Business Officer

Colorado State University•Fort Collins, CO

About The Position

The Business Officer serves as the embedded senior financial leader for multiple divisions and leads unit-level financial management, including financial strategy, budget development, forecasting, endowment oversight, internal controls, and compliance. The position partners with unit leadership and the Senior Business Officer to align financial decisions with institutional priorities and provide clear, actionable financial guidance. It also supervises and develops embedded finance staff in a complex, matrixed environment. The Business Officer is the primary finance liaison between the college or division and central administrative functions. The role supports strategic and operational decision-making, oversees complex funding sources and financial reporting, and leads process improvement and change-management efforts. The position directly supervises 4–6 FTE and is subject to a pre-employment criminal background check.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, accounting, finance, public administration, or a related field, including formal coursework through intermediate accounting, or four years of demonstrated equivalent experience.
At least 8 years of progressively responsible professional experience in budgeting, forecasting, and financial analysis.
At least 3 years of supervisory experience with professional finance staff, including responsibility for completing performance evaluations.
At least 3 years of experience working with a complex account structure and establishing, reconciling, and recommending improvements to existing structures or establishing new ones.
Demonstrated experience managing complex projects and coordinating multiple projects simultaneously.
Comprehensive understanding of internal controls and ability to analyze and implement effective systems of internal controls.
Demonstrated understanding of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Professional communication skills, including the ability to communicate across organizational levels and present complex financial information to non-financial audiences.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in finance, business, or a closely related field, such as an MBA or MPA, or CPA/CMA certification.
Higher education or government finance experience.
Experience with endowment accounting, gift compliance, sponsored programs, capital project finance, Fund Accounting, or Governmental Accounting Standards (GASB).
Familiarity with CSU HR systems, budget system, and central administrative processes.
Track record of process improvement and operational transformation.
At least 8 years of progressive experience in financial management with at least 5 years of senior-level managerial experience in a complex environment.
Working knowledge of Federal Uniform Guidance and related compliance requirements.
Analytical abilities, including use of Microsoft Excel, statistical techniques, financial modeling, data management, and data-mining tools.
Strong organizational and complex problem-solving skills, follow-through, and attention to detail.
Ability to work effectively in a multi-layered team environment and autonomously.

Responsibilities

Serve as the embedded senior financial leader for the college or division and the primary finance liaison between the unit and central administrative functions.
Partner with unit and Finance leadership on financial strategy, governance, and operational priorities, translating complex financial information into clear recommendations for leadership and non-financial audiences.
Develop and execute long-range financial strategy, including resource allocation, sustainability analysis, reserve management, endowment expenditure oversight, and scenario planning.
Lead the annual budget development cycle and maintain multi-year forecasts, financial models, and targets using historical data, current trends, and stakeholder input.
Ensure sound internal controls, policy compliance, audit readiness, and appropriate application of university, state, federal, GAAP, and GASB requirements.
Oversee analysis of all fund types and complex funding sources; identify opportunities for revenue growth, cost efficiencies, and optimized fund utilization.
Supervise, coach, evaluate, and develop embedded finance staff; establish performance expectations, lead onboarding, and foster a collaborative, accountable team culture.
Assign work, set performance expectations, conduct performance evaluations, coach and mentor staff, support onboarding and professional development, and prioritize workloads.
Maintain financial dashboards and reporting, lead process improvement and change-management efforts, and support data-driven decision-making.
Perform other duties as assigned.