About this role
About the Role
The Director of Financial Planning and Analysis provides strategic financial guidance to the Office of the Chief Financial Officer and university leadership. This role leads multi-year forecasting, scenario planning, and decision-support analyses to inform institutional decisions and drive financial performance.
What You'll Do
- Design, build, and maintain the Office of the Chief Financial Officer's financial planning models, including multi-year forecasts, scenario analyses, and sensitivity and stress tests; ensure outputs are rigorous, well-documented, and actionable for senior leadership and the Board.
- Develop executive dashboards and recurring financial reports that provide real-time visibility into key metrics and institutional health.
- Establish and track key performance indicators, conduct variance analyses, and produce well-structured reporting to monitor financial performance and identify emerging issues.
- Serve as the integrating financial intelligence function across the University's finance functions; partner with finance teams to consolidate data, align assumptions, and build institution-wide models.
- Lead the financial benchmarking program, analyzing the University’s position relative to peers using IPEDS, NACUBO, and rating frameworks; produce clear comparative analyses to inform strategic planning.
- Manage ad hoc analytical projects for senior leadership; lead efforts to enhance financial planning processes and systems with best practices and technology solutions.
- Provide leadership and mentorship to staff as appropriate, ensuring high standards of integrity and ethical conduct.
What We're Looking For
- A bachelor’s degree is required; preference for finance, accounting, business administration, or related field; a master’s degree in a relevant field is preferred.
- Minimum of seven years of progressive financial management experience with demonstrated advancement in scope and complexity.
- Advanced skills in financial modeling, forecasting, and data analysis; deep knowledge of budgeting methodologies and financial systems.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insights for diverse audiences; excellent written and verbal communication.
- Proficiency with pivot tables, macros, and complex formulas; experience designing executive dashboards using business intelligence tools; familiarity with AI-powered analytics is highly desirable.
- Experience in higher education or another complex nonprofit environment is highly desirable; prior supervisory or mentoring experience is preferred.
- Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and the ability to read and interpret financial statements; capacity to understand how decisions flow through income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow.
- Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment with shifting priorities and a commitment to ethical conduct.
Nice to Have
- Familiarity with AI-powered analytics.
- Experience in higher education or other complex institutional environments.
- Financial systems modernization or ERP implementation experience.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range: $123,000–$150,000 per year.