Mangone Climate Change Science and Policy Hub, and the Delaware Sea Grant program. In addition, CEOE is home to a fleet of innovative vehicles and instruments that contribute to CEOE's environmental research: the R/V Hugh R. Sharp, a state-of-the-art 146-foot research vessel that is part of the National University Fleet; a cutting-edge Geographic Information Systems Laboratory; the University’s AUV fleet (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle); and the wind power turbine.

The Senior Business Officer serves as an integral member of the leadership team of the College and is responsible for enhancing the internal organization processes and infrastructure in support of the College’s mission and that of the University of Delaware. The Senior Business Officer provides accurate and consistent reports for the dean, chairs, and other internal and external constituents as well as supporting the business services in all academic departments. The Senior Business Officer directs, plans, and manages complex and diverse administrative, academic and research functions as measured by annual revenue and number of faculty and staff, ensuring compliance with University policies and procedures. The Senior Business Officer provides leadership and oversight of the fiscal affairs and research activities of the various academic and operational components of the College. The Senior Business Officer acts as liaison with other University departments on behalf of the College and/or Dean. The Senior Business Officer participates with the Dean and internal management in strategic and operational planning and decision making as a member of the central management team.

Major Responsibilities:

• Manages fiscal affairs of the College including budget planning, financial analysis, cash flow, and policy issues.  Manages Grant Manager and Financial staff; the Business Administrators in the units have a dotted line to the Senior Business Officer.
• Oversees grants and contractual agreements for the College.
• Works with central administration to improve financial management processes.
• Provides leadership and oversight for business operations including fiscal affairs and research activities college-wide. Participates in both strategic and operational planning and decision-making regarding various programs, services and functions.
• Provides strategic consultation to the Dean on financial issues, to include financial analysis and projections, cost identification and allocation, and revenue and expense analysis.
• Prepares and presents materials to summarize and justify unit/program budget requests, including data gathering/reporting and trend analyses in connection with budgetary formulation and administration.
• Prepares and presents business cases and budget proposals for specific projects or ongoing operational needs to the Dean. Such recommendations have a lasting impact on operations of the College.
• Manages internal activities of the College, including budget formulation and expenditures, accounting, cost control, contract and grant administration, and administrative policy formulation/implementation.
• Monitors, evaluates, and implements procedures that foster cost-effective administrative operations for the College.  Seeks best practices and affects changes required for improvement. 
• Participates in developing new business, specifically: assist the Dean and Chairs/Director in identifying new funding/growth opportunities, the drafting of business plans including budgets and cost effectiveness.
• Supervises the business office staff; assigns work and special projects; monitors workload and productivity; evaluates performance and makes recommendations for personnel actions; motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance; promotes staff training and development; provides assistance in analyzing and resolving complex issues.
• Assists the dean and deputy dean on operational and administrative matters; reviews, interprets, recommends, and/or implements College policies; identifies and resolves issues regarding administrative and fiscal matters; develops systems to monitor academic and administrative deadlines; regularly evaluates College administrative systems and services.
• Establishes and implements short- and long-range goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures; monitors and evaluates operational effectiveness.
• Provides direct oversight for CEOE capital projects and other renovation activities.
• Oversees space inventory and space planning for CEOE
• Serves as the point of contact with University Facilities Management to ensure appropriate maintenance and upkeep of all CEOE-assigned instructional, research, and office space.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business, Finance or other job-related field and eight years of progressively responsible job-related experience. Master’s degree preferred.
• Supervisory experience.
• Ability to work effectively with people and with varied public and private organizations.
• Strong oral and written communication and strong interpersonal skills with effective interactions with senior administration, faculty, and other constituents.
• Leadership ability including strategic planning, team building, business development and change management.
• Knowledge of federal and state financial regulations, and University financial policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of and experience with computerized information systems used in financial and/or accounting applications, financial accounting, budgeting, control, and reporting principles, methods, techniques, and standards.
• Experience with software to quantify and illustrate complex financial reports, comparisons, impacts, and/or projections.
• Experience with business practices and procedures.
• Advanced analytic, financial modeling and critical thinking skills are expected as are exceptional judgment and initiative.
• Ability to plan, organize, implement, evaluate, and modify financial programs, informational support systems, and processes.
• Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments. Employee development and performance management skills.  Ability to make evaluative judgments. 
• Ability to analyze and interpret financial data and prepare financial reports, statements and/or projections.
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic business and operating plans.
• Ability to develop and maintain recordkeeping systems and procedures.
• Ability to analyze and interpret financial and systems support requirements, and provide consultation and recommendations to operational management. 
• Skill in examining and re-engineering operations and procedures, formulating policy, and developing and implementing new strategies and procedures.