Financial Officer III

Utah State University•Logan, UT

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Business Services team at Utah State University invites applications for a Financial Officer III position to support the College of Agriculture & Natural Resources. Reporting to the Executive Director of Financial Operations, this position serves as the principal financial advisor to the Dean, overseeing budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and financial strategy. The Financial Officer III provides leadership to a team of financial staff, ensuring compliance with university policies, promoting financial stewardship, and enabling informed decision-making that advances institutional goals. The position plays a key role in developing sustainable financial models, optimizing resource utilization, and leading financial process improvement initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or related field; or equivalent advanced learning attained through experience.
Minimum of 9 years of related work experience, including 5 years of leadership experience (e.g. experience leading a team, project, program, and/or function).

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, economics, or related field.
Extensive experience managing complex budgets in a higher education or large public-sector environment.

Responsibilities

Drives multi-year strategic financial planning aligned with institutional goals.
Direct comprehensive financial strategy, forecasting, and resource planning for the college or division.
Partner with senior leadership to design and implement financial frameworks supporting growth, innovation, and sustainability.
Provide executive-level financial modeling and analysis for strategic initiatives, capital projects, and new programs.
Oversee the integration of financial, operational, and academic data to support evidence-based decision-making.
Lead cross-unit financial planning sessions to ensure alignment with university priorities.
Establish and maintain robust financial governance, internal controls, and risk mitigation strategies.
Oversee financial compliance with all state, federal, and institutional requirements.
Evaluate the impact of policy or regulatory changes on college/division financial operations and recommend adaptations.
Lead internal audit preparation, ensuring readiness and adherence to best practices.
Synthesizes policy, regulatory, and financial data to inform executive decisions.
Anticipates systemic risks; leads financial contingency planning and reserves strategy.
Oversee all financial reporting and performance metrics for the division.
Ensure fiscal accountabilities for all restricted, unrestricted, and auxiliary funds.
Provide quarterly and annual reports to leadership detailing fiscal health, performance, and trend analysis.
Integrate data analytics and technology to enhance accuracy, transparency, and forecasting capability.
Designs comprehensive financial structures and governance models.
Evaluates high-impact projects and complex funding agreements at executive level.
Review and reconcile financial transactions to ensure expenditures are allocable, reasonable, and allowable in accordance with university policy, funding requirements, and applicable regulations.
Verify compliance for funds with specific use restrictions, including course fees, service centers, grants, scholarships, endowment spendable accounts, operating budgets, and other assigned funding sources.
Lead a large financial operations team, setting strategic goals and performance standards.
Mentor and develop future financial leaders within the organization.
Champion continuous improvement initiatives to increase efficiency and strengthen customer service.
Build partnerships with institutional offices (e.g., Budget, HR, Sponsored Programs) to advance coordinated financial management.
Advise senior leadership on the implications of Finance policies, initiatives, and enterprise-level decisions.
Collaborate with Finance leadership to shape and advance university-wide financial strategies, governance, and stewardship frameworks.
Lead or co-chair institutional committees or task forces that align college/division financial operations with broader Finance objectives.