Financial Analyst

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 68,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, Dental

Tuition Assistance

Retirement Plan

Commuting Benefits

Job summary

Northeastern University in Boston is seeking a Financial Analyst to develop and maintain financial models that support budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. You will pull data from Workday, Snowflake, and other systems, ensure accuracy, and build Tableau dashboards to inform leadership on budget, headcount, and KPIs.

You will collaborate across departments, adopt AI-assisted tools like Claude, and help translate complex data into clear narratives for audiences with varying technical

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field with 2–4 years of relevant experience
• Advanced Excel for financial modeling with complex formulas
• SQL querying to extract and analyze data from relational databases
• Dashboards in Tableau or Power BI for leadership visibility
• Knowledge of ERP/financial systems (Workday/Adaptive Planning/Oracle)
• Familiarity with Python or R for data automation and analysis
• Experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake) and AI-assisted tools (Claude)

Responsibilities

• Pull, clean, and consolidate financial, enrollment, headcount, and operational data from multiple systems into unified data sets
• Identify and resolve data inconsistencies and anomalies at the source
• Build automated data pipelines and SQL/Python queries to speed up reporting
• Design and maintain Tableau dashboards translating complex data into clear views for leadership
• Build and maintain financial models for budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning
• Collaborate across departments to support institutional financial priorities
• Evaluate AI tools and automation to improve efficiency and accuracy

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting & forecasting

Excel (advanced)

SQL

Tableau / Power BI

Data visualization

Communication

ERP/financial systems

Python or R

Snowflake

Claude AI tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Economics

Tools

Tableau

Power BI

Snowflake

Workday

Oracle

Python

Claude AI

Job description

Job Summary

Develops and maintains financial models that support the university's budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning efforts. Pulls and analyzes data across multiple university systems, applying a sharp eye for accuracy and a problem-solving mindset to dig into discrepancies wherever they turn up. Builds and maintains Tableau dashboards that keep leadership informed on budget, headcount, and operating KPIs. Connects the data back to what's actually happening across the university's campuses — keeping dashboards and models grounded in real operations. Works across departments and functions to support university-wide financial priorities, and stays open to new tools and approaches — including AI-assisted tools like Claude — as reporting needs evolve.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge of financial analysis, budgeting, and forecasting principles, as normally acquired through a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field and 2-4 years of relevant experience
• Ability to use statistical analysis, simulations, predictive modeling, or other methods to analyze information and develop solutions that support the university's mission
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, including complex formulas and financial modeling
• Ability to write and execute SQL queries to extract and analyze data from relational databases
• Ability to build and maintain dashboards in Tableau or similar BI tools (e.g., Power BI)
• Ability to apply data visualization best practices to turn complex data into clear, compelling visual narratives for audiences with varying levels of technical expertise
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with high attention to detail and a demonstrated focus on data accuracy
• Ability to communicate complex data and analysis clearly, both in writing and verbally, to audiences with varying levels of technical expertise
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, working both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
• Preferred Knowledge of ERP/financial systems (e.g., Workday, Adaptive Planning, Oracle, or similar)
• Working knowledge of Python or R for data automation and analysis
• Experience with cloud data platforms (e.g., Snowflake)
• Familiarity with AI-assisted tools (e.g., Claude) for data analysis, forecasting, or process automation
• Genuine interest in and commitment to Northeastern's mission

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Data Aggregation & Analysis

Pull, clean, and consolidate financial, enrollment, headcount, and operational data from multiple university systems (Workday, Snowflake, and others) into unified, reliable data sets

Identify and resolve data inconsistencies, gaps, and anomalies at the source before they reach downstream reporting

Build and maintain automated data pipelines and queries (SQL, Python) to reduce manual data pulls and improve turnaround time on recurring reporting needs

Partner with system administrators and data owners to understand source system logic and ensure data is interpreted and mapped correctly

Reporting & Dashboard Development

Design and maintain Tableau dashboards that translate complex financial and operational data into clear, actionable views for leadership

Distill analysis into concise, decision-ready summaries — highlighting key trends, risks, and opportunities rather than raw data

Partner with stakeholders to understand reporting needs and iterate on dashboard design as priorities shift

Financial Modeling & Forecasting

Build and maintain financial models supporting budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning

Conduct scenario and sensitivity analysis to inform planning assumptions and decision-making

Support annual budget development and periodic forecast updates in partnership with departmental leadership

Cross-Functional Support & Process Improvement

Collaborate with departments across the university to support financial planning needs tied to the broader institutional mission

Evaluate and adopt AI-assisted tools (e.g., Claude) and other automation technologies to improve efficiency and accuracy of financial processes

Document processes and methodologies to support consistency and knowledge transfer across the team

Position Type

Finance

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation

Grade/Pay Type: 109S Expected Hiring Range: $67,855.00 - $95,845.00 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real-world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—which includes 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.