Senior Financial Analyst

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $90,000 - $100,000

Position Summary

The Senior Financial Analyst, Columbia University Event Management (CUEM) serves as the principal financial resource and strategic advisor for CUEM. Reporting to the Director of CUEM & Dining Finance, this position is responsible for overseeing the department's financial operations, including accounts payable and receivable, internal and external billing, financial reporting, forecasting, reconciliations, and month-end and fiscal year-end close activities. The Senior Financial Analyst ensures the integrity, accuracy, and compliance of financial data while providing actionable insights that support operational and strategic decision-making.

This position exercises significant independent judgment in analyzing financial performance, identifying risks and opportunities, recommending process improvements, and implementing solutions that enhance financial controls and operational efficiency. The Senior Financial Analyst also provides direct supervision, guidance, training, and performance oversight for the Financial Analyst and serves as a key liaison between CUEM, University Finance, and departmental stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Financial Operations & Analysis:

• Serves as the lead financial analyst for CUEM, providing oversight and direction for financial operations, reporting, and compliance activities 
• Monitors, analyzes, and reconciles complex financial transactions, proactively identifying trends, risks, control concerns, and opportunities for improvement
• Prepares, reviews, and presents monthly financial statements, management reports, forecasts, variance analyses, and performance metrics
• Conducts details financial reviews and audits to ensure the accuracy and integrity of financial data and adherence to University policies and accounting standards
• Develops recommendations and provides strategic guidance to departmental leadership regarding operational initiatives, revenue recovery opportunities, and resource allocation decisions
• Supports annual budget development, forecasting, and long-range financial planning activities

Accounts Payable & Receivable:

• Leads day-to-day accounts payable and accounts receivable operations, ensuring timely, accurate, and compliant transcation processing
• Reviews and approves complex payment requests, invoices, credits, receivables, and financial documentation
• Monitors aging reports and outstanding balances, identifying issues and driving timely resolution
• Serves as the primary resource for resolving escalated billing, payment, and customer account issues
• Establishes and maintains effective internal controls and procedures to strengthen financial accuracy and operational efficiency

Internal & External Billing:

• Oversees all internal and external billing activities for assigned CUEM business units, ensuring accurate revenue recognition and timely billing
• Reviews billing transactions, journal entries, interdepartmental transfers, ITFS, and general ledger activity for accuracy and completeness
• Reconciles billing data across multiple systems and investigates discrepancies, implementing corrective actions as needed
• Partners closely with CUEM Sales, Operations, and University stakeholders to resolve billing issues and improve revenue cycle processes
• Identifies and implements enhancements to billing workflows, controls, and reporting mechanisms 

Collaboration & Communication:

• Serves as trusted financial advisor and liaison to CUEM leadership, Operations, University Finance, and other University departments
• Translates complex financial information into meaningful business insights and recommendations for non-financial stakehoolders
• Conducts financial modeling, business case analyses, and ad hoc research to support operational strategic initiatives 
• Collaborates across departments to improve financial processes, strengthen controls, and ensure alignment with institutional objectives 

Other Duties / Special Projects:

• Directs, monitors, trains, and evaluates the work of the Financial Analyst, providing ongoing coaching and development
• Leads initiatives focused on process improvement, automation, operational efficiency, and data quality enhancement
• Supports implementation and optimization of financial systems, reporting tools, and AI-enabled solutions
• Manages special projects and executive-level analyses as assigned by Director of CUEM & Dining Finance
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Data Analytics, or a related field 
• Minimum 4-6 years of related experience 
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including financial modeling, data transformation, and complex formula construction
• Working knowledge of ERP systems, general ledger structures, and account coding; familiarity with ARC, Maximo, or Unifier a plus
• Experience building financial models dashboards, and reporting frameworks
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or equivalent platforms preferred 
• Experience auditing and reconciling financial data across multiple source systems and implementing corrective workflows
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights for non-technical audiences
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and meet hard deadlines without close supervision
• Genuine commitment to learning and applying AI-assisted tools for financial reporting, forecasting, and analytical workflows

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in financial analysis, reporting, or business intelligence in a large, complex institutional environment; higher education or large institutional finance preferred
• Prior experience supervising or directing the work of others preferred 
• Prior experience with AI in a finance context also preferred 

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.