Finance and Business Performance Specialist

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

Job summary

Cornell University in Ithaca, NY seeks a Finance Specialist III within Campus Life to partner with Housing & Residential Life and Cornell Retail Services, delivering financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and performance reporting.

The role collaborates with unit leadership and Campus Life offices to drive efficiency, revenue optimization, controls, and long-range planning while upholding policy compliance and stewardship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field plus 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 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.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial analysis and business performance insight for Housing & Residential Life and Cornell Retail Services.
• Support budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and performance management processes.
• Collaborate with unit leadership and campus partners to identify opportunities for efficiency and revenue optimization.
• Support financial controls, analytics, and compliance activities across the units.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Discretion/confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in related field

MBA

CPA

Tools

Oracle

MS Excel

MS Office

PowerPoint

Database tools

Job description

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

Job Family

Fin/Budget/Planning

Level

F

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Range

$77,831.00 - $90,453.00

Remote Option Availability

Hybrid

Company

Endowed

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

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

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

Cornell welcomes 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 seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage 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