Commitments Budget Analyst

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

This Commitments Budget Analyst position in the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Dean’s Office oversees the management, allocation, and financial analysis of a substantial ~$900M in funding allocated to departments, centers, and faculty across the School of Medicine. This position requires a highly organized, detail-oriented, and analytical individual capable of complex data analytics, being responsible for large-scale budgets, forecasting, and providing strategic financial recommendations to ensure effective and efficient use of resources. This position also collaborates with the University of Colorado Central Services (Finance, Central Budget Planning and Campus Strategy, Foundation, Office of Grants and Contracts), CU Medicine Finance, as well as collaborating with all Department & Center Directors of Finance and Administration to build all-funds cross-divisional financial statements and financial strategic plans.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in business, business administration, finance, accounting, healthcare administration, public administration, or a directly related field from an accredited institution.
Substitution: A combination of education and closely related technical/professional experience may be substituted for the bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in data analytics, with a proven ability to mine, clean, analyze, evaluate, and visualize data.
Knowledge of database structures and dashboard tools, with the ability to use business data to inform decisions.
Strong skills in database management and Excel, with the ability to learn and apply additional analytics tools as needed.
Advanced Excel skills, including the ability to build financial models and perform analyses using lookup and conditional functions.
Background knowledge in statistics, data analysis, and business forecasting.
Advanced proficiency with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
Ability to interpret and transform raw data into meaningful insights that support business performance.
Ability to develop all‑fund budgets and contribute strategically to improving budgeting processes.
Extensive knowledge of budgeting, finance, and accounting practices within a higher‑education environment.
Ability to prepare, simplify, and present complex budget models.
Ability to translate business objectives into financial planning documents and communicate financial concepts to both financial and non-financial audiences.
Skill in technical writing, including drafting queries, reports, and data presentations.
Knowledge of University and CU Medicine financial systems such as PeopleSoft Finance, AX, and M‑Fin reporting.
Ability to serve as a knowledgeable resource to colleagues on a wide range of financial matters.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees at all levels of the institution.
Strong customer service skills.
Analytical skills and judgment to address significant issues and resolve complex problems.
Ability to effectively participate in, lead, or manage collaborative working groups.

Nice To Haves

Four (4) or more years of experience in a financial role within a university or health care institution.
Experience working in a higher education setting, preferably in a health science center.
Experience using business intelligence reporting tools.
Experience with data visualization tools, data mining, and data warehousing.

Responsibilities

Data Analytics & Projections (40%) Provide guidance and serve as a dedicated resource on all Dean commitment support. This includes Departments, Dean’s Office initiatives, and strategic investments within the School of Medicine. Design, implement, and improve analytics systems, Commitments dashboards, and reporting tools to support strategic planning and operational excellence. Guide the collection, integration, and analysis of complex datasets to identify trends, forecast needs, and inform executive decision-making. Present data-driven recommendations and alternatives to senior leadership, translating complex analytics into actionable business strategies. Prepare forecasts and financial models to predict future funding requirements, departmental needs, and potential changes in revenue. Oversee the development, implementation, and monitoring of annual and multi-year budgets across various departments, centers, and faculty. Work with units to identify funding needs, set budgets, and adjust projections as necessary. Monitor and analyze variances between actual spending and budgeted amounts, identifying potential issues and recommending corrective actions. Monitoring to ensure accuracy of fiscal staff, project end dates, and project deficit resolution.
Database Alignment (20%) Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including finance, HR, operations, IT, and other Dean’s Office units—to understand business requirements and ensure analytics reporting and solutions align with organizational needs. Work with the BI/Development team and SOM-IT to enhance database capabilities, automate reporting, and ensure data security and compliance. Create and enhance key dashboarding, projections & financial reporting.
Financial Operations (20%) Manage the commitment model for the School of Medicine. This includes tracking all active commitments, planned commitments, and pending Commitments against current assets and planned income models. Monthly Analysis, Executive Reporting, Ad-hoc Reporting and Analysis Ensure that expenditures are within budget. Provide support for budget allocations and modifications throughout the year. Work with administrators on deficit resolution Manage commitment architecture collaboration and administration, including Speedtype Set-up; Funding Source; Activity Code; Budget Only Speedtypes; Multi-year budget allocation Draft MOUs for new funding Dean Commitments/Support in partnership with Department & Center financial Leadership. Monitor and triage SOM Business Affairs AEFDEF and Finance email boxes and work with the SOM Dean's Office finance team to facilitate the needs of SOM Departments, Centers, Divisions, and programs.
Operational Strategy (10%) Developing, providing strategic recommendations, and directing the implementation of funds flows, allowing for commitment tracking and optimized department reporting, ensuring compliance with policies and regulations. Ensure the proper allocation of commitment dollars in alignment with strategic goals, funding sources, and funding agreements. Manage new requests, investments, and reinvestments of committed funding in alignment with strategic goals. Partner with key stakeholders as it relates to the Dean’s Initiatives (process standardization, communications, reporting, decisions.
Customer Service (10%) Serve as the primary person for answering Commitment questions and structure set-up Train and educate faculty and staff on budget procedures, financial reporting, and financial best practices. Partner, collaborate, and provide direction to internal and external stakeholders and partners on financial management, administration, and operations. Recommend and implement improvements to financial processes, tools, and systems to increase efficiency, accuracy, and transparency.