Description
Title: Director of Budget & Financial Planning
VP Area: Finance
Department: Finance
Work Schedule: Fixed daytime hours Monday-Friday
Telework Availability: On-campus Position
FLSA Status: Exempt
Employee Classification: Regular full-time (staff 30+ hours)
Hours per week: 40
Months per year: 12
Required Application Materials: Resume and Cover Letter
Application Link: Director of Budget & Financial Planning - Gonzaga Main Campus, Washington, United States
Job Purpose:
Provides leadership and oversight of the university’s budgeting and financial planning functions. Responsible for developing and managing the annual operating budget, leading multi-year financial planning and forecasting, and delivering actionable financial analysis to support executive decision-making. The Director partners closely with senior leadership, academic units, and administrative departments to align financial resources with institutional priorities and strategic direction, with a particular focus on enrollment-driven revenue, capital planning, institutional resource allocation, and long-term financial sustainability.
The Director serves as both a strategic advisor and a hands-on leader, ensuring disciplined budget process while advancing the institution’s capacity for data-informed planning and resource allocation.
Essential Functions:
50% - Budget Administration & Financial Planning
- Leads development, coordination, and administration of the University’s annual operating budget and multi-year capital budget.
- Establishes and maintains institutional budget policies, timelines, and procedures.
- Coordinates decentralized budget development across academic and administrative units.
- Leads institutional financial forecasting and variance analysis, ensuring proactive management of financial performance.
- Develops and maintains revenue models, including tuition, financial aid, auxiliaries, and other key financial drivers.
- Evaluates the financial impact of strategic initiatives, academic programs, and operational changes.
- Oversees position control and major institutional cost categories (e.g., benefits, reserves, debt service).
- Aligns financial planning with institutional strategy and leadership priorities.
- Participates in year-end close processes and financial reconciliation activities.
20% - Communication & Reporting
- Prepares executive-level financial reporting and analysis for senior leadership.
- Develops financial reports and materials for the Board of Trustees.
- Partners with the CFO to coordinate and lead the University Budget Committee.
- Responds to budget-related inquiries from academic and administrative leadership.
- Translates complex financial data into clear, actionable insights.
20% - Supervision, Systems & Operational Leadership
- Supervises Budget Analyst staff, including performance management, coaching, and development.
- Establishes cross-training and knowledge-sharing practices within the Budget Office.
- Owns and optimizes budget systems, data structures, and reporting tools.
- Partners with Information Technology and the Controller’s Office on system enhancements and integration.
- Leads continuous improvement efforts in budgeting processes, reporting, and analytics.
- Develops and maintains collaborative relationships across campus units.
10% - Other duties as assigned by the Department.
Educational Requirement:
Bachelor's Degree
Years of Related Experience Requirement:
8+ years
In lieu of the educational qualifications, candidates may qualify with equivalent professional experience at a ratio of one year of experience for each year of required education.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Minimum 8+ years of progressively responsible experience in budgeting, financial planning, or financial analysis
- Strong analytical and financial modeling skills
- Demonstrated leadership and 5+ years of supervisory experience
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships across an organization
Skills & Abilities:
- Advanced financial analysis and modeling capability
- Strategic thinking and long-range planning
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to translate complex financial information into actionable insights
- Systems orientation and data governance awareness
- Leadership, coaching, and team development
- Collaboration and relationship management
Preferred Qualifications:
- 5+ years of supervisory experience
- CPA (active or inactive) and/or Master’s degree in business or related field
- Experience in higher education finance or a similarly complex, decentralized organization
- Experience with ERP systems (e.g., Ellucian Banner) and financial planning tools
- Experience with business intelligence tools (e.g., Power BI)
- Strong knowledge of Excel, including advanced financial modeling and data analysis techniques
Physical & On-Campus Requirements:
In-Office Presence - Ability to work on-site in typical office setting and participate in in-person meetings with colleagues: 5 days/week
Standing/Sitting - Ability to remain in a stationary position for a prolonged period: Daily (>75% of time)
Walking - Ability to move about on foot to accomplish tasks: Rarely (1%-49% of time)
Lifting/Carrying - Ability to move or transport objects up to a specified weight (e.g., 50 pounds): Rarely (1%-49% of time)
Attention to Detail - Ability to focus on detailed tasks for extended periods: Daily (>75% of time)
Problem-Solving - Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively: Daily (>75% of time)
The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to offer for this position: $150,450
Pay Range:
Minimum Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 124500
Midpoint Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 166000
Maximum Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 207500
Is this position eligible for relocation reimbursement?: Yes
Is this position eligible for a signing bonus?: No
Benefits Link: 2025-Gonzaga-Staff-Candidate-Benefits-Guide-11-7.pdf
At this time, the University has suspended all new H1B visa sponsorships.
