Director, Finance and Operations

The University Of Denver; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 105,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Tuition benefit

Retirement plan

Job summary

The University of Denver is seeking a Director of Finance and Operations in Denver, CO. You will lead financial management, HR, and operational finance across units, ensuring timely transactions and accurate budgeting and forecasting.

You will manage a multi-layered team and partner with leadership to align budgets with institutional strategy, while maintaining audit readiness and policy compliance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field.
• Ability to work on campus 4 days a week (one remote) in an open office concept.
• Minimum 4-7 years of progressively responsible experience in financial and administrative leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets and supervising multi-layered teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a cross-functional team responsible for executing financial, payroll, and HR transactions, ensuring high performance, accountability, and a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure operational accuracy and compliance by maintaining high standards for transaction timeliness, financial integrity, and audit readiness.
• Oversee financial planning and performance by developing, monitoring, and adjusting budgets and forecasts for assigned units.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on financial operations, providing leadership with budget insights and forecasting.
• Partner with leadership on budget development and resource allocation, ensuring alignment with strategy.
• Maintain audit readiness and support audits and reviews.
• Collaborate with leadership to foster a high-performing team environment.

Skills

Budget management

HR and payroll processes

ERP/financial systems

Leadership

Data analysis with Excel

Communication

Decision making under pressure

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Finance/Accounting

MBA/MPA/CPA or similar

Tools

Banner

Salesforce

PeopleSoft

Job description

Job no: 499091
Work type: Staff Full-Time
Location: Denver, CO
Categories: Accounting / Finance, Business Operations / Services
Division: Financial Affairs

Position Summary

The Director of Finance and Operations reports to the Business Operations and Analysis leadership team and provides leadership and oversight for financial management, human resources, and operational finance functions across the assigned units. This role is responsible for leading a team that serves academic and administrative units, including a manager(s) and multiple business officers, ensuring all financial and HR transactions are processed accurately and in a timely manner. The Director is the primary knowledge expert for their unit’s budgets and financial forecasting/budgeting.

Essential Functions

• Lead and manage a cross-functional team responsible for executing financial, payroll, and HR transactions, ensuring high performance, accountability, and a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure operational accuracy and compliance by maintaining high standards for transaction timeliness, financial integrity, and adherence to university policies, regulatory requirements, and audit standards.
• Oversee financial planning and performance by developing, monitoring, and adjusting budgets and forecasts for assigned units to support informed decision-making and fiscal responsibility.
• Serve as the subject matter expert on financial operations, providing leadership with detailed insights into budget status, tuition and discount management (as applicable), and overall financial health.
• Partner with leadership on budget development and resource allocation, delivering data-driven analysis and ensure budgets align with institutional strategy and remain compliant throughout the fiscal year.
• Maintain audit readiness and operational integrity by preparing documentation, supporting audits and reviews, and proactively resolving financial or compliance issues.
• Collaborate closely with leadership to foster a high-performing team environment and cultivate a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in financial management and budgeting, forecasting, and analysis for large, complex budgets to align with institutional priorities.
• Knowledge of HR and payroll processes, policies, and compliance standards
• Proficiency with ERP and financial systems (e.g., Banner, Salesforce, PeopleSoft) and reporting tools
• Leadership and team management skills for multi-layered and cross-functional operational teams
• Advanced data analysis and reporting skills using Microsoft Excel and Microsoft 365
• Strong communication and collaboration skills for partnering with leadership and cross-functional teams
• Ability to quickly resolve operational and compliance issues and make sound decisions in complex environments

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, or related field
• Ability to work on campus 4 days a week (one remote) in an open office concept
• Minimum 4-7 years of progressively responsible experience in financial and administrative leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets and supervising multi-layered teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree/certification (MBA, MPA, CPA or similar).
• Over 8 years of progressive financial leadership with increasing responsibility for team management
• Experience in higher education or similarly complex organizations.
• Familiarity with Banner, Salesforce, PeopleSoft, or similar ERP systems.
• Standard office environment.
• Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
• Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

• Ability to work in front of a computer for extended periods of time.
• Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.The University's working hours are 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday. This position would be eligible for one work from home day per week (Wednesday).

Salary Grade Number: The salary grade for the position is 14.
Salary Range: The salary range for this position is $105,000 - $115,000.

Benefits

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver .

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement .

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history and National Sex Offender Registry background check.

Advertised: October 07, 2026
Applications close: November 06, 2026

The University of Denver Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available. This report includes statistics from the previous three years concerning reported crime that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University of Denver campus and statistics for fires in University housing. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and other safety information along with fire safety policies and procedures. You may obtain a hard copy of this report by contacting the Department of Campus Safety or by accessing the following website: https://www.du.edu/campussafety/clery-act

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