Finance Manager: Academic Budget & Operations Lead

University of Connecticut; Storrs-Mansfield (CT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean's Office at the University of Connecticut seeks a full-time Finance Manager 1 for the CLAS Shared Services Business Center. The Finance Manager provides leadership, oversees day-to-day financial operations across multiple fund sources, and advises departments on budgets, forecasts, and compliance.

The role reports to the Director, supervises staff, and develops processes to improve service delivery within a complex shared services environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or a related field.
• Six years of progressively responsible experience in accounting, budget administration, business operations, and/or financial administration.
• Experience supervising employees, including assigning and reviewing work, providing guidance and feedback, and conducting performance evaluations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of GAAP, budget management, financial controls, and compliance requirements.
• Experience preparing financial reports, monitoring budgets, reconciling activity, forecasting expenses, and analyzing revenue trends.
• Proven ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-financial audiences.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Experience using Microsoft Excel and related financial, reporting, database, or administrative systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage the work of assigned personnel, including establishing priorities; assigning, scheduling, and reviewing work; balancing workloads; monitoring service levels and deadlines; and ensuring the accuracy, quality, and timeliness of work products.
• Provide formal supervision, including participation in recruitment and selection; onboarding and training; regular coaching and feedback; performance evaluations; professional development; attendance and leave coordination; and corrective or employee-relations processes in consultation with the Director and Human Resources.
• Set clear expectations, document procedures, promote cross-training and knowledge transfer, and develop staff capacity to support consistent operations and continuity of service.
• Manage, review, and support day-to-day fiscal and administrative operations for assigned College units, programs, and initiatives, including budgetary, transactional, payroll, purchasing, compliance, and related business activity.
• Supervise the maintenance, reconciliation, and quality control of financial records, budget controls, internal bookkeeping, and transactions in University systems.
• Monitor revenue, expenses, payroll, commitments, available balances, and spending trends; develop forecasts and projections across state, entrepreneurial, grant, contract, Foundation, and other fund sources.
• Prepare and review regular and ad hoc financial reports, budget summaries, variance analyses, projections, and decision-support materials for Business Center leadership, departments, programs, and faculty.
• Support annual and multi-year budget development and monitoring, staffing analysis, and resource planning; identify trends, risks, opportunities, and issues requiring leadership attention; and make recommendations regarding resource commitments.
• Review, submit, process, and/or approve financial and payroll transactions in accordance with delegated authority, University policies and procedures, internal controls, and applicable state, federal, sponsor, Foundation, and College requirements.
• Advise departments, faculty, and administrative colleagues on account balances, anticipated payroll and other expenses, forecasts, commitments, incoming funding, allowable activity, and financial implications across ledgers and fund sources.
• Maintain, evaluate, and improve financial practices, records, internal controls, procedures, systems, and workflows; implement changes required by legislation or University policy and recommend improvements that increase efficiency, consistency, compliance, and service quality.
• Provide quality assurance and oversight for internal tracking systems, databases, reports, and tools related to finances, personnel, grants, commitments, and business operations.
• Serve as a liaison with departments, faculty, CLAS Shared Services teams, central University offices, auditors, and external agencies regarding fiscal matters and management practices; coordinate responses to audit inquiries and resolution of findings or issues.
• Resolve complex financial, budgetary, regulatory, operational, and administrative questions; exercise sound judgment within established authority and escalates significant exceptions, risks, or policy matters appropriately.
• Participate in senior-level projects, workload and continuity planning, policy implementation, and service-improvement initiatives that strengthen operations, reduce risk, and improve responsiveness to the College.
• Maintain the confidentiality of sensitive financial, personnel, student, faculty, and administrative information.
• Perform related duties as required.

Skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business administration, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean's Office at the University of Connecticut seeks a full-time Finance Manager 1 for the CLAS Shared Services Business Center. The Finance Manager provides leadership, oversees day-to-day financial operations across multiple fund sources, and advises departments on budgets, forecasts, and compliance.

The role reports to the Director, supervises staff, and develops processes to improve service delivery within a complex shared services environment.