Associate Director of Finance and Budget

Internal•Bellingham, WA

14d•$108,102 - $124,317•Onsite

About The Position

Oversee financial, capital, and business activities within University Residences Ensuring alignment with the goals of the WWU strategic plan, including diversity, inclusion, equity, social justice, sustainability, accessibility, and affordability, is integrated into all aspects of oversight. Develop, monitor, and audit the overall University Residences budget, currently at $60 million. Provide long-term fiscal planning for housing and dining development, capital planning, and the Housing Long-Term Master Plan. Serve as a strategic partner on steering and design committees for annual and periodic renovations, construction projects, and updates to the Housing Long-Term Master Plan. The plan outlines nearly $700 million in replacement, renovation, and addition projects over the next 10 years, including assumptions and analyses of various phasing options and room-and-board rate structures. Work with senior leadership to develop strategies for the resource strategies for Housing System capital projects. Incorporate revenue projections and collaborate with senior leadership to present bond financing to the Board of Trustees when necessary to meet program goals and ensure the long-term success of operations. Identify emerging needs and assess implications of issues and concerns. Collaborate broadly across the institution, including with Business and Financial Affairs division strategic partners, and other departments involved in fiscal and capital planning, strategic projects, and change management. Incorporate institutional strategic directions and goals into all planning and operational areas, including enrollment, retention, and sustainability. Work closely with Strategy, Management, and Budget to develop reports and presentations for the Board of Trustees on long-term auxiliary plans, student fees, capital projects, and bond issues.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Five years of progressively responsible experience and demonstrated competence in budget development and financial management, directing fiscal operations, including auxiliary operations, or in a similarly complex and equivalent organizational environment.
Experience in developing and using financial data management tools and familiarity with transaction and reporting systems (such as Banner, StarRez, Millennium).
Demonstrated ability to collect, organize, analyze data, prepare and interpret reports, and create assessments.
Strong communication, negotiation, and problem-solving abilities.
Proven ability to work and lead effectively in a diverse environment.
Highly organized with a proven ability to prioritize and manage rapidly changing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proven ability to plan and manage operational processes and implement new structures for maximum efficiency and productivity.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree
Experience in Higher Ed

Responsibilities

Assist the Executive Director of University Residences in developing and implementing financing plans for System expansion and renovation in concert with university administration and external financial advisors.
Provide overall direction and coordinate the business and financial aspects of the Housing budget.
Long-term fiscal planning for housing and dining development, capital projects, and the Housing System Long-Term Master Plan.
Develop projections of programmatic space needs and establish long-range projects and funding strategies.
Collaborate across divisions to create development assessments for the Housing System.
Develop the detailed fiscal components of the Student Auxiliary Long-Range Capital Plans by projecting revenue from diverse sources, applying different expense assumptions, and calculating debt capacity within bond covenant requirements.
Assess and develop funding strategies for ongoing maintenance, repairs, and replacements of UR facilities, addressing deferred maintenance alongside programmatic renovations whenever feasible.
Meet periodically with the university’s financial advisor and relevant WWU staff to review and develop current and future plans.
Collaborate with University Residences - Facilities to include renewal and renovation needs and plans into financing assumptions.
Participate in institutional capital planning, capital projects steering committees, and other committees as assigned.
Collaborate with Strategy, Management, and Budget to prepare the annual Board of Trustees Fee and Rate Proposal.
Prepare mid-year Board of Trustees reports as requested, along with other unit reports.
Develop fiscal program goals aligned with the department’s, division’s, and university’s mission, goals, and strategic plan.
Direct the expansion of student service enhancements and revenue sources for the Housing System.
Develop, monitor, and audit the overall Housing System budget, which is currently $60 million.
Analyze current operating data for incorporation into the long-range planning structure.
Communicate budget plans to Housing System managers, university administration, and student constituents.
Develop spreadsheets, charts, and talking points.
Ensure the Housing System complies with System Financing Principles.
Monitor revenues and expenditures within the various components of the Housing System.
Coordinate with Strategy, Management, and Budget to engage residential students in the budgeting and rate-setting process.
Coordinate the participation of the Housing System's various organizational units.
Review the System’s property and liability insurance coverage annually with the university’s Risk Manager and suggest any necessary changes.
Serve as the Housing liaison to: Divisional Budget Officer, Student Business Office, Dining Services, and Viking Union Auxiliary Services.
Serve on University Residences management and leadership teams.
Plan, direct, monitor, and control the management activities of the Housing System.
Provide oversight for business processes in StarRez, the housing management software system.
Supervise, evaluate, and develop or improve procedures, internal controls, and efficiencies for various sub-systems, including purchasing, departmental/ residential hall governments, PCard use, accounting, student receivables, data processing, financial reporting, and payables.
Coordinate the development and distribution of management reports to Housing System managers.
Supervise and perform financial and operational analysis across general and specific areas of System operations.
Coordinate activities for the independent annual audit of the Housing System.
Support the development and creation of a fixed asset management system.
Assist the Executive Director of University Residences in communicating and executing the dining vision, mission, goals, objectives, and strategic plans with Western’s students and community members.
Oversee daily operations of various contracts, campus vending services, exclusive pouring rights, and laundry machine services.
Engage in problem-solving, needs assessment, and service evaluation.
Develop and utilize analytical tools to assess contract compliance, revenues, and survey responses.
Participate in contract negotiations by collaborating with other university stakeholders and WWU’s Purchasing and Contracts Department.
Encourage and facilitate opportunities for student and community feedback and discussions.
Assist University Residences managers with overseeing maintenance contracts, technology, safety, programmatic services, and memorandums of understanding agreements.
Provide leadership for two full-time staff and two student employees.
Directly supervise the Fiscal Analyst 3.
Oversee recruitment, hiring, and training for University Residences staff.
Ensure that all University Residences staff complete their annual reviews.
Be familiar with all staff and student collective bargaining unit contracts and employment practices, working closely with Human Resources.
Manage all work agreements for remote University Residences staff, ensuring they are updated annually with the Executive Director, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs, and the Human Resources Department.
Follow all federal, state, university, and department policies and procedures.
Review and track all University Residences policies and procedures annually for updates.
Assign updates to the appropriate staff and ensure they are updated annually as required by the BFA division, coordinating with the University Policy Coordinator.