Associate Director of Finance

Columbia University • New York, NY

405d • $110,000 - $120,000

About The Position

The Associate Director of Finance at Columbia University's Weatherhead East Asian Institute (WEAI) is responsible for overseeing all financial management activities of the Institute. This includes developing budgets, managing grants, preparing financial reports, and ensuring compliance with university policies. The role requires collaboration with faculty and staff to support the financial operations and strategic initiatives of the Institute, which serves as a hub for research and teaching related to East and Southeast Asia.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 4 years of experience in financial and operational management.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in finance, accounting, or operations.
• Ability to work well in a consensus-driven team environment.
• Knowledge of Columbia University systems (ARC, PAC, FDS, Concur, Payment Works, Budget Tool/FINSYS).

Responsibilities

• Manage an operating budget of approximately $6.1 million and oversee all grants, gifts, endowment, and unrestricted accounts (over 70 projects).
• Complete required reporting and compliance/audit-related activities in conjunction with Sponsored Projects Finance.
• Develop long-term financial forecasting and strategic financial analysis to create budgets.
• Implement new and existing budget priorities and strategic initiatives.
• Develop the Institute's annual Operating Budget in conjunction with the Business Manager.
• Supervise the implementation of Columbia financial policies to the Institute's faculty, staff, and students.
• Monitor risk management policies and procedures to minimize program and organizational risks.
• Oversee the Financial Operations of the Institute (AP, Purchasing, Concur, etc.).
• Develop budgets for grant submissions and collaborate with Sponsored Project Administration.
• Advise the Faculty Director, Executive Director, and faculty on financial resource management.
• Prepare and present financial reports to various committees and stakeholders.
• Work closely with university finance offices to create and submit WEAI's budget and perform fiscal year-end closing.
• Perform quarterly budget updates and variance analysis with finance staff assistance.
• Approve labor distributions and provide final approval for financial transactions within the Columbia financial system.
• Become an expert on university financial policies and provide problem-solving support for budgets and financial planning.
• Supervise the finance office staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Industry: Educational Services
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree