Manager of Financial Planning and Analysis

Appalachian State University•Boone, NC

About The Position

This position provides advanced financial planning, modeling, and analytical support to inform strategic decision-making across the University. This role develops short- and long-range financial projections, evaluates the fiscal impact of enrollment, tuition, fee, legislative, and policy changes, and ensures consistent application of financial policies and procedures. The position supports budget development for auxiliary and fee-supported operations, coordinates tuition and student fee processes, and delivers enterprise-wide financial analyses, recommendations, and reporting to support institutional priorities and effective resource management. The position plays a major role in preparing the University’s annual All-Funds Budget in coordination with campus budget officers and under the direction of the University Budget Director. This position serves as the foundational role in the University Budget Office’s Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) function. The Manager will advise University Budget Office leadership on the standards, models, systems, and staffing structure (which may include data architecture or additional analyst capacity) needed to mature this function over time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education, preferably with a concentration in Business/Public Administration, Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in financial planning, budgeting, financial analysis, or a related field, preferably within a higher education or public sector setting.
Demonstrated experience developing financial models, forecasts, and analyses to support organizational or institutional decision-making.
Experience working with financial/ ERP systems and advanced proficiency in Excel or comparable analytical and reporting tools.
Supervisory, team-lead, or project-lead experience, or demonstrated ability to mentor, direct, and develop the work of others.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Public Administration, or a related field.
Experience with financial planning and analysis (FP&A) software platforms such as Synario, Anaplan, Adaptive Insights, or comparable enterprise planning tools.
Experience in a higher education or UNC System environment, including familiarity with State budget processes, Banner Finance, and WebFocus.
Experience designing, improving, or implementing reporting structures, dashboards, or data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau) to reduce manual reporting and support financial decision-making.
Certified Public Accountant ( CPA ), Certified Government Financial Manager ( CGFM ), or Chartered Financial Analyst ( CFA ) credential.

Responsibilities

Performs advanced financial modeling, analysis, forecasting, and reporting to support University budgeting, tuition and fee planning, and strategic decision-making.
Develops short- and long-range financial projections and evaluates the impact of enrollment trends, legislative actions, rate changes, and policy decisions.
Provides budgetary, accounting, and financial planning support for auxiliary and other fee-supported operations.
Monitors financial activity, analyzes variances, identifies issues, and recommends corrective actions to ensure sound fiscal management and compliance with applicable policies and procedures.
Coordinates and supports the annual tuition and student fee planning processes, including development of rate models, revenue projections, financial analyses, and related communications with campus stakeholders.
Extracts, researches, reconciles, and evaluates complex financial data from multiple sources to identify trends, assess financial performance, and provide meaningful recommendations to management.
Prepares financial reports, presentations, and ad hoc analyses for University leadership.
Serves as a subject matter expert on budget, tuition, fee-supported operations, and related financial policies.
Provides consultation, training, guidance, and technical support to campus stakeholders while ensuring compliance with University, UNC System, and State regulations.
Plays a major role in preparing the University’s annual All-Funds Budget, coordinating with campus budget officers to compile and reconcile General Fund and Institutional Trust Fund operating revenues and expenditures under the direction of the University Budget Director, and in accordance with UNC System Office guidance and Board of Trustees approval requirements.
Advises University Budget Office leadership on emerging financial planning standards, methodologies, tools, and systems — including financial modeling/planning platforms and data visualization or reporting tools — to modernize forecasting, reporting, and analytical capabilities and to help stand up an improved, less manual reporting structure across the office.
Informs the future direction, staffing, and technology needs of the University Budget Office’s Financial Planning and Analysis function, including providing recommendations on the potential addition of specialized roles (e.g., data architecture) or analyst capacity as the function matures.
Maintains expertise in applicable statutes, policies, budget processes, financial systems, and reporting requirements to support informed decision-making and effective financial stewardship across the University.