Financial Analyst & Budget Manager

Job DetailsJob Location: Santa Clarita, CA 91355Salary Range: $110,702.00 - $125,151.00 Salary/yearSUMMARY Reports directly to the Associate Vice President of Finance and Administration (AVPFA) and shares responsibilities for developing the institute budget and forecasts with the second Senior Financial Analyst and Budget Manager. Supports the development, implementation, monitoring, interpretation, and analysis of CalArts' operating budgets, forecasting, long range planning and the making of recommendations on resource allocations. Supports Deans, Vice Provost, Provost, Human Resources and AVPFA in Academic Division personnel budgeting. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS (including but not limited to): Budgeting and Forecasting

• Support the AVPFA in developing, maintaining, and updating the Institutional budget.
• Utilize the Anaplan budgeting tools to assist in the annual operating budget process in preparing budget templates, drafting communications, collecting and aggregating data, coordinating and leading meetings, and synthesizing information.
• Work with the Deans and the Office of the Provost, utilizing annual budget variables approved by the board, develop annual faculty personnel budgets for each instructional unit, including position funding, salary planning, and personnel cost projections.
• Evaluate assigned departmental financial stewardship by conducting rigorous current year analysis on spending against approved budgets – including monthly forecasting of the current year budget.
• Detailed monthly forecasting analysis for faculty salary lines.
• Utilize Anaplan to support the annual budget realignment process for assigned departments.
• Supervise and support 1-2 Accounting Specialists as assigned.
• Partner with the schools and Institutional Research to develop metrics that are used to inform the provost and deans regarding resource allocation and personnel budget planning.

Faculty Contracts

• Continuously maintain Anaplan faculty position control and contract dashboards in partnership with the Deans, Office of the Provost, and academic leadership to support budgeting, personnel planning, and contract development, and execution.
• Partner with Human Resources to support the contract renewal process by calculating workload (FTE), concomitant salary, funding allocations, and budget availability while ensuring alignment with CalArts policies and HR practices.
• Review proposed faculty appointments, renewals, stipends, and compensation changes to verify funding availability and alignment with approved personnel budgets prior to contract execution.
• Partner with Human Resources, Payroll, and appropriate academic leaders to resolve budget discrepancies, funding questions, and position control issues affecting faculty appointments.

Other

• Independently, and in dialogue with colleagues, solve business problems creatively and with exceptional attention to detail.
• Support the AVPFA to work in close partnership with the Office of Advancement on donor- or grant-related business matters.
• Develop financial analyses and reports related to faculty personnel costs, vacancies, instructional budgets, and long-range personnel planning to support institutional decision making.
• Participate in institute wide financial initiatives.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

QualificationsSKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Strong attention to detail, quality, accuracy, financial acumen, and data integrity and ability to develop complex and accurate models.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly and effectively to non-financial stakeholders, including academic leaders and administrative partners.
• Advanced proficiency with financial systems, budgeting tools, reporting platforms, and spreadsheet applications, with the ability to analyze, reconcile, and maintain complex datasets.
• Ability to manage multiple projects/analyses at a given time.
• Ability to interpret institutional policies, financial data, and operational needs to develop practical solutions and recommendations.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to use reporting and analysis to identify opportunities for efficiency and/or improvements.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or business-related field preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in financial modeling, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis.
• Excellent Excel and working knowledge of Microsoft Office and Google Suite required.
• Experience with financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting systems; experience with Anaplan or similar enterprise planning tools preferred.
• Experience in higher education is preferred.