Academic FP&A Leader: Strategic Finance Partner

Unitek Learning

Irvine (CA)

On-site

USD 180,000 - 250,000

Full time

9 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision starting 1<

2 Weeks’ vacation per year

12 paid Holidays and 2 FloatingHoliday

401k with company match

Company Paid Life Insurance

Leadership development and training

Tuition assistance and forgiveness

Job summary

Unitek Learning is seeking a strategic finance leader to serve as the primary FP&A partner to the Academic department across all divisions. This role provides financial insight, decision support, and strategic direction to help Academic leaders plan effectively, allocate resources, and advance academic quality, student success, and sustainable growth.

You will lead budgeting, forecasting, long-range planning, and performance analysis for academic operations, partnering closely with Academic,

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field (MBA, CPA or CFA a plus).
7–12 years of experience in financial planning and analysis or corporate finance roles.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (modeling, nested logic, scenario planning).
Experience with Anaplan, Adaptive Planning, Prophix or similar planning/reporting systems strongly preferred.
Private Equity-backed or multi-site services experience a plus.
Strong communicator with the ability to present complex information with clarity and brevity.
Demonstrated career growth, with at least one internal promotion in a prior role.

Responsibilities

Serve as the strategic finance partner to Academic leadership across all Unitek divisions, providing guidance on resource allocation, operating plans, and investment priorities.
Lead budgeting, forecasting, and long-range financial planning for academic operations, aligning faculty and instructional resources with enrollment projections, program needs, and strategic objectives.
Become the resident subject matter expert on faculty utilization and instructional workforce planning, partnering with Academic leaders to assess teaching loads, staffing models, full-time and adjunct faculty mix, and hiring needs.
Develop models that connect enrollment, cohort size, course schedules, and program progression to faculty requirements, instructional costs, and classroom, lab, and clinical capacity, where applicable.
Partner with Academic leadership to identify opportunities to improve efficiency while supporting educational quality, student outcomes, and accreditation and regulatory requirements.
Produce precise monthly variance analysis and academic performance reporting, explaining key drivers, identifying risks and opportunities, and recommending actions.
Establish consistent academic operating KPIs and cost benchmarks across divisions, with appropriate adjustments for differences in program structure, delivery format, and campus requirements.
Support monthly Private Equity reporting, monthly Operations reviews and quarterly Board presentations with clear analysis and commentary on academic performance, resource needs, and strategic initiatives.
Partner with Finance, Operations, Human Resources, and enrollment teams to align assumptions, improve data quality, and strengthen accountability for academic financial performance.
Continuously improve financial models, reporting processes, and planning tools, including Adaptive Planning or comparable systems.