Data-Driven Financial Planning Lead

Southern Methodist University; Town of Texas (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Methodist University seeks a Unit Financial Planning Officer (FPO) to provide high-level financial, administrative, and strategic planning support. You will analyze complex data, guide resource allocation, and develop advanced models to align with the university's strategic plan.

The role requires leading financial planning, budgeting, and reporting across the unit and departments, while collaborating with the Office of Finance & Planning to drive efficiency and growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, IT, or related field.
• Five+ years of progressive FP&A experience, preferably in higher education.
• Experience creating financial models, dashboards, and reports; familiarity with AI-enhanced reporting is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Analyze complex data sets to inform the unit's strategy and decisions.
• Oversee financial planning, resource allocation, grants and contracts, and budgeting.
• Develop advanced financial models and reports to support enrollment, revenue, and strategy.
• Collaborate with University Planning and FP&A teams for data-driven planning.
• Create dashboards, reports, and executive presentations for decision-making.
• Lead staff training on finances and best practices.
• Monitor financial performance and forecast versus actuals.
• Represent the unit in meetings and university committees.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Problem solving

Dashboards

Excel

Data analysis

Financial modeling

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Accounting/Finance/Business/IT related field emphasis

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

ERP systems

FP&A systems

Reporting tools

Job description

Southern Methodist University seeks a Unit Financial Planning Officer (FPO) to provide high-level financial, administrative, and strategic planning support. You will analyze complex data, guide resource allocation, and develop advanced models to align with the university's strategic plan.

The role requires leading financial planning, budgeting, and reporting across the unit and departments, while collaborating with the Office of Finance & Planning to drive efficiency and growth.