Financial Analysis & Business Operations Specialist

University of Maryland • Baltimore, MD

8d • $68,000 - $79,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine seeks a motivated early-career professional to join its Finance & Administration team as a Financial Analysis & Business Operations Specialist. Reporting directly to the Director of Finance & Administration, this role is an opportunity to build a broad foundation in academic medical finance and administration while contributing meaningfully to a dynamic, high-performing department. The Specialist will manage day-to-day business operations support finance, data, and payroll functions to across a diverse funding portfolio. Over the last five years, the department has nearly tripled in size and budget. That growth has driven significant demand for data, financial analysis, and business processing capacity. Our Finance & Administration is focused on building and implementing systems that can support the scale and complexity of a larger academic department. The Specialist will play a hands-on role in that effort, managing day-to-day operations across financial reporting, data collection and analysis, and business process documentation. This role is well suited to a detail-oriented, process-minded professional who is eager to grow in a collaborative environment. The department is committed to excellence and innovation in clinical practice, science, and neurosurgical education. We seek team members who align with and demonstrate our shared values: Patients First, together! Always Do the Right Thing Leave It Better Than You Found It Drive at Mastery

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or a related field required.
• Three (3) years of business-related experience required, with at least one (1) year of experience in at least two of the following areas: finance, accounting, payroll, research administration, purchasing, or human resources.
• Working knowledge of financial analysis, budget management, and accounting principles.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Office 365 applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present financial information clearly to non-financial audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work both independently and collaboratively.
• Demonstrated commitment to accuracy, process discipline, and policy compliance.
• Ability to demonstrate, understand, apply, and adhere to the UMB Core Values of Respect and Integrity, Well-being and Sustainability, Equity and Justice, and Innovation and Discovery.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in an academic medical center, university, or health system setting preferred.
• Familiarity with research administration and sponsored programs compliance preferred.
• Experience with data reporting tools (e.g., Power BI) a plus.
• CPA, CMA, CFM, or CIA a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintain financial and budget spreadsheets; download, compile, categorize, and manipulate departmental financial data to support accurate and timely reporting.
• Prepare and distribute financial reports, budget-versus-actual variance analyses, and financial summaries for department leadership.
• Assist with basic financial and budget forecasting across fund types including state funds, revolving funds, grants and contracts, and discretionary accounts.
• Review assigned financial accounts and expenditures to identify trends, anomalies, and year-end projection data.
• Maintain budget archives and financial data files to support ongoing reporting needs.
• Collect, organize, and maintain operational data to support management reporting and decision-making.
• Produce ad hoc reports, summaries, and data visualizations as requested by department leadership.
• Assist with responses to internal and external data requests from university administration and sponsoring agencies.
• Facilitate department payroll activities including analysis of commitment accounting data, effort logs, payroll adjustments, cost-sharing commitments, and timesheet compliance.
• Perform payroll reconciliation audits to ensure accuracy and compliance.
• Support salary allocation tracking and coordinate with the Central Payroll Office as needed.
• Maintain purchasing records and serve as a reviewer or approver of procurement transactions; ensure cardholders maintain compliance with university purchasing policies and procedures.
• Manage the department's travel and business expense reporting process, including review of expense reports for policy compliance, accurate coding, and timely submission.
• Coordinate with cardholders and staff to resolve coding discrepancies and documentation deficiencies.
• Develop, document, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for business operations functions within the department.
• Identify opportunities to improve workflow efficiency and recommend process enhancements to the Director of Finance & Administration.
• Ensure departmental practices are aligned with university policy; communicate procedural standards to relevant staff.
• Contribute to the department's culture of continuous improvement by proactively flagging compliance gaps and operational risks.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Retirement program (pension or optional retirement plan/ORP)
• Over 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year
• 16 paid holidays
• 3 personal leave days
• Unlimited accrual of sick time
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Professional learning and development programs
• Tuition remission for employees and their dependents at any University System of Maryland school
• Flexible work schedules and teleworking options (if applicable per job)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level