Associate Provost Strategic Planning & Academic Budget Planning

St. John's University; Hempfield Township (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Long-term disability

Tuition remission

403(b) employer contribution

Employee assistance program

Generous paid time off

Job summary

St. John’s University invites applications for the Associate Provost for Strategic Planning and Academic Budget Planning.

This senior leader directs the academic budget planning division within the Office of Academic Budget Planning and serves as the Deputy to the Vice Provost for academic budget planning. The role sets division-wide planning standards, supervises Assistant Provosts, and aligns portfolio budgeting with assessment, accreditation, grants, faculty planning, enrollment analysis,

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in academic budget planning, institutional finance, academic administration, or related higher education work.
• At least 5 years of experience in a senior leadership, supervisory, or portfolio management role.
• Demonstrated expertise in academic budget planning, multi-year modeling, faculty workforce planning, salary planning, resource allocation, and program financial analysis.

Responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction, standards, timelines, and expectations for academic budget planning across the division.
• Translate Vice Provost priorities into operating direction for Assistant Provosts and portfolio teams.
• Ensure consistency, analytical rigor, and strategic alignment across academic budget planning portfolios.
• Monitor cross-portfolio financial trends, risks, structural issues, and resource opportunities.
• Resolve escalated portfolio issues and determine which matters require Vice Provost review.
• Serve as the primary academic budget planning liaison to the Associate Provosts for Academic Assessment and Accreditation and Grants and Sponsored Research.

Skills

Strategic planning

Executive communication

Relationship building

Analytical skills

Leadership

Budget planning

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Doctoral degree (preferred)

Tools

Banner

Argos

Weave

FLAC

Job description

St. John’s, established in 1870, has two New York City campuses; international locations in Rome, Italy; Limerick, Ireland; and Paris, France; and study abroad locations around the world. The Princeton Review and other top rankings consistently recognize the University’s outstanding academics, diverse student body, dynamic internship, and volunteer opportunities, focus on student life, and diverse study abroad offerings. St. John’s University offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in its six colleges and schools, with a growing number of programs offered online. The University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and 12 other major academic and professional associations.

Job Summary

The Associate Provost for Strategic Planning and Academic Budget Planning serves as the senior operational leader for the academic budget planning division within OASPA and the primary deputy to the Vice Provost for academic budget planning. This position is accountable for the performance, consistency, quality, and strategic direction of academic budget planning across all assigned academic portfolios. The Associate Provost sets division-wide planning standards, supervises Assistant Provosts, reviews portfolio-level recommendations, resolves cross-portfolio issues, and ensures that academic budget planning is integrated with assessment, accreditation, grants, faculty planning, enrollment-informed analysis, program review, and strategic resource allocation. This role may also manage the most complex academic portfolios directly, as assigned, and acts on behalf of the Vice Provost in institutional planning discussions when delegated. The Associate Provost ensures that school-level budget plans reflect institutional strategy, financial discipline, academic priorities, and long-term sustainability.

Job Responsibilities

Division Leadership and Strategic Direction

• Set the strategic direction, standards, timelines, and expectations for academic budget planning across the division.
• Translate Vice Provost priorities into operating direction for Assistant Provosts and portfolio teams.
• Ensure consistency, analytical rigor, and strategic alignment across academic budget planning portfolios.
• Monitor cross-portfolio financial trends, risks, structural issues, and resource opportunities.
• Resolve escalated portfolio issues and determine which matters require Vice Provost review.
• Serve as the primary academic budget planning liaison to the Associate Provosts for Academic Assessment and Accreditation and Grants and Sponsored Research.

Assistant Provost Supervision and Development

• Supervise, mentor, and evaluate Assistant Provosts responsible for assigned school and college portfolios.
• Review significant portfolio recommendations, budget decisions, and financial analyses before escalation or presentation to senior leadership.
• Build Assistant Provost capacity for independent judgment, Dean-level advising, and increasingly complex portfolio leadership.
• Lead cross-portfolio training and knowledge development to ensure consistency, continuity, and institutional fluency across the team.

Direct Portfolio Management

• Manage budget planning for assigned complex portfolios, including annual budget development, multi-year financial projections, position planning, salary planning, and strategic resource analysis.
• Serve as the primary financial planning partner to assigned Deans for complex or high-risk portfolios.
• Conduct program-level financial analyses, P&L/ROI assessments, pro forma modeling, and scenario analyses.
• Identify risks, structural deficits, staffing concerns, enrollment exposure, and resource opportunities requiring Vice Provost or Provost-level attention.

Integrated Planning

• Ensure budget plans incorporate relevant assessment findings, accreditation requirements, grant activity, faculty capacity, restricted fund availability, and strategic priorities.
• Set standards for how assessment, accreditation, and grants-related information should inform financial planning.
• Oversee financial dimensions of accreditation, grant-funded commitments, cost-share planning, and program review across portfolios.
• Ensure academic budget planning supports institutional accountability, financial sustainability, and academic quality.

Competencies, Education, Experience

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in academic budget planning, institutional finance, academic administration, or related higher education work.
• At least 5 years of experience in a senior leadership, supervisory, or portfolio management role.
• Demonstrated expertise in academic budget planning, multi-year modeling, faculty workforce planning, salary planning, resource allocation, and program financial analysis.
• Experience advising Provosts, Vice Provosts, Deans, or senior academic leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead professional staff, exercise independent judgment, and manage complex financial decisions.
• Strong executive communication, analytical, strategic planning, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in a relevant field.
• Experience in a Provost’s Office, Academic Affairs, or central university planning environment.
• Experience with Banner, Argos, Weave, FLAC, and academic financial reporting systems.
• Experience integrating budget planning with assessment, accreditation, grants, and program review.
• Important Note- St. John’s is NOT an E-Verify Employer

St. John’s offers a competitive compensation program which is commensurate with your qualifications, experience, and contingent upon the departmental budget. St. John’s University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer. We also offer an extremely comprehensive benefits program to meet the diverse needs of our workforce. Along with exceptional benefits such as medical, dental, life insurance, long term disability insurance, tuition remission, generous 403(b) employer contribution, employee assistance program, and liberal paid time off policies, faculty and staff can also enjoy St. John’s performing arts, libraries, bookstores, dining facilities, campus recreation and sporting events. Any offer of employment is subject to receipt by St. John’s University of satisfactory references, verification of employment and education. St. John’s University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.