Director of Finance

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The College of Engineering's Dean’s Office has an outstanding opportunity for a Director of Finance to join their team. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Finance and Operations, the Director of Finance serves as a senior financial and administrative leader for the College of Engineering. The position provides strategic direction, oversight, and execution of the College’s financial operations, ensuring fiscal sustainability, policy compliance, and effective stewardship of resources in support of the College’s academic and research missions. The Director oversees the Professional and Executive Program Administration, Facilities Financial Management, Collaboration Core and the Engineering Shared Environment (ESE), ensuring high‑quality, consistent financial and administrative services across the College while advancing best practices, continuous improvement, and compliance with University, state, and external sponsor requirements. Decisions and recommendations made in this role directly influence program viability, resource allocation, space and infrastructure investments, and the University’s ability to innovate and respond to market and workforce needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics, or a related field.
Six or more years of increasingly responsible financial and administrative leadership/strategic management and consultative experience in higher education, to include reporting and analyzing financial data, policy development, compliance and risk mitigation, budgets and budgetary processing, finance or financial transactions, or complex financial management systems and advising high-level decision makers, as well as administrative and financial oversight of complex programs.
Experience with change management projects for large-scale, system-wide business operations changes.
A management style that emphasizes solutions, collaboration, communication, responsiveness, professionalism, flexibility, respect, trust, and patience.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Exceptional project management, organizational skills, and problem-solving ability.
Proven capacity to effectively manage competing deadlines and ensure accuracy while responding quickly and appropriately to emerging and/or urgent issues.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Demonstrated willingness and ability to learn and implement new systems.
Ability to supervise and lead a team, as well as motivate, lead, and support the success of unit colleagues to enable College-wide success.
Experience summarizing and synthesizing complex data into meaningful information that aids business decisions.
Demonstrated efforts in creating an inclusive and equitable work environment.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and be a self-starter.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated understanding of UW financial processes and policies with a proven track record of successfully facilitating internal and external audits.
Advanced experience with Workday Financial and Human Capital Management products.
Knowledge of UW Shared Environment model.
Advanced experience with Microsoft Excel, creating and modifying complex workbooks and Pivot Tables.

Responsibilities

Supports the Associate Dean for Finance & Operations on college-wide strategic financial planning, sustainability, and policy implementation and change management; serves as backup on approvals and College representation on University committees and financial forums.
Provides strategic fiscal guidance to College of Engineering leadership, units, faculty, and staff.
Communicates complex financial information to diverse audiences and delivers presentations on financial and operational topics.
Establishes and implements college-wide financial policies and best practices to ensure compliance with state, university, and college requirements.
Oversees internal controls, contracts, risk management, financial policy implementation, data analysis, performance monitoring, and financial reporting.
Leads audit processes, coordinating internal and external responses, ensuring accurate and timely documentation, and implementing corrective action plans.
Provides strategic fiscal and administrative leadership for the College of Engineering’s post-graduate, professional, and executive education portfolio, including both new and continuing fee‑based programs.
Partners closely with academic leadership, program directors, and central campus units to ensure the CoE’s suite of Professional and Executive programs are financially sustainable, operationally sound, and aligned with College and University priorities.
Leads financial planning and oversight across the full lifecycle of programs, including concept development, pricing and cost planning, market and enrollment modeling, resource allocation, and post‑program evaluation.
Ensures revenue, expense, and net margin performance align with approved business plans and risk thresholds.
Partner with program leadership to oversee development and review of program business cases, pro formas, and financial analyses for new offerings, including tuition and fee setting, instructional and operational cost recovery, and long‑term sustainability.
Provides clear recommendations to College leadership regarding program viability, investment decisions, and risk mitigation strategies.
Ensures compliance with University policies and procedures related to fee‑based and self‑sustaining programs, including appropriate use of auxiliary and non‑state funds, contract management, revenue recognition, and reporting requirements.
Serves as a senior resource to units on financial, administrative, and compliance matters related to professional and executive education.
Monitors program financial performance on an ongoing basis, identifying trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
Develops and delivers regular reporting for College leadership that includes enrollment and revenue trends, margin analysis, variance explanations, and recommendations for corrective action or program enhancement.
Supports strategic growth of the College’s professional and executive education portfolio by advising on scalable administrative models, shared services opportunities, and process improvements that reduce administrative burden while maintaining strong financial controls and service quality.
Oversees budgeting and financial management related to facilities, space, and infrastructure required to support classrooms, instructional spaces, research activities, and program‑specific operational needs across the College.
Provides financial oversight for space utilization, instructional delivery models, and infrastructure investments to ensure resources are appropriately planned, funded, and aligned with academic and programmatic priorities.
Supports strategic financial planning for facilities and infrastructure associated with educational programs, including professional and executive education, balancing program growth, enrollment demand, space capacity, and cost-recovery requirements.
Partners closely with facilities, finance, academic units, and program leadership to evaluate space needs, develop funding strategies, and support decisions related to renovations, instructional technology, scheduling models, and shared space utilization.
Advises College leadership on the financial implications of space and infrastructure decisions, including short‑term operational needs and long‑term planning considerations.
Ensures facility‑related costs are accurately budgeted, monitored, and allocated, and that financial plans support sustainable program delivery while maximizing efficient use of College resources.
Responsible for the supervision of the Collaboration Core.
Supervise workflow, set expectations, provide annual performance reviews, provide timely and constructive feedback, recommend opportunities for professional development, and oversee performance management for direct reports and associated teams.
Manage complex personnel issues, including crisis management, conflict management and resolution, and accommodation.
Responsible for the supervision of the Associate Director of the ESE.
Supervise workflow, set expectations, provide annual performance reviews, provide timely and constructive feedback, recommend opportunities for professional development, and oversee performance management for direct reports and associated teams.
Oversee all fiscal operations within the ESE for the College, including purchasing, payments, deposits, reimbursements, invoicing, payroll accounting adjustments, transfers, etc.
Provides direct financial leadership to the Dean’s Office, supporting college-wide priorities and executive decision-making.
Serves as a trusted advisor to the Associate Dean for Finance & Operations and Dean’s Office leadership on complex financial, administrative, and policy matters.
Coordinates financial and administrative activities across Dean’s Office functions—including finance, human resources, facilities, research administration, and computing services—to ensure alignment with College strategy and consistent application of policies and processes.
Leads process improvement and change management efforts within the Dean’s Office, focusing on streamlining operations, enhancing reporting and data use, and strengthening internal controls.