Finance Budget Director

Finance Budget Director - Business Office

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree programs and more than fifty workforce training, ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 24,000 students. More than one-third of LaGuardia’s degree-seeking students are born outside the United States; they come from 136 countries and speak 43 heritage languages. Sixty percent are first-generation college students. Virtually all LaGuardia students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent of associate degree students are Hispanic. Upon graduation most students transfer to four-year colleges, typically in CUNY, to complete their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of career programs such as Nursing, Computer Technology, and Veterinary Technology enter the workforce. LaGuardia ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges in economic mobility – moving low-income students into the middle class and beyond – in studies by Stanford University (2017) and the Brookings Institution (2020). Please visit laGuardian.edu to learn more.

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President of Finance & Business, the Budget Director directs the day-to-day operations of the Budget Office and supervises five full-time staff members. Leads the development, administration, and monitoring of the College's annual operating budget; prepares financial analyses, forecasts, and projections; and supports executive decision-making through accurate and timely financial reporting.

Responsibilities include directing Budget Office staff to ensure adherence to established financial plans, performing periodic budget reviews, variance analyses, and monitoring expenditures to ensure compliance with budgetary guidelines; leading the development, administration, and monitoring of the College's annual operating budget, including budget allocations, adjustments, and financial planning assumptions throughout the fiscal year; overseeing the monitoring and maintenance of personnel transactions for annual budget development, salary forecasting, vacancy management, position tracking, and related personnel budget activities; preparing financial forecasts, multi-year projections, scenario analyses, and variance reports to support annual budget development, institutional planning, resource allocation, and executive decision-making; developing and maintaining financial models, forecasting tools, and budget reporting templates to support institutional planning and financial decision-making; compiling financial information from multiple funding sources and preparing the College's All Funds budget, financial reports, and financial analyses; overseeing the preparation and timely distribution of accurate monthly financial statements, budget reports, executive financial analyses, and recurring financial reports for executive leadership and external reporting requirements; ensuring that Tax Levy accounting and financial reporting activities are monitored, maintained, reconciled, and accurately reflected across multiple internal and external financial systems; ensuring budget-related financial data is complete, accurate, and consistent to support compliance with institutional policies, reporting requirements, and audit activities; collaborating with Accounting, Purchasing, Accounts Payable, Bursar, Human Resources, and other administrative offices to ensure accurate financial reporting, budget execution, and effective coordination of financial activities; working closely with the Directors of Purchasing and Accounts Payable to ensure the accurate coding, encumbrance, liquidation, and financial reporting of non-personnel expenditures; conducting regular meetings with division and department leaders to review budget performance, discuss financial issues, monitor expenditures, and assist with financial planning and projections; serving as the primary liaison between the College and CUNY Central, responding to inquiries from the University Budget Office (UBO), Office of the University Controller (OUC), and other University offices on budgetary and financial matters; overseeing the administration, testing, training, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of enterprise budgeting and financial planning systems in support of the College's financial operations; recommending and implementing improvements to budgeting processes, financial reporting procedures, and related business practices to improve efficiency, consistency, and effectiveness; supervising, mentoring, and evaluating Budget Office staff by establishing priorities, monitoring workload, promoting accountability, and supporting professional development; perform related duties as assigned.

Qualifications include a Bachelor's Degree and eight years of related experience. Preferred qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Economics, Public Administration, or a closely related field, with a Master's degree preferred; demonstrated experience in budget development, financial planning, forecasting, financial modeling, variance analysis, and financial reporting, preferably within higher education or the public sector; supervisory experience with the ability to lead, mentor, and develop professional staff while managing multiple priorities and deadlines; excellent analytical, organizational, problem-solving, written, verbal, and presentation skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate complex financial information to administrators, department leaders, and non-financial audiences; experience developing financial models, forecasts, and budget projections to support operational and financial decision-making; advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including financial modeling and data analysis, and experience with enterprise budgeting and financial management systems (e.g., Workday, CUNYfirst, PeopleSoft, Banner, Oracle, or similar ERP platforms); experience participating in ERP implementations, system conversions, testing, or financial system implementations preferred; demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with department administrators, cross-functional teams, and institutional stakeholders in a customer-focused environment; ability to manage multiple projects, establish priorities, and meet competing deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail; knowledge of CUNY policies and procedures or experience working within a higher education or governmental environment preferred.

CUNY Title Overview: Directs the budgeting function of a College or major program as well as related accounting operations. Formulates, prepares and oversees financial plans and budgeting processes. Manages all financial reporting and compliance activities, including preparation of financial statements, statistical reports, and funding determinations. Liaisons with internal and external financial auditors as well as various College, University and governmental representatives. Oversees analytical reporting and provides strategic financial guidance to support decisions regarding resource allocations and operational planning. Manages professional staff responsible for budget projections, allocations and transactions. Performs related duties as assigned.

Job Title Name: Finance Budget Director. CUNY Title: Higher.

Education

• Officer

• FLSA

• Exempt

• COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• $122,201 - $155,388

• Salary commensurate with education and experience.

• CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.