Budget Project Manager

Rice University•Houston, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Rice University is seeking a highly skilled Budget Project Manager to lead complex, multi-stakeholder projects focused on budgetary and financial problem-solving. This role is crucial for evaluating and refining a newly implemented budget model to support Rice University’s strategic growth. The position will involve project evaluation, gathering stakeholder input on pain points, proposing solutions, and developing detailed project plans for the Budget Transformation Initiative implemented in the FY25 budget cycle. This project requires managing complex interactions and financial dependencies across campus stakeholders. The successful candidate will develop project plans, coordinate stakeholder engagement, solicit feedback, monitor progress, facilitate problem-solving, collaborate with diverse stakeholders, and prepare status reports and presentations for leadership. The position reports to the Associate Vice President of Budget and Fiscal Analysis and will work closely with the Budget Office and Academic Finance Office. Additionally, the role will support analysis within the Office of Budget and Fiscal Analysis, including the annual development of the endowment distribution budget.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
4+ years of experience in budget management, management consulting, strategy, or a related field
Strong ability to communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders, both verbally and in writing
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with senior leaders and stakeholders
Skilled in navigating differing points of view with care, thoughtfulness, and attention
Deadline-driven, organized, and able to multitask and manage shifting priorities
Comfortable navigating ambiguity and adapting to evolving situations
Experience in project management and stakeholder engagement
Understanding of higher education budget and finance
Leader and team player who also excels as a strong independent contributor
Self-motivated and proactive
Strong analytical skills and experience with complex data analysis
Strong ability to create compelling presentations and develop clear storylines
Creative thinker with the ability to develop innovative solutions to complex problems
Excellent organizational and time-management skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Effective communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities
Experience developing reports and dashboards to track project progress and outcomes
Ability to facilitate meetings and engage stakeholders at all levels of an organization

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field
5+ years of experience in budget management, management consulting, strategy, or a related field
Expertise in applying leading consulting problem-solving methodologies or frameworks
Experience with business intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) and the Microsoft Office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

Responsibilities

Developing project plans
Coordinating stakeholder engagement
Soliciting feedback from stakeholders
Monitoring and reporting progress
Facilitating problem-solving
Collaborating with diverse stakeholders at many levels of the organization
Preparing status reports and presentations for stakeholders and leadership
Supporting analysis in the Office of Budget and Fiscal Analysis, including supporting the annual development of the endowment distribution budget
Partnering with initiative owners, team leads, and project managers to identify risks, issues, and critical decisions
Tracking progress and ensuring alignment with organizational initiatives
Monitoring projects and reporting to track milestones, risks, and barriers
Maintaining a high-level overview of all ongoing projects and programs, identifying interconnectivity, evaluating competing priorities, and providing recommendations for mitigating risks and issues
Building and maintaining partnerships with key stakeholders across the organization, ensuring effective communication and program success
Developing and implementing an effective structure for functional team meetings to address cross-functional impacts and inter-team challenges across the excellence portfolios
Identifying barriers to success across the portfolio and escalating issues to leadership as needed
Preparing and presenting progress reports, dashboards, and performance metrics to leadership and key stakeholders
Supporting the adoption of best practices in resource optimization and operational efficiency
Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and recommending solutions to enhance project outcomes
Performing all other duties as assigned