Budget Director

Salary Range Starting Salary at $101,450; commensurate with experience

The Budget Director provides strategic leadership and oversight for the university’s budgeting, financial planning, and forecasting processes, working closely with senior leadership, academic and administrative units, and finance/accounting staff to develop, monitor, and maintain the institution’s operating and capital budgets. The Budget Director works closely with the Controller and the Vice President for Financial Affairs to provide budget reports, long-term forecasts, and decision recommendations for leadership and the Board of Regents.

This position reports to the Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs & Controller.

• Lead the development and administration of the university’s annual operating and capital budget processes.
• Formulate long-range financial planning and multi-year budget forecasting.
• Develop budget models that support institutional goals, enrollment trends, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide financial analyses and recommendations to executive leadership regarding resource allocation and budget priorities.
• Evaluate the financial impact of new programs, initiatives, and organizational changes.

• Monitor university-wide budget performance and financial results.
• Analyze budget-to-actual variances and identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Prepare forecasts and financial projections throughout the fiscal year.
• Develop and maintain financial dashboards, budget reports, and management analytics.
• Ensure budget assumptions are well-documented and consistently applied.

• Serve as the primary liaison for budget-related matters with academic colleges, administrative divisions, and auxiliary enterprises.
• Provide guidance and training to campus departments regarding budget development and financial management practices.
• Collaborate with accounting, institutional research, enrollment management, and human resources departments.
• Present financial information and recommendations to executive leadership, budget committees, and governing boards as required.

• Maintain effective internal controls related to budget preparation and monitoring.
• Assist in developing and implementing fiscal policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with university policies, governmental regulations, and applicable financial standards.
• Support annual audits by providing budget documentation and financial analyses.

• Identify opportunities to improve budgeting processes, systems, reporting capabilities, and financial transparency.
• Lead implementation of budgeting and planning software enhancements.
• Promote best practices in higher education budgeting and financial management.
• Utilize data analytics and collaborate with institutional research and enrollment management to improve forecasting accuracy and decision-making.
• Foster a culture of customer service, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Please note that the above list of duties is not comprehensive but generally demonstrates the types of matters under this position’s purview and responsibility.

• Required:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Finance or related field.
• Required:
  
  7 to 10 years of progressive professional experience in budgeting, financial planning, or accounting inclusive of managing complex budgets and financial analyses.
• Required:
  
  Experience leading staff or managing a financial function.
• Required:
  
  Experience working with financial reporting software and creating financial reports.
• Pref…