Consulting Manager, Education Research-FINOPS

Hsmconsulting; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Huron is seeking a Manager in Finance & Operations to act as an expert in accounting and budgeting for higher education institutions. The role focuses on leading engagements, improving financial reporting, and mentoring staff while aligning with client goals and governance standards.

Candidates should bring strong accounting knowledge, budget discipline, and experience with finance systems implementations. This position offers growth within a collaborative and mission-driven environment.

Qualifications

• Account­ing knowledge for higher education finance and governance.
• Experience with budgeting, regulatory considerations, and financial reporting.
• Strong leadership, mentoring, and client-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve in interim leadership and senior individual contributor roles for higher education institutions.
• Lead the resolution of complex financial reporting issues and respond to inquiries with detailed analysis.
• Train, mentor, and supervise client staff and Huron engagement team members.

Skills

Accounting expertise

Budget knowledge

Leadership

Financial reporting

Mentoring

Communication

General Ledger

ERP systems

Tools

General Ledger

ERP systems

Job description

Huron helps its clients drive growth, enhance performance and sustain leadership in the markets they serve. We collaborate with education organizations to develop strategies and implement solutions that enable the transformative change our clients need to own their future. Together, we empower clients to drive innovation, create sustainable funding streams and deliver better student outcomes.

Today, leaders of higher education institutions and academic medical centers are spending too much time reacting to market forces, rather than focusing on the essential priorities that help students, faculty and staff thrive. The most productive path forward requires an intentional approach and innovative thinking, whereby stakeholders across the entire institution rally around a shared vision and embrace the hard work of effecting change.

You’ll help our clients to achieve organizational effectiveness, improve student outcomes, implement new technologies and align resources and investments to ensure long-term sustainability.

Join our team as the expert you are now and create your future.

The multi-faceted role you've been looking for...

Managers play a vibrant, integral role at Huron. Their invaluable knowledge reflects in the projects they manage and the teams they lead. Known for being politically savvy, they build long-standing partnerships with clients, while collaborating with colleagues to solve their most important challenges. They plan, shape, and deliver technology and financial solutions that achieve results and seamlessly align with client goals, visions, and missions.

Remarkably versatile, our Managers also spend significant time mentoring junior staff on the engagement team-tirelessly sharing expertise, feedback, and encouragement. This commitment benefits Huron profoundly by promoting a culture of respect, unity, collaboration, and personal achievement.

Our environment inspires and rewards growth...

As a Manager, you have the unique opportunity to specialize in areas of accounting, finance, and enterprise systems that showcase your expertise while pursuing your individual career vision. Huron is large enough to provide the exposure and opportunity needed for professional growth, yet small enough to ensure personalized development and meaningful mentorship.

Huron's Finance & Operations ("Fin Ops") team regularly supports colleges and universities during periods of leadership transition, most commonly following the departures of key finance roles within the CFO's Office (Controllers, Budget Directors, Accountants, and other finance leaders). These engagements often begin as interim staffing support and evolve into broader financial operations projects requiring leadership, problem‑solving, and team development support.

Managers in this role are expected to step into complex environments quickly, stabilize accounting and reporting functions, and lead both clients and engagement teams through periods of change.

Every Manager contributes to who we are as an organization-and the more you evolve, the more we do. An exciting career experience awaits you: it's intense, analytically rigorous, practical, entrepreneurial, intellectually stimulating-and most definitely-career-defining.

It's the Huron Way.

Responsibilities Include:

• Serve in interim leadership and senior individual contributor roles (e.g., Controller, Associate/Assistant Controller, Budget Director) for higher education institutions.
• Act as a subject matter expert in accounting and budget with a strong understanding of university operations, governance, and regulatory considerations.
• Lead the resolution of complex financial reporting issues and respond to financial inquiries by performing detailed analysis within general ledger and financial reporting systems.
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and persistence in identifying root causes of accounting or reporting issues, reconciling data, and improving processes.
• Develop project plans to address client challenges and maintain project momentum for the entire project team.
• Train, mentor, and supervise client staff and Huron engagement team members, including junior resources staffed as projects expand.
• Perform and/or Oversee day‑to‑day accounting operations including close processes, reconciliations, budget support, and financial reporting.
• Leverage audit experience to support external audit coordination, respond to auditor inquiries and strengthen internal controls.
• Contribute experience from finance system implementations or transitions, including supporting end‑users through system changes and data validation.
• Present financial information, findings, and recommendations to senior administrators and executives, articulating both detailed analysis and broader strategic implications.
• Deliver strong verbal and written communications on project work that is clear, concise, and easily understood by non‑technical individuals.
• Collaborate with FinOps and broader Huron teams to identify opportunitie