University Budget Director - University of Puget Sound

Another Source is excited to partner with the University of Puget Sound to recruit a University Budget Director, a high-impact independent contributor role with meaningful influence over campus-wide financial planning, annual budgeting, and long-range and scenario modeling. This position offers exceptional autonomy, close partnership with senior leadership, and the opportunity to help modernize budgeting tools at a financially strong, mission-driven private liberal arts institution-an ideal role for someone who wants ownership, impact, and the chance to shape how financial decisions are made

Another Source's client, University of Puget Sound, is recruiting a University Budget Director to join their team in Tacoma, WA.

Here's a little about the position University of Puget Sound is recruiting for:

The Office of Finance delivers a comprehensive range of services to the campus community, including payment processing (accounts payable), accounting, budgeting, tax compliance, financial analysis, and reporting.

In addition, the Office plays a vital role in enhancing the university's financial health through the strategic management of investment assets and debt capacity, as well as by developing cost-effective purchasing strategies that support long-term sustainability.

Learn more about the University of Puget Sound's Office of Finance here: https://www.pugetsound.edu/office-finance

What's in it for you:

University of Puget Sound offers a comprehensive compensation and benefit package.

Benefits: https://www.pugetsound.edu/sites/default/files/file/final_summary-of-2020-benefits-for-exempt-staff_ju_0.pdf

The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $115,000 - $130,000 based on experience.

About the Role:

The University Budget Director leads the University's financial planning and budgeting functions, including coordination of the annual operating budget, stewardship of the long-range financial planning (LRP) model, and delivery of strategic financial analysis to senior leadership, Cabinet, and the Board of Trustees.

Working in close partnership with academic and administrative leaders, the Budget Director develops integrated, forward-looking financial models that reflect a tuition-dependent, enrollment-sensitive operating environment and incorporate endowment draw strategies, balance sheet considerations, and multi-year sustainability planning. The role translates complex financial inputs into clear projections, scenario analyses, and variance reporting that directly support institutional decision-making and long-term financial health.

This position exercises significant independent judgment. Accuracy, rigor, and sound judgment are essential, as analyses produced by this role directly inform institutional strategy, resource allocation, and Board-level decisions.

What you will be doing:

Financial Planning & Budgeting

Maintain and enhance the University's long-range financial planning (LRP) model, ensuring alignment with institutional strategy and improving related tools and executive summaries

• Identify internal and external trends, risks, and opportunities related to revenue, costs, and long-term sustainability, and support implementation of planning initiatives

• Coordinate the annual budget development process, including building and loading budgets into PeopleSoft and supporting process improvements, streamlining, and automation

• Develop a strong understanding of the University's operating activities and balance sheet to inform planning and budgeting decisions

• Partner with Human Resources to manage staffing, compensation, and contingency budgets, ensuring reconciliation between PeopleSoft HR and Financials

• Oversee Budget Variance Reporting (BVR), including maintaining reports, reconciling PeopleSoft data with the LRP, coordinating projections from budget managers, and providing variance analysis to leadership and the Finance & Facilities Committee

Budget Coordination Areas

• Net tuition, fees, and financial aid projections

• Faculty and staff salary, wage, and benefits budgets (Educational & General)

• University Relations and campaign-related quasi-endowment funding

• Auxiliary Services budgets in collaboration with auxiliary leadership

Executive & Institutional Support

• Provide financial analysis, projections, and FP&A support to the CFO, Cabinet, Budget Task Force, and Board committees, as needed

Endowment Management & Modeling

• Collaborate with Finance to maintain a shared understanding of investment activity

• Develop and maintain endowment financial models, including unitization concepts or similar structures

• Oversee endowment payout projections for individual and pooled endowments

Financial Review & Fund Oversight

• Perform selected financial reconciliations and reviews, including Commitment Control and General Ledger activity in PeopleSoft

• Track presidential and other discretionary funds

• Support ASUPS budget development, management, and reporting

• Assist with student employment budgeting, compliance, and reporting

• Monitor designated and restricted funds, communicating balances and availability to budget managers

Board, Committee & Project Support

• Support the Finance & Facilities Committee and Board of Trustees by preparing financial projections, analyses, and budget materials

• Assist with the annual Budget Task Force process

• Lead special projects, conduct financial research, and prepare executive-level summaries as assigned

• Deliver PeopleSoft budget training to new hires and campus partners, as needed

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or a related field; CPA preferred

• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, budgeting, accounting, or related functions, preferably within a private, not-for-profit higher education environment

• Demonstrated expertise in multi-year financial modeling within a tuition- and enrollment-driven operating model, including scenario and sensitivity analysis

• Working knowledge of endowment accounting, draw policies, and investment unitization, or the ability to quickly develop this expertise

• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with academic, administrative, and governance stakeholders

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting complex financial information to senior leadership and boards

• Advanced proficiency with Excel and related tools for financial modeling, analysis, and presentation

• Experience working with enterprise systems (ERP, budgeting, or student information systems) and relational databases

• Familiarity with business intelligence and data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau) and core economic and financial concepts relevant to higher education

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPA license

• Experience in a higher education or similarly complex non-profit organization.

University Diversity Statement

We Acknowledge

The richness of commonalities and differences we share as a University community; the intrinsic worth of all who work and study here; and that education is enhanced by investigation of and reflection upon multiple perspectives.

We Aspire

To create respect for and appreciation of all persons as a key characteristic of our campus community; to increase the diversity of all parts of our University community through commitment to diversity in our recruitment and retention efforts; and to foster a spirit of openness to active engagement among all members of our campus community.

We Act

To achieve an environment that welcomes and supports diversity; to ensure full educational opportunity for all who teach and learn here; and to prepare effectively citizen-leaders for a pluralistic world.

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis, to maximize the recruiting process. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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