Description

POSITION OBJECTIVE 

The Director of Finance and Administration will provide leadership and oversight for all financial and business operations at the School of Nursing (SON). This includes creating and maintaining an integrated, strategic direction for budget functions, business planning, financial management, grants management, operations, and process improvement. The Director is responsible for managing the school¿s budgeting and forecasting processes, internal controls, financial analysis, and assisting in shaping and implementing the financial strategies in partnership with the Dean, School Chief Business Officer (CBO), and senior leadership. The Director will also have the responsibility for organizing complex tasks and providing leadership, advice, and guidance regarding School-wide financial and administrative policies and procedures. This position deals with highly sensitive and confidential information and ensures compliance with University financial and accounting policies, processes, and practices. The Director has direct oversight and supervisory responsibility for all staff in the Finance Office, including the Assistant Director and Procurement Coordinator.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategic Operations: Provide financial and administrative leadership to the school of nursing, working closely with the dean and chief business officer to implement goals and objectives consistent with the strategic objectives of the school. Contribute to the development of the strategic plan, oversee the fiscal health of the school across all missions, and create and monitor progress against the school¿s financial plans. Develop and analyze operational and financial scenarios for school strategic discussion, planning, and forecasting. Design and enhance the contribution margin analysis and return on investment analysis for proposed and existing programs. Draw conclusions about the financial outlook, trends, and risks. Partnering with the dean, chief business officer, and senior leadership, identify key financial tools required for business decision support, such as new program and enrollment analysis, tuition and scholarship, revenue, and cash receipts review. Suggest policies, procedures, support tools, and enhancement to existing processes, tools, and analyses. Anticipate potential financial issues and proactively communicate with school management and other relevant parties. Participate in the development and ongoing evaluation of internal financial control procedures and policies. Receive assignments in the form of objectives with goals and design and implement a process by which to meet the goals. (30%)
Financial Management: Responsible for all aspects of fiscal management, including prospective analysis of funding sources, faculty recruitment and start-up packages, gifts and grants, endowments, departmental operating accounts, and development of pro-forma financial statements. Primarily responsibility for the preparation, submission, and monitoring of the annual budget and 3-year plans. Determine budget priorities and budget details in collaboration with senior leadership and program directors. Assure integrity of all information submitted in the formal budget request along with its supporting documentation. Analyze spending patterns and compare financial status with budget and provide variance analyses. Conduct regular audits of expenditures from all funded and unfunded sources to ensure alignment with strategic mission and compliance with University policies. Provide direction on operational areas concerning budgetary impacts and implications. Prepare adjustments and supporting documentation for the fiscal year close for the school of nursing. Ensure that expense and revenue recognition is conducted within the Office of Internal Audit, Controllers Office, and Budget Office guidelines. Maintain financial files on all divisional endowment and ¿funds held by others¿ accounts and provide reports and information related to endowments as requested. Prepare reports on the financial position of the school through the preparation of quarterly expense and revenue forecasts for review, submission, and discussion with the school¿s senior leadership. (30%)
Administration: Assess and monitor workload, administrative, and support systems and internal reporting relationships in the school, identifying opportunities for improvement and overseeing the implementation of changes. Conduct periodic meetings with school of nursing stakeholders to review changes in funding, policies, and procedures and to discuss operational issues. Approve standard operating procedures and conduct regular audit of workflow and organizational design. Serve as an expert for stakeholders in troubleshooting issues concerning procurement services, gifts, grants accounting, travel, cashiering, accounts receivable and any other financial transactions that are escalated from the level of the Associate Director or Procurement Coordinator. Hire, train, and supervise activities of departmental support staff, providing policy direction and regular performance management. Provide training and guidance for department assistants and other administrative staff across the school in various departments as needed. (20%)
Facilities and Space Management: Promote effective use of all school of nursing facilities and spaces (and shared spaces with other units) in conjunction with the dean, associate dean of Research, and central facilities. Oversee the planning process for construction and renovation projects. Strategize with the Dean to make the best use of new and existing school of nursing facilities and structures in the campus plan. Engage with the dean, senior leadership, faculty, donors, and students, to implement strategies according to needs of the SON in the larger context of the full campus plan. Provide direction as it relates to the implementation and finalization of individual capital projects through Campus Planning in collaboration with the Director of Plant Services and the Vice President of Institutional Planning. Perform an annual audit of equipment and space inventory and develop a business plan including space allocation as needed. (15%)
 

NONESSENTIAL FUNCITONS 

Maintain up to date knowledge of policies and procedures of Case Western Reserve University, major grant sponsors, and other relevant agencies. Stay abreast of changes in the educational and research landscapes that affect the future trajectory and financial health of the School. This may include maintaining professional affiliations to enhance professional growth and remaining current in the latest trends and regulations. (2%)
Develop strong, professional relationships to maintain open communication and coordinate collaboration with key stakeholders. Represent the SON at official functions as required, including travel to local or state program meetings. (2%)
Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)
 

CONTACTS 

Department: Daily to weekly contact: Dean, Chief Business Officer, and Associate Deans and senior leadership of the School of Nursing. Daily contact with support staff for supervisor purposes.

University: Contact with General Accounting, Office of Planning and Budget, Procurement, Bursar¿s Office, Endowment Accounting, Office of Research Administration

External: Contact with vendors, independent contractors, consultants, grant/project sponsors, accreditation bodies, ranking institutions.

Students: Limited contact with students.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly supervise the staff of the school of nursing finance office, including the assistant director, procurement coordinator, and student workers.

QUALIFICAITONS

Education/Experience: Bachelor¿s degree and 5 years of demonstrated experience related to finance, administration, operations, project management, and/or other meaningfully related work required. Prior experience working with sponsored projects and with various revenue sources is strongly preferred. Experience in a higher education setting is also preferred. Master¿s degree preferred.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work and communicate with various individuals from a broad spectrum of disciplines, technical and educational backgrounds within the department, School and University, and with individuals outside the university
Professional and effective oral and written communication skills; strong writing and editing skills, must demonstrate the ability to effectively and accurately relay information
Strong organization skills; ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines; must demonstrate attention to detail and accuracy, time management skills, and proven ability to successfully follow-through on assigned projects; ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Effective management skills; ability to lead, train, work with, and elicit cooperation from team members and staff
Ability to work effectively independently and collaboratively within a team; must be highly motivated, responsible, dependable, and a self-starter
Excellent problem-solving skills; must demonstrate sound judgement and effective decision making; ability to identify and implement alternative resolutions and strategies; effective conflict management skills
Ability to work with sensitive information and maintain confidentiality
Must demonstrate flexibility and ability to work under pressure; must be able and willing to work in a fast-paced, changing environment, and conform to shifting priorities, demands and timeline
Knowledge of financial spreadsheets and GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles)
Knowledge of federal OMB circulars A-21, A-110 and A-133 sponsored research reporting requirements
Ability to manipulate and use of the university financial accounting system, as well as cost accounting, reporting, and analysis capabilities. 
Requires the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with competing deadlines in a high detail, high stress environment. 
Requires excellent interpersonal and supervisory skills with experience in conflict resolution and an emphasis on internal and external customer service. 
Excellent computer skills including mainframe applications experience; excellent mathematical skills; ability to use or learn to use financial spreadsheets, accounting software, database packages, PeopleSoft financial system applications
Demonstrated history of successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
Ability to meet consistent attendance.
Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face to face.
 

WORKING CONDITIONS

Typical office environment. No exposure to chemicals. 

Requirements

QUALIFICAITONS

Education/Experience: Bachelor¿s degree and 5 years of demonstrated experience related to finance, administration, operations, project management, and/or other meaningfully related work required. Prior experience working with sponsored projects and with various revenue sources is strongly preferred. Experience in a higher education setting is also preferred. Master¿s degree preferred.