Senior Financial Analyst, Finance Business Services (Hybrid Schedule)

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building: Studebaker
• Salary Range: $90,000 - $95,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Finance and Administration, the Senior Finance Analyst supports the Finance Division’s financial operations by ensuring compliance with accounting standards, improving reporting accuracy, and providing insights to inform strategic decision-making. 

The role requires a proactive, persistent approach to follow-up, ensuring that initiatives, deliverables, and outstanding issues are seen through to completion. Additionally, the Senior Finance Analyst should demonstrate strong interpersonal presence and engagement by building relationships across departments, communicating transparently, and fostering collaboration through a visible, approachable, and highly responsive work style.

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Financial Accounting

• Perform routine and complex accounting activities, including the review of trial balances and preparation of month-end entries, payroll allocations, recoveries, transfers, accruals, deferrals, and student-related fees.
• Manage monthly, quarterly, and year-end close processes, ensuring accuracy and integrity of financial transactions.
• Initiate and process journal entries, internal transfers, deposits, and other financial transactions.
• Compile and review supporting documentation to ensure proper coding, approvals, and policy compliance.
• Reconcile discrepancies, evaluate conflicting information, and research transaction issues to resolution.
• Ensure continued compliance with all University and affiliate policies, procedures, and regulations.

Financial Planning & Analysis

• Collaborate with departments to help develop quarterly forecasts and annual budget submissions.
• Conduct variance analysis and forecasting for major revenue and expense categories.
• Help guide department heads, aligning budgets with departmental goals and resolving complex financial issues.
• Assist with report automation and enhanced financial reporting of budgets, financial data, and key metrics to inform senior leadership decision-making.
• Prepare monthly financial reports and analyze trends and variances to support quarterly variance reporting.
• Communicate monthly and quarterly results and budget impacts to the Director and Assistant Director.
• Monitor and communicate budget changes affecting assigned departments, coordinating with cross-departmental staff to ensure alignment.

Operations & Policy

• Initiate and process requisitions, change orders, and vouchers for the Finance division.
• Track transaction approvals to ensure timely resolution.
• Serve as key liaison to assigned Finance Division departments, responding to inquiries and providing guidance.
• Coach divisional departmental staff on financial processes, documentation standards, and best practices to ensure completion of financial transactions.
• Build collaborative relationships across Finance and related units to support effective operations.
• Meet established deadlines, prioritize effectively, and take initiative to ensure completion of responsibilities.
• Participate in special projects and initiatives.
• Serve as backup to the Assistant Director or Director, as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field, and a minimum of four years of related experience

   

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience with an ERP system.
• Experience in using technology to improve processes and create efficiencies.
• Advanced degree in a related field and/or CPA.
• Experience in higher education or a complex, not-for-profit organization. 

Other Requirements

• Expert-level experience in Excel.
• Demonstrated comprehensive financial reporting responsibility in a large, complex organization.
• Strong data analysis and modeling skills, including forecasting, variance analysis, data metrics, and financial statement analysis.
• Desire to adopt new software and technology tools.
• Perform routine and complex accounting and reporting activities requiring knowledge of systems, independent judgment, and the ability to respond accordingly.
• Evaluate different sources of information and reconcile conflicts between the sources.
• Build collaborative relationships at all levels of Finance staff.
• The successful candidate must be a strategic thinker with an open and collaborative style that encourages teamwork and cooperation. 
• Demonstrated ability to effectively gain the support of and lead stakeholders to a common goal.
• Embraces challenges and takes initiative to tackle new assignments with attention to continuous improvement.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including active listening skills.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, taking initiative, attention to detail, and the ability to establish priorities and manage multiple assignments simultaneously.
• Ability to work closely and effectively with a diverse group of university administrators, as well as work independently and collaboratively as a team member. 
• Must demonstrate the use of tact and discretion and be able to handle confidential information with excellent judgment.
• Must have a passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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