Budget Analyst & Trainer

Company: Stanford University
Location: Palo Alto
Posted on: November 13, 2024

Job Description:

Please include both a resume and cover letter with your application for this position.The University Budget Office (UBO) at Stanford University reports directly to the Provost and is responsible for the processes and policies related to the university's $9.7 billion consolidated budget, including planning and managing the annual budget process, developing the Consolidated Budget, managing the university's general fund and allocations from it, and managing various budgeting systems. The UBO partners with the CFO's office in the setting of financial policies and the analysis of their impact on university resources and operations. It also supports the President and Provost in the allocation of central resources to the university's highest priorities. The UBO performs financial and budgetary analyses that support critical decision making by the Vice Provost for Budget and Auxiliaries Management, the Provost, other senior leadership, and the Board of Trustees. The UBO strives to deliver excellent customer service, analytical support, and guidance on best practices for using the budget to promote strong financial management throughout the university.Position Summary:The Budget Analyst and Trainer will report to the Director of Systems and Operations and will work closely with the Operations and Education team on the new budget system, Cardinal Budget and Planning (CPB). This position will be a part of the Operations and Education team whose key areas of responsibility are (a) leading user support, outreach, documentation, and training related to the budget process, budget systems, and general financial concepts such as the university's endowment, (b) managing delegation of financial authority and system access and approval roles to university budget officers and their staff, and (c) managing and improving the integration of efforts across the entire UBO that also includes the Planning and Analysis team.This position will educate users to utilize CPB and will also require a solid understanding of the broader financial management concepts, systems, and processes that inform and interact with budgeting and planning, such as reviewing unit submissions, variance analysis, and consulting in all aspects of the budget management process.This position will be based on the Stanford campus and will be considered for hybrid telecommuting subject to operational need.In this role, you will:

• Perform highly analytical, complex finance and control functions; multi-dimensional and complex reconciliations and related analysis; prepare or review and approve complex transactions and higher level dollar value transactions. For example, perform thorough reviews of budget units budget, forecast, and variance submissions for completeness, accuracy, and soundness. Provide training on new financial systems. Represent organization to client group(s) and external partners; serve as subject matter expert on matters that involve complex technical, financial, or subject matter expertise. Be proficient in managing budget systems and processes and acts as the user system support contact. Serve as the subject matter expert in a complex and technical system and help users troubleshoot questions and concerns. Develop a plan based on needs assessment that may include coaching, process redesign, training, online performance support, communication, etc. Tailor deliverables as needed to meet specific unit needs and improve overall financial management acumen of administrators, analysts and managers. Will have an understanding of edge cases and be able to translate financial activities into forecast.
• Research, and synthesize data; interpolate results from large amounts of data, identify trends in data, draw conclusions, develop solutions, present and implement recommendations, and create follow up analysis. Work with units to redevelop and refine reports to increase utility. Help users get the right data into Oracle SmartView and Adhoc reporting solutions.
• Develop complex budget and forecasting scenarios, long-range planning and analyses for financial reporting and presentations; design and run ad hoc reports.
• Identify and resolve unique issues with substantial significance; recognize exceptions, and conduct in-depth analysis using advanced technical knowledge and experience. Recommend and develop solutions that may require policy changes or the development of new processes; maintain broader organizational and university perspective in decision making.
• Review, design, and implement appropriate internal control programs, research new regulations, and implement approved changes. Manage compliance program for area of responsibility, interpret internal policy and external regulations, and create and/or review complex compliance reports.
• Lead and execute unit or cross functional projects and teams, make decisions regarding projects and programs affecting operational effectiveness, policies, or processes.
• Engage in continuous critical analysis of existing systems and processes; make recommendations to achieve greater efficiencies and improve internal controls. Define requirements, develop and implement complex test cases, perform testing and analyze results. The ideal candidate will have a mindset of continuous improvement by identifying and collecting user feedback based on their interactions with them both through training and reviewing their budgets.
• Lead and support unit and organization strategy and change management initiatives.
• Assess client and business needs, and formulate recommendations to determine approach to managing and completing processes. As a trusted liaison for units, it is common to advise units on a full range of financial management. This position is expected to act on behalf of the Director in guiding units through financial analysis and decision making.
• May supervise, train, coach, and review the work of other staff, as needed. Contribute primarily through applying individual expertise.To be successful in this role, you will bring:
  • Education and Experience: Bachelor's degree and six years of relevant experience or combination of education and relevant experience.
  • Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
    • Advanced proficiency in business applications, such as Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel.
    • Advanced knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning and financial systems; internet and computer literacy.
    • Knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
    • Advanced professional communication skills, including ability to prepare materials for and clearly and effectively communicate information to internal and external audiences, client groups, and management.
    • Strong project management skills and ability to contribute to or lead part of a multi-functional team.How To Apply:We invite you to apply for the position by clicking on the "Apply for Job" button. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and a resume with your online application. The cover letter should briefly describe why you believe you are a good fit for this position.
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Keywords: Stanford University, Laguna , Budget Analyst & Trainer, Accounting, Auditing , Palo Alto, California