Budget Partner

If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at recruiting-u@smith.edu.

Finance

Job Description

Job Summary

Support the daily budget operations of the College.  Assist in ad-hoc analysis and modeling in support of all units across the college.  Act as a member of the college’s central Budget Office, and support central planning activities. Financial management & oversight primarily encompass planning, forecasting, accounting, and the financial evaluation of key strategic initiatives.  Provide support to budget partners in assigned areas within the College.  Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, multi-year financial modeling, stakeholder support through the execution of the annual budget process, and the monitoring of expenditures in the operating budget.

Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Essential Functions

Analytics & Central Planning:  Provide support to Finance Leadership by architecting and maintaining routine and ad-hoc analysis and strategic modeling.  Support college-wide analytical tasks as needed.  Maintain and refine routine analysis, such as but not limited to, FTE analysis, budget to actual variance analysis, and assessment of restricted funds usages. Perform ad-hoc modeling and analysis at the guidance of team members.  Act as a conduit for relaying pertinent financial information within Budget Office, as well as between the Budget Office and other areas of school operations.

Review and make recommendations on requests to fill, modify, or create positions; analyze and prepare reports on historical trends in staffing; and maintain current position authorizations and salary budgets within human resource/payroll systems.

Reporting & Operations:  Support the Budget Office in process improvement initiatives across campus, such as report development and the rollout of new analytic technologies.  Support the operations of the department such as the collection, loading, and reconciliation of the college’s annual plan.   Support the annual planning and strategic initiatives cycle.  Additional duties include management reporting, financial training for various constituents, and the support of the school's financial systems, tools, and processes with various stakeholder groups.

Develop and maintain models and tools for projecting key balance sheet and operating line items, including net student income and compensation.

Other Functions

Support new projects and key financial initiatives as necessary with analysis and reporting to support ad-hoc requests.

All employees are expected to participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment.

Minimum Qualifications (knowledge, skills, education, experience, certifications, licenses)

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or business administration required.  A minimum of 2+ years’ experience in planning and/or financial operations or an equivalent combination of education/experience. Must demonstrate a record of leadership, knowledge of not-for-profit accounting and relevant financial acumen, plus personal and professional ethics. Advanced Microsoft Excel including pivot tables, complex formulas, and financial modeling is a requirement. Advanced level expertise with Microsoft suite of products to include MS Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree preferred. Experience with Workday and/or Adaptive preferred. Experience in Higher Education is a plus.

Skills

High degree of initiative, self-direction, critical & creative thinking, and independent judgment. Must be willing to take direction from multiple stakeholders. Must possess exemplary problem-solving skills.  Demonstrates strong administrative, leadership, verbal and written communication skills, as well as the ability to analyze complex data.  Excellent interpersonal and technical skills. Strong accounting, financial modeling and analysis, strategic thinking, and project management skills. Excellent communication skills, with strong attention to detail and accuracy.  Must have discretion and the ability to maintain confidentiality, interact with diverse constituencies, and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

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Review of applications will begin

September 11, 2024

Position Type:

Regular

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts.  A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at recruiting-u@smith.edu.

As set forth in our mission and values, Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of  equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty.  The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.