Careers

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $125,000 to $140,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer (CFAO), the Director of Budget and Finance provides leadership and direction of the management of the budget and financial planning functions relating to the fiscal planning of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS). The Director oversees and acts as key liaison to all SEAS departments, institutes, and centers relating to financial planning and budgeting to ensure compliance with SEAS and University policies and procedures.

The Director develops internal control protocols, budgeting procedures, and administrative procedures for academic and administrative departments; assists in the preparation of SEAS annual budget submission; and participates in the development and management of all academic and administrative department budgets. On an ongoing basis, the Director monitors department performance to budget and works with Department Administrators and Business Managers to bring performance into budget compliance. This will entail providing revised budgets in SEAS and University systems as well as working with departments to explain any significant variances. The Director will be responsible for providing guidance and creating and delivering training to all departmental finance and administrative staff with regards to budget preparation, monitoring and reporting.

This role will also provide information and guidance to Department Chairs on all departmental finance matter. The Director will be responsible for preparation of reports and analyses using data extracted from University financial accounting system, student information system and other sources; creates, documents and manages data reporting mechanisms for strategic reporting and ad-hoc inquiries. This role will be responsible for the submission of quarterly variance reports to the Office of Management & Budget and will be play an integral role in preparing the School???s annual budget submission.

The Director will also be responsible for the approval of school-funded expenditures initiated at the department level as well as approval of all budget tool transactions. This role will be also serve as back-up adhoc approver should the Executive Director of Finance and Operations or Chief Financial and Administrative Officer are not available. The Director serves as liaison with all related University departments including, Office of Management and Budget, and the Controller's Office.

Responsibilities

• (45%) Budget and Planning: 

  Manage, create and maintain central budget and financial forecasting. Works with the CFAO and the finance team to conceptualize, create, and maintain custom forecasting tools and reports for use at the school and department level. Develop and load revised financial projections for the annual budget and quarterly updates as well as multi-year future forecasts in the university systems. Enhance and maintain a budget submission template for academic departments and Dean???s Office units to utilize. Work closely with all department to create their budgets, and provide quarterly updates on spending. Communicate with the Departments, and other University departments to resolve budget inconsistencies and rectify budgeting issues.

  Works closely with the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer on developing and updating the School???s long term strategic plan and tracking actuals against current year expenses. This includes, but is not limited to, working on tuition modeling, faculty and staff expansion, forecasts for research spending, indirect sources and uses, tracking faculty start-up expenses, and other general operational expenses. Works with academic departments and administrative units on developing and updating long term plan for these units.

  Develop & forecast incremental operating and maintenance expenses based on proposed operating
  and capital budgets using GAAP principles.

  Reviews and approves Financial system transactions as it pertains to budget.

• (35%) Financial Analysis and Reporting:

  Manage and monitor, analyze and report on the financial activity related to the school???s budget. Collect and maintain data and reporting from a wide array of University and departmental systems. Perform proactive audits to identify discrepancies and variances, and carries out associated reporting. Prepare quarterly variance analysis reports for the School and for submission to the Office of Management and Budget. Provides ad-hoc financial analysis. Provides adhoc reports and analyses.  Prepares and updates various executive-level presentations of the school???s financial standing.

• (15% )Financial Operations:

  Works with the CFAO on various cost share calculations for the departments and entering the various transactions.  The Director is an integral part of monthly, quarterly and fiscal year closing and will initiate, review and approve financial transactions as needed in multiple financial modules (Budget Tool, PAC, ARC modules). 

• (5%) Performs other tasks, duties, and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and/or its equivalent in Finance or Accounting, plus a minimum of 5-7 years related experience required. MBA highly preferred.

• Excellent analytical, presentation, oral, and written communication skills are required. The ability to take initiative and work independently is necessary. Must possess exceptional organizational skills and be extremely detail oriented.

• Must possess strong analytical skills, critical thinking and practical problem-solving abilities. Excellent communication, written, presentation, quantitative and interpersonal skills required. Must possess advanced Excel (pivot tables, Look-up functions, formulas etc.) and financial modeling skills including pivot tables. Knowledge of SQL coding, or other advanced analytical tools / visualization tools preferred (Tableau, Python etc).

• Knowledge of Columbia University Financial Systems preferred, but not required.

• Attention to detail and accuracy is essential; ability to manage multiple priorities with poise and discretion in a fast-paced environment is required.

• Ability to work as a member of a collaborative team while exercising independent judgment is essential.

• Positive, forward-thinking, mission-oriented attitude and sense of humor a must.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.

About Columbia University

Columbia University is one of the world's most important centers of research and at the same time a distinctive and distinguished learning environment for undergraduates and graduate students in many scholarly and professional fields. The University recognizes the importance of its location in New York City and seeks to link its research and teaching to the vast resources of a great metropolis. It seeks to attract a diverse and international faculty and student body, to support research and teaching on global issues, and to create academic relationships with many countries and regions. It expects all areas of the university to advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and to convey the products of its efforts to the world.

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