Director of Business Operations and Finance

California State University•Los Angeles, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

California State University, Los Angeles (Cal State LA) is seeking a Director of Business Operations and Finance (DBOF) for the College of Professional and Global Education (PaGE). This role provides strategic leadership and oversight of the College's financial operations within a complex self-support environment, including revenue growth initiatives. The Director is responsible for building and maintaining budgets from scratch annually, based on revenue projections, program costs, and evolving program offerings, and then monitoring and adjusting these budgets throughout the fiscal cycle. The position involves strategic business planning, organizing, and directing all financial activities, including budget development and control, financial analysis and reporting, student financial services, and ensuring compliance with CSU, State, and Federal regulations. The Director will establish program budgets, pricing structures, and enrollment targets, and will oversee contracts, partnerships, international agreements, hiring, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for each academic and certificate program offered by PaGE. This role requires advanced expertise in financial planning, modeling, and pricing strategies due to the dynamic nature of self-support programs. As the College's primary financial advisor to the Dean, the DBOF will provide guidance on financial strategy and support decision-making aligned with the College's operational and programmatic goals. The DBOF will also lead the finance and financial services unit, supervise staff, collaborate with university and system-wide financial leaders, and oversee third-party billing. This is a senior financial leadership role focused on strategic budgeting, operational excellence, and supporting innovative, revenue-driven programs while ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and values. The DBOF requires a comprehensive understanding of faculty and staff collective bargaining agreements and employment policies, management of all HR and Payroll matters such as faculty and staff appointments and extensions, PaGE student financial services, PaGE contracts and MOUs, and management of all PaGE facilities, including the DTLA satellite campus.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
Five years of accounting or financial/budgetary analysis experience at a large public sector agency or private firm.
Demonstrate an interest or ability in working in a multicultural/multiethnic environment.
Must reside in the State of California.
Background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily.
Must file Conflict of Interest forms subject to the regulations of the Fair Political Practices Commission.
Must comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 revised July 21, 2017, as a condition of employment (mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act).

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Business Administration or related field.
CPA preferred.
Prior experience as a director or resource manager at a college or university.
Knowledge of college/university budgeting and accounting/budgeting principles.
Knowledge of self-support programs.
Strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

Provides strategic leadership, administration, and oversight of the College's financial operations within a complex self-support environment.
Builds and maintains budgets from the ground up each year based on revenue projections, program costs, and evolving program offerings.
Monitors and adjusts budgets throughout the fiscal cycle.
Establishes program budgets, pricing structures, and enrollment targets.
Oversees contracts, partnerships, international agreements, hiring, and Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for each academic and certificate program.
Serves as the College's primary financial advisor to the Dean, providing guidance on financial strategy and supporting decision-making.
Leads the finance and financial services unit and supervises staff.
Collaborates with university and system-wide financial leaders.
Oversees third-party billing.
Manages all HR and Payroll matters such as faculty and staff appointments and extensions.
Manages PaGE student financial services.
Manages PaGE contracts and MOUs.
Manages all PaGE facilities, including the DTLA satellite campus.