Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition assistance

Professional development

Job summary

Georgia State University is seeking a collaborative and analytical Director of Financial Planning & Analysis to lead the university-wide FP&A function. This role partners with Deans, CAOs, and Finance Directors to drive budgeting, forecasting, and data-informed decision-making across eleven academic units.

The Director will advance cross-college initiatives, enhance reporting, and expand business intelligence capabilities to support program-level resource allocation and financial

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field and six years of accounting/financial management experience; or a combination of education and experience.
• Master's degree preferred for higher education roles.
• Experience with financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Oversee financial planning activities across eleven academic units.
• Develop and manage a recurring forecasting and variance reporting process across colleges, in partnership with CAOs and Finance Directors.
• Support evolving budget methodologies by incorporating program-level performance and future resource needs.
• Serve as a financial liaison to Deans, CAOs, and Finance Directors across colleges.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of business intelligence tools for program-level analysis and transparency.
• Develop financial modeling and scenario analysis to inform strategic decisions.
• Lead cross-college initiatives including process improvements and reporting enhancements.

Skills

Financial analysis

Forecasting

Variance analysis

Financial modeling

Cross-functional collaboration

Data visualization

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Master's degree

Tools

PeopleSoft

Power BI

Job description

Director, Financial Planning & Analysis

Georgia State University

Office of the Vice President for Financial Planning and Operations

Georgia State University's Office of Financial Planning and Operations is seeking a collaborative and analytical financial leader to serve as Director, Financial Planning & Analysis. This position provides strategic and operational financial support to the University's academic units and serves as a key partner to Deans, Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), and Finance Directors in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and analysis.

What Makes GSU a Great Place?

• Generous benefits, including health, dental, vision, tuition assistance, retirement, etc.
• A knowledge-sharing organization that works collaboratively with diverse partners.
• Professional development opportunity and mentorship.
• A rapidly growing center within an academic setting.

What Will You Do:

In this role, the Director ensures alignment with University financial strategies while promoting consistency, transparency, and best practices across colleges. The Director will also lead and contribute to cross-college initiatives designed to improve financial operations, enhance reporting, and support data-informed decision-making, including efforts to expand business intelligence capabilities and enable more informed, program-level resource allocation.

Duties and Responsibilities Include:

• Oversee financial planning activities across eleven academic units.
• Develop and manage a recurring forecasting and variance reporting process across colleges, in partnership with CAOs and Finance Directors.
• Support evolving budget methodologies by incorporating program-level performance, future resource needs, and financial sustainability considerations.
• Serve as a financial liaison to Deans, CAOs, and Finance Directors across colleges, providing guidance on both short-term financial management and long-term planning.
• Contribute to the design and implementation of business intelligence tools that enable program-level analysis, reporting, and transparency.
• Develop and apply financial modeling and scenario analysis to inform strategic and operational decisions.
• Lead and support cross-college initiatives, including process improvements, reporting enhancements, and planning efforts.
• Evaluate and enhance financial processes, controls, and procedures across colleges, identifying opportunities to adopt best practices, improve efficiency, accuracy, transparency, and consistency.
• Identify key trends, risks, and opportunities and communicate insights to academic and financial leadership.
• Ensure alignment with University priorities, financial guidance, and resource allocation strategies.
• Provide ad-hoc financial analysis and decision support as needed.

Disclaimer: This job requisition provides a high-level job description. It is not intended to provide a comprehensive or exclusive list of job duties. As such, job duties and/or responsibilities within the context of this job requisition may change at the discretion of the employee's direct supervisor.

Qualifications

Minimum Hiring Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a related field and six years of accounting/financial management experience; or a combination of education and experience.

Preferred Hiring Qualifications:

• Master's degree.
• Experience in higher education.
• Strong experience with financial modeling, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Familiarity with financial systems and reporting tools (e.g., PeopleSoft, Power BI).

Salary offers will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications in relation to the Minimum Hiring Standards. Candidates earlier in their careers are typically offered salaries closer to the minimum of the hiring range, while those with more advanced or relevant experience may be considered for compensation at or above the hiring range.