Assistant Director, Budget & Finance

Position Title:

Assistant Director, Budget & Finance

Position Type:

Regular

Hiring Range:

$41.06 - $49.27 per hour; Compensation will be based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role, and internal equity. 

Pay Frequency:

Hourly

A. POSITION PURPOSE

The Assistant Director, Budget & Finance, oversees all financial planning, budgeting, and fiscal operations for the Alumni Relations budget. This position serves as the first point of contact for all financial transactions, ensuring accurate tracking and reporting of departmental budgets, and providing financial analysis and recommendations to the Senior Director, Campus Events and Operations, and the Alumni Relations leadership team. The Assistant Director manages the department’s annual budget process, provides financial forecasting and analysis, trains staff on financial processes, manages vendor contracts, processes event and gift transactions, and provides back-up for all Alumni Relations Customer Service functions. This role partners closely with the Alumni Relations team to align resource allocation with strategic goals, promote operational efficiency, and strengthen financial accountability across the department. The Assistant Director ensures compliance with university policies, safeguards the accuracy of financial processes, and contributes to the overall financial health and operational success of the Alumni Relations department.

B. ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Finance & Budget Management

• Serves as the primary point of contact and subject matter expert for all departmental financial transactions, including payment requests, reimbursements, vendor invoices, deposits, refunds, cash sales, FTARs, customer and supplier setup in Workday, PCard/TCard administration, online store operations, and petty cash management.

• Responsible for creating, processing, and/or reviewing all financial transactions within the department.

• Implements and maintains consistent financial protocols and best practices to ensure fiscal integrity and operational efficiency across Alumni Relations.

• Primary liaison relationship manager with the University Finance Office and the University Relations Budget Manager

2. Finance & Budget Analysis & Reporting

• Manages all financial data for departmental and institutional reporting. Responsibilities include data collection, reporting, trend analysis, process documentation, and operational recommendations.

• Prepares and analyzes monthly and annual budget reports, mid-year and year-end projections, regular evaluations of all Alumni Relations scholarship and gift funds, and ad hoc budget requests to inform strategic decisions.

• Maintains dynamic, real-time expense tracking for the Alumni Relations Signature Events, ensuring accuracy and transparency.

• Produces comprehensive post-event financial reports for staff and manages the Alumni Relations Event Budget Tracker, distributed to the VP and Director of Finance in University Relations.

• Identifies opportunities to optimize costs and improve resource allocation across programs and initiatives.

3. Budgeting Process

• Leads the departmental budgeting cycle, coordinating timelines, templates, and guidance for annual and mid-year budget submissions.

• Trains and supports team members on University financial systems (e.g., Workday) and budget management processes.

• Communicates university-wide budget updates, deadlines, and procedural changes to ensure department-wide awareness and alignment with university policies.

• Evaluates and enhances budget and operational workflows to improve efficiency, accuracy, and alignment with institutional best practices.

4. Contracts & Vendor Management

• As the primary liaison, develops and maintains relationships with General Counsel, the University Finance Office, and Alumni Relations vendors regarding the management and approval of contracts.

• Manages all Alumni Relations contracts and contractor agreements to ensure adherence to university approval and renewal processes and adherence to deadlines.

• Oversees the lifecycle of all Alumni Relations departmental contracts—from initiation to execution—tracking progress, renewals, and deadlines.

• Maintains a comprehensive contract management system to ensure accuracy, accountability, and adherence to University and legal standards.

• Guides staff on contract-related processes and documentation, promoting consistency and compliance across the department.

5. Ev