Financial Analyst, Budget and Planning

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $61,500 - $73,000

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Strategic Financial Planning and Analysis, the Financial Analyst contributes to the management and execution of Columbia College's approximate $400 million operating budget by providing a wide range of analytical support. The individual works closely with the Director of Strategic Financial Planning and Analysis to help assemble the College's annual budget and monitor the budget on a routine basis. In addition, the Financial Analyst may assist with the financial administration for a specific unit or set of financial activities within the College.

Responsibilities

• Contributes to the development of the College's annual budget and to monitoring the budget on a routine basis, which includes but is not limited to:
  
  
  
  • Prepares worksheets and gathering key data to inform budget process.
  • Contributes to the budget submission, updating entries into the University's budget tool, and helps with the reconciliation of that information to the College's internal budget planning model. Reviews the University's COB (consolidated operating budget) reports and contributing to variance analysis.
  • Processes journal entries for monthly, quarterly, and year-end close.
  
  
  
  
• Supports the financial reporting and analysis for a specific program or designated set of financial activities within the College:
  
  
  
  • Learns the business and operations of a designated program or set of financial activities.
  • Initiates transactions for relevant set of financial activities.
  • Reconciles monthly financial statements and analyzing budget variance reports; together with the Director, meets regularly with relevant stakeholders to review year-to-date activity and identifies trends that will impact the budget plans for future periods. Prepares reports regarding financial activity as needed.
  • Updates and reconciles complex financial and budgetary spreadsheets. Tracks expenditures and/or payments ensuring they are posted to proper accounts.
  • Processes gift transmittals and completes regular reconciliations of gift data. Manages new fund creation requests.
  
  
  
  
• Assists with analysis of financial information and/or the preparation of regular and ad hoc financial reports at the direction of the Director and senior members of the Columbia College Finance Team.
• Performs other related duties, assignments, and/or special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Minimum of 2 years of related experience required.
• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational and problem-solving skills and have the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be a self-starter and capable of operating with minimal supervision.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with a strong customer service focus.
• Ability to work closely and effectively with a diverse group of administrators.
• Ability to exercise discretion and handle confidential information essential.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite required, specifically Excel skills.
• Ability to compile, manipulate, and analyze data and present financial information to end-users in a useful manner.

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference for experience in higher education, non-profit, and/or complex organization.
• Knowledge of Columbia University's accounting system (ARC/FDS/FinSYS) preferred.
• Familiarity with PeopleSoft Financials or a similar type of financial management application preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

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