Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Kansas City University•Kansas City, KS

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Financial Planning and Analysis serves as a strategic leader overseeing the University’s financial planning, forecasting, reporting, and analytical functions. This role drives continuous improvement of the budget and forecasting processes, strengthens data‑driven decision support for leadership, and partners closely with academic and administrative leaders to develop pro‑formas that guide new initiatives and program evolution. The position also leads the development and delivery of enhanced financial reporting to provide clear, actionable insights that support informed, strategic decision‑making across the institution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, or related field
7+ years of progressive experience in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, or financial analysis (higher education experience preferred), with experience leading and managing a team
Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and communicate insights effectively
High proficiency in Excel and financial modeling
Strong commitment to integrity, ethics, confidentiality, and accuracy.
Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement
Physical dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and other office equipment, use a telephone, access file cabinets and other items stored at various levels, including overhead
Ability to speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably with sufficient volume to ensure an accurate exchange of information in normal conversational distance, over the telephone, and in a group setting
Ability to continuously operate a personal computer for extended periods of time (4 or more hours)
Mental acuity sufficient to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions

Nice To Haves

advanced degree or certification (MBA, CPA, CMA) preferred
experience with Workday Financials and Adaptive Planning strongly preferred
Experience with analytical tools such as Tableau or Alteryx is a plus.

Responsibilities

Manage the FP&A department, including direct supervision of staff and oversight of strategic goals and departmental governance
Maintain, update, and enhance the University’s monthly, annual, and long-term financial forecast models
Lead continuous improvement efforts for the annual budget process, including timeline optimization, system enhancements, and improved forecasting methodologies
Partner with departments across the University to develop accurate, strategically aligned budgets and provide ongoing budget support throughout the fiscal year
Maintain and improve the University’s cash forecasting model to support liquidity planning and long-term financial sustainability
Collaborate closely with executive leadership, academic deans, and administrative units to develop pro formas and evaluate financial viability, ROI, and long-term impact of proposed initiatives
Conduct scenario modeling and what if analyses to support strategic decision making
Lead the production, enhancement, and automation of monthly and annual Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reporting
Deliver monthly CFO reporting packages and develop new Provost and Dean reporting packages, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and actionable insights
Identify financial and operational trends, risks, and opportunities through data analysis and communicate findings in a clear, compelling manner
Build strong, collaborative relationships with the Accounting team to ensure alignment between financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting
Work closely with departments across the University to understand operational drivers and incorporate them into financial models
Serve as a subject matter expert for Adaptive Planning and support the development of reporting and analytics within Workday
Seek opportunities to improve efficiency, enhance reporting capabilities, and streamline financial processes