Budget Analyst

Princeton University•Princeton, NJ

3d•$105,000 - $117,000

About The Position

Princeton University’s Office of Finance and Treasury seeks an experienced financial analyst for the role of Budget Analyst. The Budget Analyst is part of a collaborative team that supports Princeton’s allocation, monitoring, and reporting of University resources in an environment of constantly evolving teaching and research efforts and a diversifying student population. The incumbent helps the University Office of Planning, Budget, and Analysis compile, analyze, and monitor its $3.2B annual operating budget. Work includes preparation of financial analyses used by the Provost’s Office, Priorities Committee, Office of the Executive Vice President, various Finance and Treasury offices, Trustees, academic and administrative departments, and other parties in the operating budget and planning process.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or 4 to 6 years of relevant work experience in institutional or corporate budget and other financial analysis
High-intermediate to advanced Excel, including work with large data sets, tables, sources; and use of data-checking and -matching techniques
Familiarity with other Microsoft Office applications, enterprise resource planning software, and database query and reporting packages
Demonstrated experience handling sensitive and confidential information with a high level of discretion
Excellent writing and other communication skills, ability to convey complex and potentially confusing information in a straightforward and professional manner

Nice To Haves

Experience with EPM, Hyperion, and other institutional budget and planning systems
Use of PeopleSoft Financials
Familiarity with data/information warehouses and BI tools such as Cognos, Crystal Reports, or Business Objects
Strong financial presentational skills, primarily using robust PowerPoint slide decks
Previous work in higher education financial planning and analysis, especially at an institution with a wide array of funding sources

Responsibilities

Serves as primary central budget contact for various administrative and/or academic departments across the University.
Ensures accurate updates to budgets in EPM, the Oracle cloud service used for operating budget planning at Princeton.
Monitors budgets and actuals in EPM, PeopleSoft financials, and Information Warehouse.
Prepares and maintains authorized staffing FTE reports for the administrative units. Maintains year-to-year tracking of new positions added, reconfigured, transferred to/from other departments, etc.
Prepares journal entries where needed to make funding allocations or move expenses.
Prepares budget vs. actual variance analyses. Investigates anomalies and unexplained variances, whether in budget or actuals. Monitors term funding arrangements.
Works with administrative and academic departments, especially during fiscal year-end close, to resolve deficits, recode activity, and respond to other issues needed to ensure proper recording of operating budget activity.
Produces budget, actual, and forecast/projection reports, analyses, charts, and cross-tabulations on a recurring or ad hoc basis, as required, using Excel, EPM, Cognos Information Warehouse tools, and other software, as needed. Provides clear, accurate, and concise explanations of changes in budgets and actuals.
Assists in team projects, multi-department reviews, and other initiatives as assigned.
Provides guidance to other departments regarding budget and planning procedures and best practices.