Asst. Director, Finance and Planning

Overview

The Assistant Director for Finance and Planning is responsible for managing the financial operations of the Dean's Office in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). This position works closely with SEAS leadership to best utilize the school's financial resources to further its mission of teaching and research. Additionally, the Assistant Director contributes to administrative operations, manages school-wide data analysis, and serves as a key leader in the school for financial processes and compliance.

The position develops financial models, projections, and scenario analyses as needed to inform short- and long-term planning, including resource allocation, commitments, funding availability, and emerging financial risks. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Administration, Finance and Planning, this position requires a detail-oriented professional with exceptional judgment and discretion, clear and concise communication skills, and deep analytical abilities.

Financial management, analysis and compliance:

- Responsible for consistent oversight of all financial transactions within the Dean's Office to ensure appropriate usage of funds given donor restrictions and intended purposes.

- Manage a complex budget with multiple revenue sources including University administrative funds, endowments, and term gifts.

- Oversee annual budgeting process for all groups within the Dean's Office and lead the year-end financial close process.

- Serve as a lead financial resource for all engineering departments and work closely with various campus partners on financial policies and procedures to ensure compliance and best practices.

- Draft financial correspondence on behalf of the Dean and Vice Dean.

- Direct financial oversight of engineering strategic initiatives, such as Robotics, DeCenter, and NextG.

- Maintain numerous complex financial data spreadsheets and consistently format information for distribution to senior leadership for decision making and presentation purposes.

Resource planning:

- Ensure accurate allocation and tracking of funds to support discretionary expenses, innovation research grants, faculty start-up and retention packages, undergraduate lab improvements, capital project renovations, and thesis research, among others.

- Work closely with the Vice Dean on start-up packages for authorized faculty searches, faculty retention packages, and cost share commitments for sponsored research to ensure school-wide equity.

- Oversee annual administrative budgets for all departments and centers/institutes within the school.

- Develop rate analysis, and track the usage and running balance of cost recovery centers in the Dean's Office including the Machine Shop and Robotics Lab.

- Work closely with the Dean to strategically direct new and existing financial resources to the Dean's highest priorities and contribute to strategic planning and operations decision making conversations to advance the school's mission and long-term growth.

Metrics/Data analysis:

- Compile course evaluations school-wide each semester.

- Review and reconcile Full Time Equivalent (FTE) allocations for the Dean's Office.

- Compile annual sponsored research expenditure figures school-wide.

- Analyze data and track metrics on SEAS students, faculty, post-docs, and more and display data in an ease-to-digest and visually appealing format to both diverse internal and external public-facing constituents.

- Develop tracking methodologies and maintain metrics and data analysis frameworks required to respond to national surveys for school ranking purposes; apply rigorous project management principles to ensure precise and thorough data submission.

Administrative and planning oversight:

- Manage one staff member, a financial coordinator, who provides daily financial system inputs, manages vendor relationships, and ensures accurate financial reporting.

- Assist with engineering strategic planning initiatives, including periodically serving as a supervisor of term- and/or part-time positions.

- Assist with administrative operations for the Dean's Office under the direction of the Associate Dean for Administration, Finance and Planning.

- Evaluate staffing levels for services and functions within the school and make recommendations for improvements and unmet needs.

Other duties as assigned:

- Administer annual faculty awards and Kenan Visiting Professorship in Engineering processes.

- Direct annual research administration process that issues awards to faculty for cutting-edge research; manage proposal request procedure, fund allocation, and annual reporting requirements.

- Maintain billing system for nitrogen gas usage in faculty labs.

- Lead and/or participate in special projects and campus committees as assigned.

Required qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree and 7+ years of work experience.

- Advanced computer skills including demonstrated proficiency in financial tools, reports, and Excel.

- Exceptional analytical and problem solving…