Finance and Business Performance Specialist

Cornell University; City of Ithaca (NY); Hybrid; USD 78,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Cornell University’s Campus Life Finance and Business Performance Specialist partners with Housing & Residential Life and Cornell Retail Services to provide financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and performance insights. You will support planning, monitor performance, and drive efficiency and accountability across units while upholding financial integrity and customer service excellence.

The role emphasizes collaboration with campus partners, data-driven decision making, and long-range

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field; at least three years of relevant experience.
• Experience in supporting strategic financial planning, business performance analysis and/or navigating and leveraging complex financial databases to report on unit performance.
• Customer service skills and ability to communicate with a broad range of clients.
• Effective interpersonal, time management and organizational skills with attention to detail.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, advanced spreadsheets and databases; familiarity with Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint.
• Ability to cultivate inclusive relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial analysis, forecasting, reporting and performance management for units.
• Partner with leadership to evaluate business performance and identify operational efficiency opportunities.
• Support financial controls and analytics; assist in long-range planning.
• Collaborate with campus partners to ensure financial integrity and effective stewardship.

Skills

Customer service

Communication skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Discretion

Microsoft Office

Advanced spreadsheets

Database management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field

Tools

Oracle

Job description

Finance and Business Performance Specialist

Student & Campus Life (SCL) inspires transformation in all Cornell students on their journey of individual, academic and personal evolution. Our division is comprised of leading student affairs experts who support our campus on pressing student life matters including public service, health, wellbeing, connection and belonging, residential living, food services, sports, recreation, career services, and student activities and organizations including sorority and fraternity life. We provide support and services to roughly 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on multiple campuses in the U.S. and abroad.
Campus Life Enterprise Services (CLES) is the primary revenue-generating unit within Student and Campus Life, inclusive of Cornell Dining, Cornell Catering, Housing and Residential Life, Conference and Event Services, The Cornell Store(s), and a dedicated CLES Marketing and Communications team. CLES is a large campus-wide organization, with an annual budget of approximately $230 million and employs over 800 regular (union and non-union) staff members and over 800 contingent and student employees to successfully operate its broad-ranging business operations.

The Finance and Business Performance Specialist serves as a financial and business partner for Housing & Residential Life (HRL) and Cornell Retail Services (CRS), providing financial analysis, operational support, and business performance insight in partnership with the Director of Enterprise Finance & Administration and unit leadership. This position supports the financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and performance management processes for Housing & Residential Life, an auxiliary enterprise with an annual budget of approximately $126 million, and Cornell Retail Services, with an annual budget of approximately $26 million. The role collaborates closely with operational leaders to evaluate business performance, identify opportunities for operational efficiency and revenue optimization, and support informed decision making that advances both financial sustainability and the student-centered mission of Student and Campus Life.

The Finance and Business Performance Specialist serves as a key liaison between unit leadership, the Student and Campus Life Financial Transaction Center (FTC), the Treasurer's Office, University Audit, and other campus partners to support financial integrity, policy compliance, accurate financial reporting, and effective stewardship of resources. Through ongoing financial analysis, forecasting, business intelligence, and performance monitoring, this position provides actionable information and recommendations that support operational effectiveness and long-range financial planning. In addition, the position supports financial controls, business analytics, retail performance monitoring, housing performance analysis, compliance activities, and operational reporting while fostering a culture of collaboration, customer service excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Success Factors

• Cultivate strong relationships with key partners using strong customer service skills and managing multiple priorities
• Be forward thinking, collaborative and embrace new challenges while helping to enhance and leverage effective business analytical reporting tools, techniques and procedures
• Demonstrate a high-level of organizational skills that prioritize efficiency, accuracy, and practicality across all organizational processes and procedures while maintaining high level of attention to details
• Use sound ethical judgment and critical time management skills to troubleshoot and accomplish tasks that are urgent, highly sensitive and/or confidential in nature exercising critical thinking and creative problem-solving techniques to advance work efficiently and effectively.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field plus at least three years of relevant experience. Equivalent combination of education and experiences is acceptable.
• Experience in supporting strategic financial planning, business performance analysis and/or navigating and leveraging complex financial databases to report on unit performance.
• Customer service skills and demonstrated ability to communicate (both written and verbal) with a broad range of clients, constituents, and customers.
• Effective interpersonal, time management and organizational skills with a high attention to detail
• Ability to exercise discretion, resolve problems using sound judgment, and maintain confidentiality.
• Working experience in Microsoft Office, MS Excel, MS Outlook, PowerPoint, database management tools, professional communications tools, etc. as well as demonstrated experience using advanced spreadsheets and databases.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred Qualification

• MBA, CPA, or additional educational certification or experience relevant to the field is strongly preferred
• Prior experience with a retail services business or auxiliary services in a higher-ed environment
• Accounting or financial planning experience using Oracle

University Job Title

Finance Specialist III

Pay Range

$77,831.00 - $90,453.00

Remote Option Availability

Hybrid

Company

Endowed

Contact Name

Caleb Yu

Contact Email

[e-mail]

Job Family

Fin/Budget/Planning

Level

F

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Job Titles and Pay Ranges

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement . To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates .

EEO Statement

Cornellwelcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeksjob candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Wehire based on merit, andencourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-11-04

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.