Project Analyst, University Space Planning & Capital Budget

Department
Provost Research Infrastructure

Job Summary
The Project Analyst will provide analytic and project management support to the Office of the Provost, with primary responsibility for campus space planning and capital budget administration. Reporting to the Associate Provost, the Project Analyst will work collaboratively with financial and operational experts throughout the University - including Facilities Services, Budget Office, Finance & Administration, IT Services, and academic and administrative units - to support informed decision-making, accurate record-keeping, and effective governance processes related to capital investment and campus space.

Responsibilities

Project Management

• Support planning for campus space allocation; participate in working groups and project meetings related to campus space planning, including needs assessments, feasibility reviews, scope development, and space utilization audits; track action items, document decisions, and ensure follow-through on assigned tasks between meetings.
• Maintain organized and current records of emerging campus space needs, pending space allocation requests, and potential opportunities for new space assignments to support ongoing planning decisions.
• Monitor project status across active space-planning initiatives; identify schedule or scope risks and escalate as appropriate to ensure timely resolution.
• Research institutional and peer-institution information related to campus space allocation, utilization trends, and capital planning practices to inform analysis and recommendations.
• Support routine data analysis and reporting for space planning, including accessing relevant systems of record, configuring and downloading data reports, and maintaining files in a centralized data repository.
• Work with campus partners to improve routine information-sharing, streamline project reporting, and contribute to the design and development of reports and data-dashboards that support space planning and capital planning decision-making.

Capital Budget Administration

• Serve as a primary point of contact and technical resource for University units submitting capital project proposals in UCPLAN (Oracle), providing guidance on system navigation, data entry requirements, and submission procedures.
• In collaboration with campus partners (e.g., Budget Office, Finance & Administration, Facilities Services), build and maintain tracking templates and spreadsheets using Excel and other tools to synthesize and summarize financial and other information.
• Develop presentation materials for the quarterly and annual capital budget review process, including financial summaries, project status reports, and supporting analyses for presentation to University senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
• Manage review and approval workflows in UCPLAN for Fiscal Year and Off-Cycle Capital Requests, ensuring accurate routing, timely processing, and appropriate documentation at each stage.
• Ensure UCPLAN accurately reflects final approved capital budget decisions; maintain detailed understanding of University governance policies and procedures for capital project approval; manage system updates to maintain the accuracy and integrity of the University's capital project system of record.
• Collaborate with the Budget Office to facilitate review of submitting unit's financial capacity to fund proposed work.
• Collaborate with submitting units and Capital Accounting to facilitate review and classification of capital versus operating expense for proposed projects, drawing on detailed understanding of project scope of work.
• Support the preparation of ad hoc analyses and reports related to capital planning, including compiling and summarizing project data across fiscal years, funding sources, and project phases.
• Analyzes and prepares budgets, creates accounts, and works with the financial accounting system to allocate, authorize, monitor, and control expenses.
• Prepares monthly reports, conducts and correct errors in accounts using existing procedures that are in place, and provides advice on the financial impact of human resources and academic affairs decisions.
• May work with other administrators on the procurement process, allocates expenditures for authorization, and advises in communications regarding funding agencies, subcontractors, and others at the instruction and direction of others.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Degree in business administration, public administration, finance, urban planning, or a related field strongly preferred.

Experience:

• 3-5 years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, financial analysis, administrative operations, or a related field; preferably in a higher education, government, or large institutional setting.
• Experience working with enterprise systems or data management platforms; familiarity with Oracle-based ERP systems strongly preferred.
• Prior experience preparing materials for senior leadership or governing boards strongly preferred.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel (data manipulation, report formatting) and PowerPoint (executive-level presentations).
• Ability to navigate and learn complex enterprise software systems; experience with Oracle or similar ERP platforms strongly preferred.
• Comfort working with data exports and reports across multiple systems of record; ability to organize and maintain structured data repositories.
• Familiarity with project tracking or workflow management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent).
• Ability to read and interpret financial data, including budget summaries, fund balances, and multi-year project cost schedules.

Preferred Competencies

• Precision and attention to detail - A significant portion of this role involves ensuring that system records, budget documents, and reports are accurate and consistent across multiple sources. Accuracy is essential - errors can have significant downstream consequences.
• Process orientation - Ability to follow established workflows and templates reliably, flag deviations or ambiguities rather than improvise around them. Ability to critically evaluate legacy workflows and business practices and recommend new technologies and procedures to improve efficiency.
• Analytical thinking - Comfortable working with institutional data, independently and collaboratively, to identify patterns, inconsistencies, or gaps; able to synthesize information from disparate sources into coherent summaries.
• Judgment and discretion - Will regularly handle sensitive institutional financial and space data; must understand confidentiality expectations and exercise good judgment and appropriate precautions.
• Communication and translation - Able to explain system processes and requirements clearly to submitters with varying levels of technical sophistication; also able to prepare polished written materials for non-technical senior audiences.
• Initiative within an organizational structure - Able to manage their own workload and prioritize competing demands while operating within established processes and escalating appropriately when unclear.
• Collaborative orientation - Will work across administrative units, academic departments, and central offices; needs to build effective working relationships with diverse campus partners without direct authority over them.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• References (3)(required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
Financial Management

Role Impact
Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5

Drug Test Required
No

Health Screen Required
No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No

Pay Rate Type
Salary

FLSA Status
Exempt

Pay Range
$80,000.00 - $90,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.