Initial applicant review will begin on or around October 11th, 2022. Posting will remain open until filled.
This position offers a hybrid work schedule.
About UC Merced
The University of California, Merced, is the newest of the University of California system's 10 campuses and the first American research university built in the 21st century. With more than 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, UC Merced offers an environment that combines a commitment to diversity, inclusion, collaboration, and professional development. With bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs, strong research and academic partnerships, and community involvement, the UC Merced campus is continually evolving and requires talented, knowledgeable, and dynamic educators, researchers, management and staff.
Ranked among the best public universities in the nation by U.S. News and World Report, UC Merced is uniquely equipped to provide educational opportunities for highly qualified students from the San Joaquin Valley and throughout California. The campus enjoys a special connection with nearby Yosemite National Park, is on the cutting edge of sustainability in construction and design and supports the economic development of Merced and the region.
In Fall 2016, UC Merced broke ground on a $1.3 billion public-private partnership that is unprecedented in higher education. The Merced 2020 Project nearly doubled the physical capacity of the campus, enhancing academic distinction, student success and research excellence. In 2018, UC Merced opened the Downtown Campus Center, a $33 million, three-story administrative building located in the heart of Merced.
To set the course of UC Merced's evolution, in 2021 UC Merced will enact its first-ever 10-year strategic plan. This plan will guide how the values of equity and justice influence our pathway toward earning Carnegie R1 research status, growing enrollment, upholding our identity as a minority-serving institution, and operationalizing how commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion are enacted within each campus unit. UC Merced is expected to engage in sophisticated thinking, planning, and implementation of actions that effectively diversify the professoriate and staff, improve campus climate for all campus constituency groups, and strengthen our equity, diversity, and inclusion infrastructure and capacity.
About the Job
Reporting to the Vice Provost & Dean of Undergraduate Education, the Finance and Operations Manager is responsible for managing the administrative operations of the Division of Undergraduate Education. The Finance and Operations Manager is responsible for functions in student services, budgetary financial management, and personnel. Performs long and short-term planning, and advises the Dean on the administrative operations of the units within the Division.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsible for all aspects of the Division of Undergraduate Education budget, including annual and long-term financial commitments, and advises the Dean on the administrative operations of the units within the Division. Develops and makes recommendations on internal policy / procedural changes that affect budgets and finance. Holds broad authority to represent the Dean during the development of campus-level financial systems.
Independently performs highly complex financial or resource research and analyses. Examples include generating, modifying, and conceiving new financial or other resource reports, strategic planning and modeling, analyzing and forecasting operational budgets, risk assessment and mitigation, endowment/gift projections, and making recommendations for maximizing financial or other resource outcomes. Some topics may be highly sensitive or confidential.
Identifies, promotes, and communicates best practices for budget, financial, and other resources to unit staff. Ensures compliance with UC policy and DUE administrative and financial policy. Understands past and present performance and recommends future performance and/or resource allocations by administrative unit and academic department.
Applies professional concepts to perform moderate to complex analysis to understand past performance and determine present and future performance and/or resource allocations related to Summer Session. This includes developing methods for organizing, tracking, and reporting Summer Session revenue sharing with various campus partners. Collaborates with Summer Session Director and School administrators in projecting demand and revenue for Summer Session course offerings.
Strategically analyze the Summer Session financial operations and make recommendations to increase efficiency and revenue generation. Gather, analyze, prepare and summarize recommendations for financial and/or resource plans, including annual resource allocation approaches, trended future requirements, operating forecasts, sources, and uses, etc. Develop budget forecast and modeling for new programs proposed for Summer Session. Prepare annual summer reconciliations to create a funding base for the following year and for purposes of official reporting to internal and external constituencies.
Leads the implementation of a systematic process for managing the improvement of processes, policies, and practices impacting undergraduate student experience and success. This includes identifying opportunities for improvement and streamlining, gathering data, prioritizing needs, and convening cross-unit teams to investigate, design, and implement a solution. Examples of such processes include needs such as improving the transfer articulation process, first-year registration streamlining, reducing advising transactional work, creating efficiencies in course scheduling, streamlining student tutor hiring, and increasing active registration management.
Serves as a key strategist to the Dean in initiating and developing plans and strategic direction. Provides a framework for policy and administrative change, developing strategies for change management to remove barriers to the goals of the Initiative. Is a key adviser to the Dean on matters of strategic planning, resource allocation, personnel, processes, and policy and is responsible for continuous and integrated improvements on all such matters. Works with the Dean, other executives, and Division leadership to formulate, execute, and evaluate progress on data-informed, multi-year plans that incorporate metrics and milestones, including ROI for student success programs.
Directs the collection of budgetary and resource requirements information during planning stages, such as the annual budget process. Works with unit leads to formulate multi-year plans based on the drivers/metrics of the Integrated Planning Initiative. Directs, initiates, designs, and provides analytical studies, summary reports, and background materials to the Dean.
Communicates high-level strategy, initiatives, policies, and guidelines that impact DUE's mission with key campus partners, including: Planning & Budget, Risk Services, Audit & Compliance, the Center for Business Services, Housing and Dining, the Office of Information Technology, and ORED. Collaborates with higher-level management in these areas to resolve issues and concerns raised by Division staff.
Review and approve procurement and acquisition of assets and services critical to the DUE's operation and delivery of services. Serves as a delegated authority to the Dean on a wide range of matters in the Dean's absence, including matters of budget, finance, personnel, and other general business operations. Represents the Dean and the Division on campus-wide committees, workgroups, and task forces and plays an integral role in the development of campus policies, systems, and procedures. Serves as the Division Chief Administrative Officer, participates in the Assistant Deans.
Qualifications
EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE
Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Business Management, Finance, Accounting, or a related area and five years of directly related, progressively responsible experience managing administrative operations and budgets, human resources, financial management, or nine years of equivalent experience/training as indicated. (Required)
CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Broad knowledge of the organization's processes, protocols and procedures with a focus on budget, account and fund management and / or personnel management under labor contract(s) and personnel policy.
Broad knowledge of financial analysis and reporting techniques; human resources and risk management planning; and / or accounting and payroll.
Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to influence / persuade all levels of staff.
Skills in organization and customer service to effectively manage multiple important priorities. Proven ability to organize department work functions in an efficient and effective manner.
Broad knowledge of common organization-specific and other computer application programs.
Skills to work collaboratively with other locations.
Proven skills to quickly evaluate complex issues and identify multiple options for resolution.
Demonstrated management and conflict resolution skills to effectively lead and motivate others.
Background Check
Background check and fingerprinting will be required.
Policy Statement
How to Apply: An online application is required for each position to apply.The University of California, Merced is aware that some web-based application processes may be cumbersome for differently abled applicants. Where appropriate, alternative accommodations will be provided. For applicants with disabilities who need additional assistance using TAM, or reasonable accommodations during the interview or search process, please contact ucmjobs@ucmerced.edu.
Equal Employment Opportunity: The University of California, Merced is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer advancing inclusive excellence. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, pregnancy, or status as a disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran, or other protected categories covered by the UC Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy. UC Merced intentionally promotes and maintains a discrimination- and harassment-free workplace by demonstrating it neither condones nor tolerates employment practices that discriminate against or harass any person or specific group of persons on the basis listed above. We seek candidates who will support our vision to cultivate a vibrant, equity-minded, inclusive excellence university community. When applying to UC Merced, we strongly encourage you to reflect on our Principles of Community and our 2021 strategic plan.
Vaccination Program Policy:
As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Policy. All Covered Individuals under the policy must provide proof of Full Vaccination or, if applicable, submit a request for Exception (based on Medical Exemption, Disability, and/or Religious Objection) or Deferral (based on pregnancy) no later than the applicable deadline. For new University of California employees, the applicable deadline is 14 days after their first date of employment.
Smoke and Tobacco Free Policy: The University of California, Merced is a smoke and tobacco free workplace. Information and the Smoke and Tobacco Free policy is available at http://smokefree.ucmerced.edu.
E-Verify: All employers who receive Federal contracts and grants are required to comply with E-Verify, an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA). E-Verify electronically verifies employment eligibility by comparing information provided on the I-9 form to records in the DHS and SSA databases. Certain positions funded by federal contracts/subcontracts requires UC Merced to notify job applicants that an E-Verify check will be conducted and the successful candidate must pass the E-Verify check.
UC Merced is the first new American research university built in the 21st century, with a mission of research, teaching and service. The campus opened Sept. 5, 2005, in the San Joaquin Valley. The university is about an hour north of Fresno, two hours south of Sacramento, two hours southeast of San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, and 90 minutes west of Yosemite National Park.