Assistant Director of Budget and Financial Planning

Overview

Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 STEM-focused research university, located in Golden, Colorado. The Office of Finance, Administration and Operations (FA&O) provides critical support, managing operating activity, assets, and personnel. The Assistant Director of Budget and Financial Planning partners with executive leadership, faculty, and staff to advance the university0mission through data-informed financial planning, resource allocation, and decision support. The Budget and Financial Planning department oversees operating and capital funding.

This position reports to the Director of Budget and Financial Planning and is responsible for institutional budget development, financial forecasting, resource planning, variance analysis, and executive financial reporting. The role includes onboarding and training staff, maintaining compliant budget practices, and ensuring transparent communications within the team, FA&O, and the broader university. The position leverages technology, automation, and AI-enabled tools to improve processes, reporting capabilities, and operational efficiency while maintaining data integrity.

It may be eligible for hybrid work in Colorado and requires two or more days per week on campus in Golden, Colorado.

• Budget Formulation & Resource Allocation – Lead and coordinate key university budget processes in partnership with the Director, including annual operating budget development, implementation, monitoring, and fiscal year analysis. Oversee financial planning and analysis across complex funding sources (General, Designated, Auxiliary, Restricted, Endowment). Partner with financial and operations departments to plan financial and personnel resources.
• Financial Analysis & Long-Range Planning – Develop and maintain multi-year financial forecasting models to evaluate sustainability of university initiatives and support strategic planning. Assess financial health and provide insights to inform decision making and resource allocation. Conduct sensitivity analyses and scenario planning for revenues, enrollment, state funding, auxiliary units, and research infrastructure investments.
• Reporting & Systems – Prepare and present executive-level analyses, dashboards, forecasts, and recommendations for senior leadership and the Board of Trustees. Develop campus reports to support decision-making and strategic planning. Create and utilize financial performance dashboards that communicate progress against institutional KPIs. Support system management, integrations, and reporting; serve as a functional subject matter expert for ERP (Workday) and budgeting software (Adaptive Planning).
• Collaborative Leadership & Supervision – Serve as the primary financial liaison to executive leadership and campus departments, guiding them through budget formulation and variance resolutions. Design and implement university-wide budget policies and internal controls. Supervise budget and financial planning analysts, providing leadership, coaching, and professional development.

• Bachelor
  00s degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field. Five or more years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial planning, FP&A, accounting, or financial management.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, especially Excel. Experience with enterprise financial systems and ERP platforms (e.g., Workday, Oracle, Banner, People Soft, or similar). Ability to manage and understand complex information systems. Strong analytical mindset for financial reporting and data analysis.
• Collaborative problem solver with excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills. Demonstrated ability to meet multiple deadlines and deliver high-quality service. Customer service orientation and ability to work with diverse campus constituencies.

• Master
  00s degree in accounting, business, finance, or related field.
• Experience in higher education budgeting and financial planning; experience developing long-range forecasts and financial models.
• Experience with budget planning systems (Adaptive Planning, Anaplan, Prophix, etc.) and…