Assistant Director of Budget

University of Michigan Health System; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan Health System seeks an Assistant Director of Budget to join the Office of Budget & Planning's senior team in Ann Arbor. You will lead portions of the annual and long-range budget processes, support high-level projects with the Provost's Budget Team, and provide leadership and technical expertise throughout the budget cycle.

You will help inform strategic resource allocation that advances academic priorities, and help implement the campus-wide budget software,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in accounting, finance or a business-related field or equivalent.
• More than six years of experience in financial management, budgeting and forecasting.
• Knowledge of higher education operations or ability to learn quickly.
• Strong proficiency in financial analysis tools and software, including creating queries and reports.
• In-depth knowledge of budgeting and variance analysis; advanced spreadsheet and database skills.
• Experience leading or coordinating complex projects, ideally involving technology implementation.

Responsibilities

• Oversee activities involving the analysis, development and management of the $3B annual general fund budget and advise the Provost's leadership team.
• Collaborate with campus partners on budget needs, long-term plans, tuition levels, cost containment, benefits and financial aid.
• Enhance budget model, systems, tools and processes; lead related technology and systems changes including ERP implementation.
• Lead budgeting software implementation; coordinate with SMEs, campus stakeholders and external teams to translate requirements into system functionality.
• Bridge between campus units and the office; provide consulting and guidance with a focus on high-quality deliverables and leadership communications.
• Lead special projects and communicate budget-related matters to leadership; present complex financial information clearly.
• Analyze and monitor financial activity and prepare analyses and reports for resource planning and allocation.
• Evaluate courses of action and make independent decisions on significant matters.

Skills

Budget analysis

Financial modeling

Stakeholder communication

Project leadership

Accounting/Finance knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance

Tools

Spreadsheets

Budget software

Job description

Job Summary

We are seeking an Assistant Director of Budget to join the Office of Budget & Planning's senior team. You will lead portions of the annual and long-range budget processes, support high-level projects with the Provost's Budget Team, and provide leadership, analytical and technical expertise throughout the budget cycle. You will help inform strategic resource allocation decisions that advance U-M's priorities of academic excellence, access and affordability, and fiscal discipline. You will also play a key role in implementing and continuously improving the University's new campus-wide budget software solution. Working with campus partners, budget subject‑matter experts, technology teams, and external resources, you will evaluate processes, develop requirements, resolve issues, prioritize work, and guide implementation activities. The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of budgeting and financial processes and will help ensure that the new technology effectively supports institutional budget practices, business needs, and strategic priorities. This role offers opportunities for professional growth and a comprehensive view of the University of Michigan, higher education, and the connection between mission and budget. You will report to the Associate Vice Provost for Academic and Budgetary Affairs and Executive Director.

Responsibilities*

• Oversee a range of activities involving the analysis, development and management of the $3B annual general fund budget and serve as an advisor on budget issues to the Provost's leadership team
• Collaborate and communicate frequently with campus partners on needs related to budgetary matters, long-term budget plans, tuition levels, cost containment efforts, benefits and financial aid
• Enhance our budget model, systems, tools and processes, and lead related technology and systems changes. This will include supporting the implementation and continued enhancement of the University's new campus-wide budget software solution and planning for the new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation
• Serve as a key business and process lead for the implementation and ongoing enhancement of the University's new budgeting software. Collaborate with budget subject‑matter experts, campus stakeholders, technology partners, and external implementation teams to assess business needs, improve and document budget processes and requirements, translate requirements into system functionality, evaluate solutions, support testing, and resolve implementation and operational issues
• Lead and coordinate budget system implementation activities. Maintain visibility into priorities, assignments, deliverables, timelines, sequencing, dependencies, and open issues; facilitate stakeholder discussions and decisions to keep the implementation on track; and support the transition to ongoing operations and future enhancements
• Serve as the bridge between campus units and our office, providing consulting, support and guidance with a focus on high-quality deliverables. Work with campus leaders on pertinent financial and budget analyses and special project support. Promote innovative approaches for the use of budget and financial data throughout all levels of the organization to meet operational/business partner needs
• Lead special projects and communicate budget-related matters through different mediums across many audiences, with a focus on presenting complex financial information to leadership
• Analyze and monitor financial activity and prepare or update analyses and reports to support resource planning and allocation. Perform financial analysis of data reported in the various information systems, particularly in the accounting records and financial data warehouse
• Evaluate various courses of action and make independent decisions on matters of significance, free from immediate direction, within the scope of responsibilities

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree or higher in accounting, finance or a business‑related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• More than six years of considerable and progressively responsible experience in financial management, planning, budgeting and forecasting
• Knowledge of higher education, operations and procedures or the ability to quickly learn this information
• Strong proficiency in financial analysis tools and software, including creating queries and reports
• In-depth knowledge of budgeting and variance analysis. Extensive knowledge and experience using spreadsheets, advanced spreadsheet functions and complex databases
• Experience leading or coordinating complex projects, preferably involving technology implementation, business process improvement, financial systems, or organizational change
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multiple stakeholder groups, establish priorities and timelines, coordinate deliverables, and identify dependencies or issues that may affect project progress
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to summarize and present complex financial information clearly and concisely to leadership

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

In addition, the Office of Budget & Planning provides:

• Strong commitment to work/life balance
• Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the .

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.