Salary Range: Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications
About the Department: The Office of Finance and Planning (OFP) supports the University's mission by safeguarding assets, maintaining fiscal integrity, and encouraging the rational and effective allocation of the University's financial resources
About the Position: This role is an on-campus, in-person position.
The Unit Financial Planning Officer (FPO) provides high-level financial, administrative, and strategic planning support to the unit executive leader to position the Unit meet key performance metrics and strategic goals.
The role analyzes complex data sets and helps the executive leader to understand the data and make data-informed decisions that align with the unit's strategic plan and optimally contributes to University's overall strategic plan. Provides oversight of financial planning, resource allocation, business operations, and budget forecasting for the unit and its underlying departments.
The position also works with the University Planning team to develop advanced business and financial models, data analyses, and process improvements in support of unit's goals and growth.
The FPO provides leadership to the unit and department staff related to the college business functions.
Job level and compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications.
Essential Functions: - Work with complex data sets, analytics tools, and visualization software to analyze data and help the executive leader to understand the data and make data-informed decisions that align with the unit's strategic plan and key performance metrics. This includes leading the unit to understand the revenue and cost margins of each department, program, course, and activity, and identifying opportunities for strategic optimization of resources.
- Work closely with the Unit executive leader and provides oversight to the departments on financial planning, resource allocation, grants and contracts, business operations, enrollment management, endowments and gifts, scholarships, waivers, GTA / GRA appointments, salary, and benefit allocations, compliance reporting, ranking surveys, budget forecasting, and data needs.
- Develop advanced business and financial models for enrollment and revenue projections, evaluate academic programs and new revenue-generating opportunities, models research productivity, workforce planning, faculty hiring, infrastructure assessments, and space needs, and strategically plans for rapidly evolving opportunities and challenges for the unit and its departments.
- Work with databases and create new reports as needed.
- Understand the financial condition of the unit and its departments, as well as the university, and formulate financially sustainable strategies and contingencies for the unit.
- Continuously assesses and monitors financial performance and forecasts budget to actuals.
- Represent the unit in business and financial meetings and on University committees.
- Serve as a liaison between the unit and the Strategic Financial Planning department of the Office of Finance & Planning and that keeps that office informed of challenges and opportunities.
- Collaborate with the directors of the unit team to strengthen and improve business processes within the units, incorporating and sharing university best practices.
- Communicates and provides consultative training and guidance to the department chairs and business and administrative staff to ensure they understand the finances of the department and use consistent and effective business practices within the college.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree required. Master's degree preferred. Degree in in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, IT, or a business-related field with emphasis placed on accounting or finance education backgrounds.
A minimum of five years of progressive experience in Financial Planning & Analysis roles, preferably with some experience in a higher education setting.
Financial consultative experience to either client principals or executive leadership within an organization preferred. Experience analyzing complex data sets and creating graphs and visual formats that allow the unit executive leader and administrators to quickly understand the analysis desired. Experience creating financial models, using databases and AI, and in creating informative reports and dashboards to inform decision-making is a plus.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Candidate must demonstrate strong interpersonal and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate broadly across the University and serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership on financial, operational, and strategic matters. Must also demonstrate strong written communication skills. Skill in presenting complex financial and operational information into actionable recommendations for executive leadership and influence decision-making to positive outcomes is essential.
Candidate must possess strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and analyze problems, as well as devise solutions. Must also have the ability to align resource planning and financial strategies with institutional and unit priorities. The ability to identify opportunities for growth, efficiency, and optimization of resources is essential.
Candidate must have strong organizational, planning and time-management skills. A keen attention to detail and accuracy is essential.
Candidate must have skill in developing dashboards, reports, and executive-level presentations that simplify complex information required. Must also have an intermediate to advanced level with Microsoft Excel. Data analysis and integrity skills and ability to conjoin data from multiple systems is essential.
Experience with ERP systems, FP&A systems and reporting tools strongly preferred. Power BI, Tableau, or similar analytics and visualization platforms desired.
Physical and Environmental Demands: - Sit for long periods of time
Deadline to Apply: The position is open until filled.
Benefits: SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of health and related benefit s. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.
SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMU and, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.
The value of learning at SMU isn't just about preparing our students for the future. Employees have access to a wide variety of professional and personal development opportunities , including tuition benefits .
