Senior Financial Planning Analyst - Arizona State University

Another Source•Tempe, AZ

2h•$68,300 - $90,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Another Source is partnering with Arizona State University- one of the nation’s most innovative public universities- to recruit a Senior Financial Planning Analyst to join ASU’s Office of Planning & Budget. This is a high-visibility role supporting university-wide financial planning, resource allocation, and scenario modeling that directly informs leadership decisions across ASU’s colleges and units. You’ll work with complex Excel-based models, support state and board reporting, and collaborate with stakeholders across campus to help shape ASU’s financial future. Here is more about ASU and the role they are recruiting for: Arizona State University is a new model for American higher education, an unprecedented combination of academic excellence, entrepreneurial energy and broad access. This New American University is a single, unified institution comprising four differentiated campuses positively impacting the economic, social, cultural and environmental health of the communities it serves. Its research is inspired by real world application blurring the boundaries that traditionally separate academic disciplines. ASU serves more than 90,000 students in metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, the nation's fifth largest city. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity and welcomes students from all fifty states and more than one hundred nations across the globe. The Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) is responsible for facilitating the development and management of the University’s annual planning and budgeting processes. This includes resource planning, modeling, allocations, tracking, forecasting, and reporting, as well as decision support analysis for unit and enterprise-wide leadership. In addition, OPB handles external reporting requirements and information requests from the State’s Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) and its Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting (OSPB), and the Arizona Board of Regents. Reporting to the Director of Financial Planning & Analytics, the Senior Financial Planning Analyst (the “Analyst”) contributes to projects and initiatives that inform strategic and operational decisions related to resource planning, allocation, and financial management. The Analyst builds and maintains complex financial models, performs detailed analyses, and communicates insights and recommendations to a broad range of university stakeholders. The Analyst uses a collaborative and consultative approach across OPB and partner units to address financial opportunities and challenges affecting the institution.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative, analytical or public policy field; examples include, but are limited to, Business Administration, Business Analytics, Finance, Economics, Public Policy/Administration, or Higher Education Administration.
Two (2) years of experience in financial or budget analysis, strategic planning, or institutional research; OR, any equivalent combination of experience and education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved.
Knowledge of the principles, concepts, and practices in budgeting, strategic planning, information analysis, forecasting, reporting, and evaluation.
Demonstrated experience delivering oral and written material, including the ability to speak and write with clarity and precision to obtain and convey information.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify trends, evaluate risks, and formulate actionable recommendations.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to balance multiple projects, deadlines, and shifting priorities.
High level of accountability, accuracy, and integrity; ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
Ability to translate quantitative analyses into meaningful strategic insights and recommendations.
Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across departments and build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
Intellectual curiosity and willingness to adopt new tools, learn new concepts, and improve processes.
Ability to develop reporting and analysis that integrates statistical and financial information; demonstrated experience building and working directly with partners from initial ideation through to a completed product.
Demonstrated experience in identifying appropriate data sources, extracting and manipulating data from multiple database sources by designing, refining, and running data queries.
Intermediate knowledge of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook; experience with using Cloud-based reporting tools (Amazon Workspaces, Alteryx, preferred).
Ability to work independently on routine tasks and with limited, but appropriate, direction on more complex matters.
Ability to solicit and effectively act on team members and stakeholders input at all stages throughout the process of developing and enhancing analysis and crafting a final product.
Ability to determine compliance with existing policies and established guidelines and support strong internal controls.
Ability to take initiative, demonstrate resourcefulness, display a sense of urgency in fulfilling commitments, and take personal accountability for achieving results.
Experience in promoting innovative thinking by bringing different perspectives and approaches together, combining them in creative ways to identify options and solve problems.
Willingness to challenge the status quo to enhance efficiency and transparency.
Experience in delivering a high-quality work product, free of material error, by showing concern for all aspects of the job with a high attention to detail.
Cultural competency skills to effectively engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Nice To Haves

Relevant work experience in higher education, corporate finance, public sector administration/finance or consulting.
Four (4) years of experience in financial or budget analysis, strategic planning, or institutional research; OR, any equivalent combination of experience and education from which comparable knowledge, skills, and abilities have been achieved.

Responsibilities

Maintain the university’s central budget planning model — a complex, Excel-based forecasting model used to project central revenue and allocate funds to colleges and budget units — to support strategic and operational decision making.
Prepares reporting and analysis to fulfill external reporting requirements from the Arizona Board of Regents, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, and the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting. Reporting requirements include employment, enrollment, cost of education, and other financial and performance metric data.
Develop, refine, and validate financial assumptions; perform scenario and sensitivity analyses to support annual and multi-year financial planning.
Present analytical findings and recommendations to OPB leadership, senior leadership, and other university stakeholders.
Conduct ad-hoc analyses to assess funding needs, evaluate financial impacts, and support decision making on emerging issues or initiatives.
Create high-quality data visualizations using Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Canva, and other visualization tools to communicate trends, risks, and insights.
Creates, updates and enhances financial models, consistent with best and common practices of finance, higher education, and modeling standards for Excel. This includes the multi-year financial planning model of the University.
Collaborates with OPB team members on special projects, bringing in team expertise and advice; leveraging data and information to broaden understanding and integration with other OPB processes.
Demonstrates initiative, resourcefulness, and displays a sense of urgency in fulfilling commitments and meeting deadlines.
Researches, analyzes, and applies policies, rules, and procedures appropriately; ability to determine compliance with existing policies and established guidelines.
Works with partners to interpret analysis results; compares data from a variety of sources to ensure accuracy using judgment, and relying on available subject matter expertise.
Defines and contributes to effective project management protocols and documentation standards.