Director, Finance

Position Summary

The Director of Finance within the Office of the Dean of Humanities provides expert advisory support to the Dean on the development of annual and long-term budget plans and serves in a leadership capacity in the preparation of the school's annual budget. Manages special projects and analyses which are broad in scope and support both budget planning and strategic planning.

This position advises and assists the Dean, Associate Deans, and Assistant Dean with the management of all school funds including university, gift, endowment, and research funds. This position will work with the Assistant Dean to develop and manage the annual budget. This position works with the academic departments and programs to make sure all expenses are posted correctly.

This position prepares all financial reports, provides forecasting and analyses to assist the Dean with strategic planning, provides accounting support to the department, maintains and updates department accounting system, verifies department internal excel spreadsheets with the iO accounting system to make sure all expenses post correctly, and provides the dean and assistant dean with account statements.

Responsibilities include complex finance functions and activities with programmatic impact on the institution, requiring professional expertise and application of internal policies and systems and external regulations. This position will monitor expenditures for the dean's office and all departments and centers in the school, submitting balance transfers, cost transfers, and labor distributions when needed.

This position is benefits-eligible and exempt, and has a expected minimum salary of $100,000, dependent on experience and qualifications.

Special instructions to applicants: please include a cover letter and resume.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted
• 4 years of related experience
• Skills
  • Excellent proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other business support resources
  • Advanced knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning and financial systems
  • Excellent knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
  • Advanced verbal and written communication skills including presentation
  • Demonstrated ability to apply financial and analytical skills based on a firm understanding of the mission, strategy and operating principles of the school/unit
  • Demonstrated ability to work and interact effectively with individuals representing a broad range of skills and experiences and the ability to build coalitions and inter- functional teams to leverage synergistic relationships
  • Excellent interpersonal, leadership, project management, presentation an oral and written communication skills

Essential Functions

• Works closely with the assistant dean to develop and manage the school budget
• Performs analytical, finance, and control functions; multi-dimensional reconciliations and related analyses; prepares, reviews, and approves transactions and higher-level dollar value transactions
• Develops budget and forecasting scenarios, long-range planning, and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; designs and runs ad hoc reports
• Recommends and develops solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintains broader organizational and university perspective in decision-making
• Manages compliance program for area of responsibility
• Works closely with school departments, centers, and programs
• Leads and executes unit or cross-functional projects and teams, makes decisions regarding projects and programs affecting operational effectiveness, policies, or processes
• Engages in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; makes recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies and improve internal controls
• Defines requirements, develops and implements complex test cases, performs testing and analyzes results
• Leads and supports unit and organization strategy and change management initiatives
• Represents organization to client groups and external partners; serves as subject matter expert on matters that involve complex technical, financial, or subject matter expertise
• Assesses client and business needs, and formulates recommendations to determine approach to managing and completing processes
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Assists with labor distributions for the Dean's officeand when needed, departments and centers within the School of Humanities
• Provides advice on balances and fund expenditures such as payroll,travel, and purchases, including advice regarding compliance with relevant guidelines
• Provides guidance to departments when needed
• Works closely with department administrators and finance staff within the School of Humanities
• Works closely with the budget office, controller's office, and research and cost accounting

Preferences

• Advanced degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field
• Advanced knowledge of Excel
• Experience with Oracle-based systems
• Rice and/or higher education experience

Rice University HR | Benefits:

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is an Equal Opportunity Employer with commitment to diversity at all levels, and considers for employment qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.

Faculty and staff are expected (but not required) to have completed a full vaccination series for COVID-19 (currently defined as full course COVID-19 Vaccine (typically two shots of a WHO-approved COVID-19 Vaccine or one J&J) and a COVID-19 booster. Rice does not require documentation for COVID 19 vaccination at this time for faculty and staff. More information can be found here: