Senior Financial Analyst

Cornell University • Ithaca, NY

4d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is located in Ithaca, N.Y., Cornell University is a bold, innovative, inclusive, and dynamic teaching and research university where staff, faculty, and students alike are challenged to make an enduring contribution to the betterment of humanity. Cornell University is one of the largest and most diverse institutions in the Ivy League. We are a community of 22,000 students and more than 10,000 faculty and staff members representing more than 80 countries and hundreds of disciplines—global cultures, backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and ideas. The Division of Budget and Planning supports Cornell University’s academic mission and long‑term sustainability through institutional budgeting, financial and strategic planning, resource allocation, and analysis. The Division is responsible for developing planning assumptions; preparing and consolidating operating and capital budgets across the Ithaca campus, Cornell Tech, and Weill Cornell Medicine; supporting space and capital planning; and overseeing institutional research, accreditation, and external reporting. Within the Division, the University Budget Office works closely with colleges and administrative units to develop, implement, and report on the Ithaca campus operating plan. The office serves as a steward of institutional resources by forecasting revenue and expenses; providing analytical context for planning assumptions and budget policies; coordinating allocation and policy issues with senior leadership; monitoring resource use; modeling the impact of program and policy changes; and providing specialized budget services to meet New York State (NYS) and SUNY requirements. The Budget Office also maintains budget schedules, systems, and tools, and provides training to support the annual budget development process. Additional information about the Division of Budget and Planning and the University Budget Office is available at Division of Budget and Planning website. Reporting to the Director of University Resource Planning & Institutional Finance, the Senior Financial Analyst supports the stewardship of the University’s central revenue and expense allocation models and is responsible for developing and maintaining the financial models and mechanisms that govern how resources are planned and distributed across the institution. The role also supports long-range financial forecasting and other analytical and planning activities that inform University resource allocation and financial decision-making. This role is highly quantitative and detail-oriented, with a strong emphasis on financial modeling, data analysis, forecasting, and translating complex financial information into actionable insights. The Senior Financial Analyst will play a key role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and sustainability of the University’s central financial models and resource allocation methodologies. The role will also contribute to the continuous improvement of financial planning processes, systems, and reporting capabilities by ensuring that central models are aligned with institutional planning and resource allocation methodologies. Additionally, the Senior Financial Analyst will support the University’s FY29 Workday Adaptive Planning implementation, helping to ensure that central financial models and planning processes are effectively translated into the new system. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, business administration, or a related field and minimum of 5 years of experience in a similar capacity working in Finance, Budget and/or Analytical Role or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience building complex financial models and working with large datasets.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (advanced formulas, pivot tables, data analysis, and modeling techniques).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Excellent organizational, forecasting, planning, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Cornell systems including but not limited to Kuali Financial System, Workday, OAS, and Longview.
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
• Prior experience working in higher education, non-profit, or public sector finance.

Responsibilities

• Supports the stewardship of the University’s central revenue and expense allocation models.
• Responsible for developing and maintaining the financial models and mechanisms that govern how resources are planned and distributed across the institution.
• Supports long-range financial forecasting and other analytical and planning activities that inform University resource allocation and financial decision-making.
• Ensures the accuracy, integrity, and sustainability of the University’s central financial models and resource allocation methodologies.
• Contributes to the continuous improvement of financial planning processes, systems, and reporting capabilities.
• Supports the University’s FY29 Workday Adaptive Planning implementation.
• Fosters a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Benefits

• educational benefits
• access to a plethora of wellness programs
• employee discounts with local and national retail brands
• health care
• generous paid leave provisions
• 3 weeks of vacation
• 14 university paid holidays (including end of year winter break through New Year’s Day)
• superior employer retirement contributions

What This Job Offers

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