Finance Business Partner & Budget Lead

Employment Type:

Permanent Application Link: 4469

OVERVIEW

This position serves as a senior financial planning and business partnering resource supporting the Academic Affairs portfolio. The role leads divisional budget planning, forecasting, and resource optimization, providing data-driven insights and financial stewardship to support informed decision-making and strategic execution. Acting as the primary financial advisor to Academic Affairs leadership, this position plays a critical role in advancing operating model maturity, fiscal accountability, and sustainable academic operations.

• Lead annual and ongoing management of Academic Affairs all-funds operating and capital budgets, ensuring alignment with organizational strategy, academic priorities, and financial governance standards.
• Drive multi-year budgeting, forecasting, and scenario planning using enterprise planning tools, including position control, budget amendments, financial modeling, and long-range cost projections.
• Serve as the divisional budget lead within the enterprise financial system (ERP), overseeing general, program, grant, gift, scholarship, and endowed funds.
• Partner with FP&A leadership, Controllers, and Human Resources to ensure budget integrity, transparency, and compliance across academic operations.
• Provide proactive financial guidance, training, and decision support to deans, academic leaders, and administrators to strengthen budget ownership and operational efficiency.
• Develop and deliver financial reports, dashboards, and variance analyses to support strategic planning, program evaluation, and executive decision-making.
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, grant requirements, donor restrictions, and internal controls, serving as the primary financial governance liaison for Academic Affairs.
• Oversee purchasing, expense management, and cost-center reconciliations, implementing efficient workflows and continuous process improvements.
• Lead enrollment- and demand-aware financial modeling to support academic program planning, instructional delivery, and sustainable cost structures.
• Manage faculty and staff compensation transactions within the ERP, including workload allocations, adjunct/overload assignments, and compensation changes aligned to staffing plans and budget authority.
• Provide oversight and analysis of faculty workload, instructional costs, and adjunct/overload budgets, partnering with academic leadership to support sustainable staffing and compensation models.
• Coordinate monthly budget, grant, scholarship, and procurement reviews to ensure data accuracy, spend visibility, and timely issue resolution.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert for financial systems and planning tools, promoting data accuracy, workflow adoption, and customer-focused financial solutions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Strong proficiency with enterprise financial systems and planning tools (e.g., Workday Finance, Adaptive Planning, or similar ERP platforms)
• Advanced understanding of budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and multi-year financial planning in a complex organizational environment
• Knowledge of compensation, payroll costing, and position management, including instructional workload, adjunct, and overload models
• Familiarity with financial governance, internal controls, grants management, and donor or sponsor restrictions.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence without authority.
• High level of organizational discipline, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities.
• Customer-service mindset with a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively in a team environment.
• Adaptability and resilience in a dynamic, technology-enabled environment, with a focus on continuous improvement and change adoption.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and across cultures.

• Bachelor’s degree in…