Pay Grade: 34E

Context of the Job:

College of Engineering has a complex financial portfolio including an operating budget in excess of $145M, $80M of research expenditures, and nearly $65M of endowment funds, gifts, and discretionary reserves. Robust financial management 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 (SBO), 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 SBO through interpreting financial data and developing complex financial models used to drive the dean's decision-making and strategic planning initiatives. The incumbent is responsible for the development of and regularly updating the college's 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 SBO to develop and implement new college financial policies and procedures.

Provides leadership and direction for the college's business intelligence group including gathering, reporting and analyzing the data associated with the college's finances, human resources, research and students.

In collaboration with and guidance from the SBO, the incumbent serves as a liaison with the college's 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 financial team employees as assigned, sets their own work priorities, and exercises independent judgment in making decisions concerning financial analysis and recommendations.

Major Responsibilities:

Budget & Planning

• Collaborate with the SBO and dean to develop and implement college-wide financial strategies, multi-year budget plans, performance metrics, and departmental funding allocations that support strategic and operational goals.
• Serve as project lead in the infrastructure and organization segment of the college’s strategic plan.
• Directly supervise multiple financial team employees including financial and data analysts.  Responsibilities include setting priorities, evaluating performance, completing performance appraisals, professional development and time & attendance. 
• In the absence of the SBO, serve as the main point of contact for all college financial and administrative matters in support of the dean, associate deans and department chairs.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on the UD Budget Model (UDBM), leading analysis, training, and support efforts to guide college departments in budget planning and performance assessment.
• Flow down revenue and expenses to the unit level, providing updates and detailed explanations to department chairs, business administrators and faculty/staff.
• Manage the daily resource and financial operations of the college. Implement the allocation decisions to units, monitoring and evaluating expenditures on college budgets and monitor, prepare, and interpret complex financial reports.
• Approve and process revenue, expenditure and department budgets, budget turnaround updates, and maintenance of accounts and ledgers, ensuring compliance with appropriate university regulations and policies, and ensuring maintenance of appropriate internal controls.
• Significantly influence and contribute to the achievements of the college's 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.
• Prepare and review financial projections of outcome for selected areas, including analysis of budgetary and financial compliance.
• Develop and maintain financial policies, procedures, and best practices to improve operational efficiency, ensure compliance, and support college-wide excellence.
• Identify and resolve financial issues, manage internal controls, and implement process improvements to maintain financial continuity and integrity.
• Perform customized financial analyses and cost feasibility studies to facilitate decision- making and planning as directed by the dean and/or SBO.
• Serve 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.
• Develop 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.
• Analyze space data, faculty productivity metrics, and financial considerations to support efficient space assignment decisions.
• Monitor operations to identify and mitigate financial risks and works to resolve them by developing data driven, actionable plans.
• Manage 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 processes and procedures.
• Monitor, track, and plan for financial commitments such as start-ups, cost share agreements, and strategic investments in an effort to responsibly manage available resources.  Ensure accurate projections and contribute to deficit reductions as necessary.
• Research, plan, and execute financial commitments associated with personnel appointments and salary increases.
• Supervise, track, and report out on the financial considerations for all new faculty hires, collaborating with the college’s associate dean for academic affairs and the HR director.
• Track and process faculty related JEDs to include sabbatical and retirement leaves, promotions, and terminations.
• Ensure consistent reporting and conformity with university fiscal policies and procedures.
• Manage 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.
• Interact with Provost's Office, HR, Budget Office, and Research Office as the college's budget and planning lead to resolve financial problems and administrative issues.
• Process and approve journal vouchers and budget revisions, ensuring proper revenue and expense recognition, and supervises account reconciliation.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Data Analytics

• Lead the college’s business intelligence and analytics efforts, overseeing data collection, reporting, and system integration to support strategic decision-making.
• Serve as subject matter expert on data systems and flows, ensuring data integrity, visualization, and usability for college leadership.
• Supervise the academic data analyst.
• Create and manage business intelligence data policies, procedures and standards within the College.
• Develop reports that will further the missions of the college and the university. Design and implement improved methods for compiling existing information to improve reporting capability and information.
• Build, maintain, and update desktop databases (for example, space database, commitment database, and named professor database) and web-based databases (for example, tuition allocation model database, machine shop database, and electron microscopy facility database).
• Examine source data systems to determine data elements necessary to meet required objectives and develop routines for extracting data from data sources.
• Distinguish user requests from the underlying true needs.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business administration, finance or other job­ related discipline and eight 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.
• Effective communication skills and ability to adjust to a rapidly changing environment.
• 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 in writing.
• Knowledge of federal contracts and grants preparation and management, as well as accounting procedures involving procurement, travel and/or employment.
• 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.
• Familiarity with University policies and procedures preferred.