Director, Finance and Administration

Rice University•Houston, TX

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Executive Director, Business Operations, the Director of Finance and Administration has management and oversight of multiple operational support functions that serve as the backbone for the fundraising and engagement efforts of the Development and Alumni Relations Division at Rice University. These functions encompass finance, budget, IT desktop support, and office management for a division of approximately 160 staff members. This individual participates in the team that aids in implementing the vice president’s overall strategic vision and strategy for the division, providing specific updates to the team related to administrative and financial activities and annual planning efforts. The Director of Finance and Administration operates as troubleshooter, problem-solver, and advisor when special administrative, financial, and IT support issues arise within the division; serves in an advisory capacity for budget preparations by departmental budget managers and the vice president for development and alumni relations; and serves as the division’s source of information for applicable university policies and procedures. The ideal candidate for this position is strongly detail-oriented with an analytical background; is an excellent communicator and relationship builder, having an ability to both advise and maintain confidentiality on sensitive, and sometimes complicated, administrative issues; and is a leader with demonstrated success in managing and guiding a team or program in achieving the goals that support the mission of the institution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
Four or more (4+) years of related professional experience in administration, budget management, and/or financial reporting, including experience in managing people, systems, processes, and functions
Demonstrated leadership, supervisory, planning and change management skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to influence people, solve problems, troubleshoot, think creatively and resolve conflicts
Advanced financial expertise in budget planning and financial forecasting
Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent data analysis skills
Strong attention to detail
Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple projects simultaneously
Strong organizational and time management skills
Extensive knowledge of Microsoft Office suite
Maturity in judgment and ability to maintain confidentiality

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree
5+ years of related professional experience described above
Previous work in a similar role at Rice University, or at another university or non-profit organization
Familiarity with fund accounting
Experience in collaborating with executive-level leadership
Ability to translate executive leadership needs into understandable and actionable items
Ability to effectively create documentation and training materials and to conduct training sessions in an efficient and understandable format
Strong computer skills in a Windows environment with ability to import, export, and analyze financial data
Relevant financial industry certifications

Responsibilities

Provides operational support and serves as divisional expert on campus enterprise system (Oracle) for financial reporting procurement, and expense reporting processes
Collaborates with the Talent Management team in Development and Alumni Relations on hiring divisional staff
Manages a divisional budget of approximately $21M and facilitates the annual budget process, providing reports/metrics to the executive leadership team
Maintains databases and provides oversight for tracking divisional expenditures
Manages space allocation and directs/coordinates facilities maintenance and security access for staff areas
Develops, refines, interprets, and implements policies for the division
Oversees the IT effort in the division, including the installation, support, and security of desktop systems
Directly manages two administrative staff and one IT staff member, with indirect oversight of the receptionist and reception function
Accountable for the professional development and performance of direct reports
Maintains contact with various administrators on campus and attends administrator and finance forums, staying up to date on university initiatives and the potential impact on the division
Performs all other duties as assigned
Participates in benchmarking efforts, including compilation of data for external surveys
Participates in salary and wage administration efforts, including survey reviews
Evaluates the effectiveness of business processes and facilitates revisions as needed
Has frequent contact with division staff and other university offices
Works with outside vendors as needed