Senior Director for Budget and Financial Planning

Job Description:

Under the Broad Supervision of the Vice President for Finance, the Senior Director for Budget and Financial Planning manages Berklee’s operating and capital budgets and long-term financial planning forecasts, and develops, interprets and presents budget and forecast information. The Senior Director also leads the Budget team, including coaching and development and fostering a culture of partnership and high performance. The position also assists the Vice President for Finance and the Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration with financial updates for the Finance & Budget Committee and college leadership, as well as supporting special projects as needed.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  
 

Accountabilities: Lead Berklee’s budget and forecast process, ensuring balanced operating and capital budgets.  Help the institution balance sometimes conflicting priorities (affordability, strategic investments, financial sustainability) in the annual budget process.  Drive Berklee’s long term forecast process that reflects the College’s mission and strategic plan in its financial plans.

Operating & Capital Budgets

• Lead the annual operating budget process including engaging with leadership and key budget stakeholders.

• Develop, control, and manage the budget process utilizing Adaptive Insights.

• Recommend budgetary policies and practices.

• Develop and enhance methods and procedures and tools as needed for the preparation of budgets.

• Lead the annual capital budget process, engage with Facilities and other key stakeholders to ensure critical capital projects are funded.  

• Partner with Director of Financial Decision Support to inform cost allocation impact on learning environment operating budgets.

• Work closely with the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, the Vice President for Finance and others to allocate resources to the highest priorities.

 

Multi-Year Financial Forecast

• Lead multi-year financial modeling for the College using Adaptive Insights.

• Engage with stakeholders and work closely with the Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance and the Vice President for Finance to determine key assumptions.

• Forecast includes alternative scenarios with full financial statement output and to illustrate financial implications of assumptions, strategy, investments and initiatives.

Financial Forecasts & Management Reporting

• Prepare monthly revenue and expenditure forecasts as needed. Work with areas of the College to update and revise projections as needed.

• Monitor budget objectives by analyzing variances and initiating corrective actions as necessary.

• With Vice President of Finance and Controller, support quarterly financial reviews with key areas of the college utilizing Workday reports.

• Review actual performance against budget and communicate results with appropriate management.

• Drive development and enhancements of internal management reports in Workday, including job aids to support users.

• Partner with Controller and Vice President of Finance to reflect as needed any major changes or modifications to the financial data structure in Workday.

Analytics & Decision Support

• Support College financial decision making by modeling and creating scenarios to analyze options on key initiatives.

• Partner with Director of Financial Decision Support and Vice President of Finance to analyze new initiatives.

• Assist in the creation of presentations for the Vice President and the Senior Vice President as needed.

• Other analytical support as needed.

 

Knowledge and Skills Required:

• Bachelor's degree required. Preferred degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related major.

• MBA and/or CPA strongly preferred.

• Higher education experience preferred.

• Minimum of 10 years of professional experience including a minimum of 7 years of experience in budgeting and managing budget and forecast process.

• Minimum of 5-10 years of managing a team of budget professionals

• Demonstrated experience in operating and capita