Assistant Director, Finance and Operations

University of Rhode Island; Kingston (RI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Rhode Island’s Kingston Library seeks an Assistant Director, Finance and Operations to serve as the senior financial and administrative officer for the Libraries. You will advise library leadership on personnel, finance, budgeting, and administration while guiding strategic initiatives and policy development.

You will lead the Libraries’ budget development, forecasting, and resource allocation across multiple funding sources, ensuring donor intent and program alignment with URI’s

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required with five (5) or more years in financial management within a complex organization.
• Advanced proficiency in spreadsheets, data analysis, and financial reporting.
• Experience with ERP systems (Oracle, PeopleSoft, Banner).
• Ability to partner with senior leaders and manage professional staff.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior financial and administrative officer for the University Libraries.
• Lead strategies for the incentive-based budget (IBB) model and long-range planning.
• Manage budgets across diverse funding sources including state appropriations, student fees, donors and grants.
• Provide financial analyses, pro forma analyses, forecasting, and modeling.
• Serve as liaison to University AVPs and central offices on budget and finance.
• Oversee internal administrative policies and records governance frameworks.
• Offer ad hoc analyses and risk-mitigation plans to library leadership.
• Lead annual library budget process and resource allocation.
• Monitor endowed and donor-restricted funds for strategic use and compliance.
• Coordinate HR processes and labor relations affecting the Libraries.
• Oversee external post-award grant portfolios and related revenue projections.
• Direct non-academic library personnel to support operations and priorities.
• Participate in university committees representing the Libraries on financial and administrative matters.

Skills

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Strategic partnership

Staff supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance or related field

Tools

Oracle ERP

PeopleSoft ERP

Banner ERP

Job description

Position Information

Posting Number SF02236 Job Title Assistant Director, Finance and Operations Position Number 107090 FTE 1.00 FLSA Exempt Position Type Professional Staff Union PSA/NEA - Professional Staff Assoc Pay Grade Level Grade Level: 15 Pay Grade Range Salary Hiring Range: $110,000 - $120,000 Status Calendar Year, Full-time, Permanent

Department Information

Department Kingston Library Contact(s)

Contact Phone/Extension Contact Email Physical Demands Campus Location Kingston Grant Funded No Extension Contingency Notes Job Description Summary

Search will be open until filled.

First consideration will be given to applications received by 10/29/2026. Applications received after 10/29/2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.

About URI:

The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State’s flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.

POSITION WILL BE IN-PERSON

Position Summary

Serve as the lead financial and administrative officer for the University Libraries and as a strategic thought partner to the University Librarian. Advise the University Librarian and Library leadership team on matters related to personnel, finance, budgeting, and administration, and lead associated strategic planning, initiatives, and policy development. Develop strategies and recommendations related to the University Libraries’ participation in URI’s incentive-based budget (IBB) environment and play an integral role in long-range planning and advancement of the Libraries’ strategic objectives. Serve as a member of the Library executive leadership team.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior financial and administrative officer responsible for the Libraries’ administrative, financial, and fiscal management programs.
• Serve as the Libraries’ subject matter expert on the University’s incentive-based budget (IBB) model, identifying, recommending, and coordinating strategies that advance short- and long-term Library goals.
• Lead the strategic development, implementation, and management of budgets across the Libraries’ diverse funding sources, including state appropriations, student fees, donor and endowed funds, grants, revenue, and other restricted and unrestricted funds.
• Provide financial guidance and strategic analysis for Library programs, services, and initiatives, including pro forma analysis, project costing, financial modeling, compliance, and vendor contract administration.
• Serve as the principal liaison to University Associate Vice Presidents (AVPs), their designees, and central administrative offices on matters related to budget, finance, human resources, and other operational issues, addressing and resolving interdepartmental concerns as appropriate.
• Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and periodic review of internal administrative policies, procedures, and records governance frameworks.
• Provide ad hoc financial analyses, expenditure monitoring, short- and long-term forecasting, and advanced financial modeling to identify opportunities for growth and efficiency, as well as potential budgetary risks. Present clear recommendations and risk-mitigation strategies to Library leadership.
• Lead the annual Library budget process, coordinating requests from unit heads and strategically allocating resources across the Libraries’ multiple funding sources and priorities.
• Monitor the availability and use of endowed and other donor-restricted funds, working with Library leadership to ensure funds are used strategically, routinely, and in accordance with donor intent and current Library priorities.
• Coordinate and provide oversight of complex human resources and labor relations processes affecting the Libraries.
• Provide high-level oversight of external post-award grant portfolios, including subaward invoice approvals, revenue projections, overhead allocations, and carryover tracking.
• Manage and direct non-academic Library personnel and foster a responsive organizational structure and workplace culture that positions staff to effectively support Library operations and priorities.
• Participate in University committees and working groups, representing the University Libraries on financial, administrative, operational, and strategic matters as requested.

Other Duties And Responsibilities

Perform other duties as assigned.

Licenses, Tools, And Equipment

Personal computers and printers; word processing, database management, and advanced spreadsheet software; Microsoft Office Suite, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Access; and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as Oracle, PeopleSoft, and Banner.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, management, public administration, business administration, or a related field, with a minimum of five (5) years of demonstrated professional experience in financial management within a complex organization, including the tracking, analysis, and management of revenue and expenditure budgets and actuals; or a Bachelor’s degree in a related field with a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in financial management within a complex organization.
• Demonstrated advanced proficiency in spreadsheet applications, data analysis, and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated professional experience using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, such as Oracle, PeopleSoft, or Banner, including finance, human resources, student, and/or grant modules.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic thought partner to senior leaders and stakeholders across portfolios of varying size and complexity.
• Demonstrated supervisory experience managing professional staff and complex administrative operations.
• Demonstrated experience developing complex financial models, short- and long-term forecasts, and pro forma analyses.
• Demonstrated ability to respond effectively to complex, fast-paced ad hoc requests and deliver clear, concise, and timely reports and recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience managing administrative operations, vendor contracts, memoranda of understanding (MOUs), or similar agreements within a complex organization.
• Demonstrated knowledge of resource management and personnel alignment practices within an incentive-based budget environment.
• Demonstrated strong verbal, written, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with diverse groups and populations.

Preferred

• Experience working within the University of Rhode Island’s administrative and financial environment, including familiarity with relevant University systems, policies, processes, and organizational structures.
• Professional experience in an academic or research library or demonstrated experience supporting the financial and administrative operations of a comparably complex academic organization.

EEO Statement

URI is unwavering in its commitment to equal opportunity, community, equity, and diversity. In furtherance of its mission to serve and support all learners as the state’s public flagship university, URI continues to expand efforts to recruit and retain a broadly representative workforce as well as to regularly evaluate the effectiveness of those efforts. All employment decisions, including hiring, are made without regard to protected status. Qualified individuals with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the URI benefits office at 401-874-2416. For TTY assistance, contact R.I. Relay Services at 711.

Environmental Conditions

The incumbent is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Posting Date 10/15/2026 Closing Date

Note: References will be upon request by the search committee.