Associate Dean of Administration & Finance - College of Science

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 157,000 - 228,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, Dental

Tuition assistance

Retirement plan

Commuting benefits

Job summary

Northeastern University’s College of Science seeks an Associate Dean of Administration and Finance to lead budgeting, HR, and sponsored research administration for the college. You will oversee space planning, IT initiatives, and cross-campus operations while guiding financial strategy and organizational change.

You will report to the Dean, manage a professional team, and partner with Human Resources, Faculty Affairs, and central offices to support growth, compliance, and program excellence

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in a large operation, preferably in higher education.
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial and supervisory experience.
• Experience in grant and contract administration.
• Experience in project management, change management, and resource and staff allocation.
• Experience using financial databases and developing analytical reports.
• Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities.
• Commitment to professionalism and a strong service orientation.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty, students, and staff.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the college's annual operating budget and multi-year financial models.
• Oversee operating, restricted, development, start-up, renovation, and cost-share accounts.
• Prepare quarterly budget-to-actual reporting and advise the Dean on revenue planning and forecasting.
• Oversee pre-award and post-award grants and contracts administration and ensure compliance.
• Collaborate with central budget and administrative leaders on finance matters.
• Serve on the senior leadership team and support the college's strategic plan.
• Develop analytical reports on enrollment, staffing, financial, and space trends.
• Support business proposals and strategic initiatives with data analysis.
• Identify opportunities for operational improvement and efficiency.
• Provide guidance on recruitment, retention, and space planning.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Strategic planning

Analytics

Communication

Change management

Grant administration

Staff allocation

Education

Master's degree

MBA preferred

Tools

Financial systems

Job description

About the Opportunity

About the College of Science The College of Science (COS) offers instructional and research programs at the forefront of discovery, invention, and innovation across the physical sciences, life sciences, mathematics, and linguistics. The college comprises six academic departments and is home to 15 research centers and institutes, with faculty and students engaged in collaborative, cross-disciplinary, and often AI-linked research spanning fields such as biotechnology, neuroscience, network science, marine and environmental science, and nanoscience, with locations expanding across the campus network.

Job Summary

The Associate Dean of Administration and Finance (ADAF) is the principal administrative and budget officer and strategist for the college, reporting to the Dean. A member of the college's senior leadership team, the Associate Dean helps formulate and implement the college's strategic plan in a dynamic and fast-moving university. As the lead administrator for the college, the Associate Dean is responsible for oversight, implementation, and planning of processes, policies, and projects in budgeting, human resources, sponsored research administration, space management, and college-specific information technology. The Associate Dean leads a team of professionals responsible for all financial and budget operations, business modeling and planning, space management, personnel actions, and grants and contracts administration originating in the college. The role oversees operating, restricted, development, start-up, renovation, and cost-share accounts and provides strategic analysis and guidance to enhance revenue, support budget projections, and inform decisions related to growth and innovation. The Associate Dean advises the Dean on annual revenue and expense budgets, develops multi-year financial scenarios, and collaborates with associate deans, department chairs, and staff to support initiatives aligned with college and university priorities. The Associate Dean leads staffing allocation decisions across the college, develops strategies to address evolving academic and operational needs, and applies change management practices to guide organizational and staffing transitions. The role provides analytical reporting on enrollment, staffing, financial, and space trends to support resource allocation decisions and works closely with Human Resources and Faculty Affairs on recruitment, retention, performance reviews, compensation actions, faculty offer packages, space planning, and merit review processes. Working closely with the Associate Dean of Research, the Associate Dean oversees sponsored research administration, including pre-award and post-award grant management, and ensures compliance with federal, state, and sponsor requirements. The Associate Dean also manages the college's space portfolio and coordinates planning, site evaluation, facilities upgrades, renovations, and capital projects across the college's Boston campus and additional locations in Burlington, Oakland, Nahant, New York City, Portland, and Toronto. The Associate Dean provides financial and space reporting to the Provost's Office and other university-wide units and represents the Dean and the college on committees, working groups, and external engagements.

Qualifications

• Master's degree required; MBA preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience managing all administrative functions of a large, multi-million-dollar operation, preferably in higher education
• Minimum of 5 years of managerial and supervisory experience
• Experience in grant and contract administration
• Experience in project management, change management, and resource and staff allocation
• Experience using financial databases and developing analytical reports
• Strong analytical, communication, negotiation, and facilitation skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities
• Commitment to professionalism and a strong service orientation
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty, students, and staff

Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Financial Management & Budget Administration

• Develop and manage the college's annual operating budget and multi-year financial models under the university's hybrid budget model
• Oversee operating, restricted, development, start-up, renovation, and cost-share accounts
• Prepare quarterly budget-to-actual reporting and advise the Dean on revenue planning, expense forecasting, and business operations
• Oversee pre-award and post-award grants and contracts administration and ensure compliance with federal, state, and sponsor regulations
• Collaborate with central budget, the Office of the Provost, and administrative leaders across colleges on finance and administration matters

Strategic Planning & Analytics

• Serve as a member of the college's senior leadership team and support development and implementation of the college's strategic plan
• Develop analytical reports on enrollment, staffing, financial, and space trends to guide resource allocation decisions
• Support business proposals and strategic initiatives through data analysis and forecasting
• Identify opportunities for operational improvement, service optimization, and organizational effectiveness
• Proactively identify challenges and recommend solutions to support college and university priorities

People Operations & Management

• Partner with Human Resources and Faculty Affairs on recruitment, retention, training, employee engagement, performance management, promotion, position changes, compensation actions, and faculty offer packages
• Support faculty space planning and merit review processes
• Lead college-wide staffing allocation decisions and organizational change initiatives using change management best practices
• Directly supervise, coach, and develop finance, budget, and research administration staff

Operations, Space & Representation

• Manage the college's space portfolio, including space planning, site evaluation, capital projects, and facilities renovations
• Collaborate with university offices on facilities planning and college-specific IT initiatives
• Lead college-wide projects and initiatives as assigned by the Dean
• Represent the college on standing and ad hoc committees related to administration, finance, business processes, and institutional reporting

Benefits

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation.

Equal Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation

Grade/Pay Type: 115S Expected Hiring Range: $157,130.00 - $227,840.00 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Company Overview

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.